Andre Botelho’s Soccer Coaching Blog

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times that different things work for different people when it comes to coach youth soccer. In order to have your players perform at optimum levels, you need to include a variety of ways in your training sessions.

The fact that you were able to motivate your team to the maximum will depend on your overall personality and attitude along with your style of communicating with the kids.

So the question is, what is the best way to teach youth soccer?
The first and foremost is a well-thought out training session. You just cannot make it a practice to always have improvised practice sessions. These sessions should be based on proper planning, so that they can address both individual player’s needs as well as the group’s needs.

Your players must feel excited about soccer practice. Because if they don’t look forward to the training sessions you have planned for them, even skilled players will feel de-motivated. Here, give special consideration to substitute players.

While teaching soccer, it is not an easy task to keep the players happy and motivated . To avoid this, you can plan a weekly session with them where you exclusively pay attention to their needs while your colleague can look after your regular team in a common playing field.

Having An Aim: Train the young players to set goals in the context of the long term objectives. For this they must keep in mind the level where they see themselves at specific points in time. This will allow them to remain focused towards their final destination.

To coach youth soccer, your players must look up to you for any guidance that they seek. They expect you to provide regular feedbacks to know exactly where they stand with respect to their talent and abilities. It therefore depends on you to encourage them and lead them through the way to achieve their goals.

When players enjoy their soccer coaching sessions, you can be rest assured that they are adequately motivated to win matches. It would not be difficult to pursue them to work a little more hard. Since soccer is a team game, it is critical to inculcate team spirit in players.

An important aspect of being a coach is to take an interest in your individual players, so ensure that you are ready to listen to their concerns.

If you do not have the time for them, they can feel quite de-motivated. Praising them when they do something really well can also keep their spirits high, knowing that you appreciate their efforts. Rather than focussing too much on their mistakes and shortcomings, you can show them how to minimize them by helping them overcome these.

These tips are the easiest way to coach youth soccer. Now that you know these tips, pass these off to your players. You will find thousands of such useful tips and knowledge on our youth soccer coaching community. Enroll today and get the best out of your players.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in Coach youth soccer and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free Coaching Youth Soccer ebook at: Soccer Drills.

By the time you finish reading this, you would probably have learnt every trick in the trade to coach youth soccer. Coaching kids about soccer is no rocket science but yes, it requires skill, knowledge, and a lot of patience. What follows are known strategies to teach youth soccer. Implementing them religiously will do wonders to your team.

Encourage learning: You have heard about it many times but what is the correct way to encourage learning? Give freedom to the kids to do their own stuff and even if they make mistakes, it is OK. Through this exercise, you are encouraging the kids to be more creative and most importantly, have fun.

Name the teams: Divide the groups into small teams which allow you to better coordinate the affairs. Also it is a great idea to give names to the teams as this inculcates a sense of association.

Measure success and failures: To coach youth soccer, you must have a definitive yardstick to measure the performance. Some rules to understand this are whether the kids are enjoying the sessions. Are the kids enjoying soccer or playing as a team? Are they effectively picking up techniques of controlling, dribbling, and passing the ball?

Give incentives: These keep the kids going and even the advanced players, for that matter. Now, these need not be substantive incentives. For example, the team that wins gets a half hour rest or gets to go half-hour early and so on. Also, never give individual rewards. They do not work in soccer as some kids will always excel whereas others won’t. Instead reward team effort.

Managing bad behaviour: While teaching soccer, this part can prove to be disastrous for the entire team if not handled in time. For example, if a player is always late for the drills, do not ignore it. Punish the culprit with a light punishment so that everyone gets a message.

Similar is the case with parents, some of which may try to interfere a lot in the affairs of the team. Do not allow that and set the record straight. You are the coach and you will take decisions. That said, parents involvement to a certain degree is absolutely essential.

Be a leader: Whatever you do is likely to be imitated by your players because a coach is always looked upon as a mentor. So keep your conduct in check. Always be nice and polite to team mates, fellow coaches, and opponents. Reach the ground for the practice sessions in advance or before the players. Never criticize the referee or the players when in a practice match.

Believe me, once you start to apply this to coach youth soccer, your team will reach the pinnacle of success, both in the practice sessions as well as real tournaments. If you wish to receive more such tips and expert commentaries on youth soccer, enroll for our youth soccer coaching community. You will find valuable insights into various aspects of youth soccer.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in Coach youth soccer and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free Coaching Youth Soccer ebook at: Soccer Drills.

If you are like me, you probably understand that to coach youth soccer is not an easy task. It requires a great deal of energy, creative thinking, and a sense to do things differently. When you are teaching kids soccer techniques, there are a whole lot of drills and exercises that you can use.

There are different schools of thought on this. One says that drills are the best way to teach soccer whereas others believe that the game itself is the best coach. The perceptions vary across coaches as well. However, it is certain that unless you mix all the activities well, a monotony will set in. The kids will get bored and soon get disengaged from soccer.

So, if there is a good blend of activities, there is a certainty that players will learn new things from drills and apply them during practice. To teach youth soccer, try the following suggestions and you will know what works best for your kids.

The problem with Drills-only sessions: To coach youth soccer, coaches focus a lot on drills. Not that it is a bad thing. Drills are an essential part of a good practice session. However, if you include only drills in your plan, there is great chance that the kids will stop enjoying the sessions. Worse still, this may drive them away from the practice sessions altogether. Make it a mix of games, chat sessions, and drills. Introduce as much variety as you can. When the kids get to do something new at regular intervals, it thrills them.

For example, having a player hit the ball several times using the same feet is pointless. Moreover, he will not be able to relate the exercise with the actual scenario on the soccer field.

Teach the right technique: While teaching soccer, always focus on the right techniques to do things. they can then practice these during their sessions. Supplement these with properly organized scrimmages, small games, and a few outdoor excursions such as trekking, biking and so on. After that, you can make them move on to playing a regular soccer game.

It is important to focus on the techniques because they are the stepping stones to good performances. If the players start practicing wrong techniques, they will never really be able to correct themselves later. It is also a good idea to split the group into teams and even the games into different phases.

Make sure that you impart instructions correctly and carefully. This is possible when you have done your homework. Always get to the field prepared with what you want the kids to do.

Remember always, kids will play soccer only when they enjoy it. If their interest is not developed, they will soon move to something else.

So there you have it. Know what it takes to coach youth soccer, create a fun-filled and engaging practice session and implement it. You can get access to thousand of such tricks and knowledge resources on youth soccer by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community. Enroll today.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of Coach youth soccer. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free Coaching Youth Soccer guide at: Coach youth soccer.

Let me ask you a simple question. To coach youth soccer, what are the 3 things that a coach can do? Before you answer this question, it is important to know that youth soccer is all about letting the kids have fun. The focus should be on making drills and sessions so exciting that they are always full of of enthusiasm.

So, to teach youth soccer, keep in mind the following three tips. They will help you guide the young kids to becoming professional players.

Let the kids have fun: As I said, youth soccer is all about having fun with the game. As a coach, you must plan each session well in advance. For example, make them start with warm-up drills that prepare them for the sessions. Then move to advanced drills such as passing, dribbling, trapping the ball etc and so on.

Also, allow the kids to be creative in their approach. Encourage them to try new things and even of they are doing something wrongly, do not interrupt them. Talk to them about it after the session. The support of the parents is also extremely crucial in achieving the fun objective.

To coach youth soccer, it is important since the kids will spend a considerable time with their parents off the field. Ask the parents to inspire the kids, keep a track of their diet, and be regular in their training sessions.

Adapt to the age level: Teaching soccer to the youth is generally for kids between 7-14 years of age. At this age, it is a challenge to define the drills that actually catch their attention. So, research a lot over what games you would like them to play. Also, communicate carefully with them as they may not understand your intent behind the exercises if you are too formal in your approach.

It is a good idea to make two or more teams and giving them names. This inculcates a sense of team spirit. Also, do not experiment a lot. A good session is one that has a mix of new and old time-tested techniques.

Document the Drills: You must always write down the sessions, drills, and the goals associated with them. It aids in providing a direction to the team effort. The documentation also helps you in evaluating the progress of the players. If something needs a change, written plan will assist you in assessing it.

Also, with everything documented, it is easy to track your goals. It is obvious that some things will not work out as you expected and you can always get back.

It is safe to say that youth soccer is a dynamic, fun-filled, and yet a responsible job. However, with proper planning and these essential tips handy, you will succeed at it without a doubt.

Put this to test right away! These tips on coach youth soccer are guaranteed to bring you marvelous results. For more such tips on youth soccer, join our youth soccer coaching community where you will find many resources and like-minded individuals from the soccer community.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of Coach youth soccer. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free Coaching Youth Soccer guide at: Coach youth soccer.

Tell me, does this describe you? When it comes to coach youth soccer, there are certain essential elements that kids look forward to in their coach. If you have all of the following traits, there are chances that your kids rate you very high as a coach.

We often discuss as to how kids and their parents should be informed about the training drills. However, it is almost always neglected as to what kids expect from their coach. To teach youth soccer, it is imperative to have the following skills which will decide how well and soon can you create a winning team.

Sensitivity: Listen to kids and understand their needs and aspirations. Respect their thoughts, ideas, and goals. Be tolerant and ever-ready to lend them your ears. Also, it is important to note that the best way to handle kids is being humorous with them.

Knowledge and Experience: While teaching soccer, it goes without saying that the kids look up to you for information and tips. So you should be someone who has played soccer extensively,  knows its intricate details, and has a huge experience to share.

Praise and Feedback: When a kid does well, ensure that you appreciate him. Along the same lines, when someone makes a mistake, provide feedback. However in both the situations, do not go overboard. Also, it is important not to  pull someone up in front of his teammates. Cheer the team up from outside the field. This is important to coach youth soccer.

Trustworthiness: Young kids often get caught up in situations where they cannot take a decision. In times such as these, they look up to you to guide them. Talk to them, share your ideas, listen to their problems and this will develop a bond. They will trust you for taking their decisions.

Managing: Kids like their soccer coaching sessions well organized and planned. So it is mandatory that you have great managerial skills as well. Whether you are organizing on the field drills, outdoor excursions, or even a small chit-chat session, ensure that the time is well spent.

A competent teacher: A coach and a teacher are not very different. Try to impart correct and accurate instructions, be compassionate to their problems, be appreciative and never ever reprimand, unless absolutely necessary.

Be a Friend: More than a coach, be a friend. The kids will need to share a lot of things with you and they will do so only when they trust you. Generally, kids get intimate only when they believe that their coach is friendly and open with them.

Remember, youth soccer is all about fun and learning together. If any one element is missing, the kids will loose interest in the support. You, as a coach can make a difference by imbibing all these qualities in yourself.

So go ahead and coach youth soccer by making these changes to your daily coaching routine. If you think, any of the above traits is lacking, work towards developing them. Our youth soccer coaching community has tons of useful resources, tips, articles, and newsletters to help you rise in your coaching profession.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free Coach youth soccer ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free Coaching Youth Soccer ebook at: Soccer Coaching Drills.

Let’s face it. When it comes to coach youth soccer, every coach runs short of ideas on how to make practice drills interesting and enjoyable for the kids. The biggest challenge in teaching soccer is being creative enough to come up with great ideas so that the interest of the kids is sustained in the game.

Following are some drills that you can teach youth soccer players. These help them not just focus on the game, become proficient in soccer, but also enjoy the game.

Get the kids going with dribbling and shooting: This is a simple drill that involves all the players at the same time. Have the kids line up on the single goal line. Now, scatter a lot of balls all over the field. Then, ask the kids to go after the balls  and move as if they are attacking the opponent goal post. They must also shoot the ball when they get a chance.

This drill helps them build stamina, confidence, and also improves their dribbling skills. Since the kids do not have any opposition while they dribble, it also brings out their individual style.

Passing the Ball: In this game, make the kids stand in a queue at a distant corner of the field. Count till 3 and as soon as you finish, instruct them to run towards you as fast as they can. While they are running towards you, they also need to steal the ball from the other player who is kicking the ball. When you say Stop, the player who was kicking the ball must pass to one of the teammates.

When you coach youth soccer, these drills bring out the best in kids when it comes to passing and dribbling. They also learn the art of stealing the ball from other players which is very important.

Touch and Go: This is a very enjoyable game which the kids love. Make the young players stand in two queues not more than 40 feet from the goal post. Also, the goalie should defend the goalpost. Place yourself somewhere between the two queues.

Now pass the ball to one of the queues and instruct them to shoot or pass the ball using only one touch. The objective should be to attack the goal. The goalkeeper must then return the ball and the practice continues.

If you have more than one goalkeeper in the team, keep them alternating between different sessions. This game involves team effort and also improves the shooting skills. Also, the goalkeepers learn to save the ball from hitting the goal post.

Retaining the possession of the ball: This drill helps the players learn to move forward with the ball saving it from opponents. Take two players, one acts as the defender and the other attacker.  Instruct them to start moving the ball as per their roles and when a player dominates the other, reward him with a point.

These are the easiest ways to coach youth soccer. Make your kids practice them and you will help them learn and have fun at the same time. If you would like more such tips and know about drills, join our youth soccer coaching community.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free Coach youth soccer ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free Coaching Youth Soccer ebook at: Soccer Coaching Drills.

Let me ask you a simple question? When it comes to coach youth soccer team, what is the most important skill? There can be many varying answers to it but the truth is that controlling and tackling the ball is the most crucial. The success of a team depends on how well an individual player handles the ball and how well the team supports him on the field.

To teach youth soccer, start with teaching the players various positions on the field. This coupled with the rules of the game as well as how how they should move around in the field making the optimum utilization of the space are important first lessons. With time, they must also get to understand each others strengths and weaknesses.

It must also be understood that the player who has the ball is dependent on the support of his teammates in converting it to a goal. There is a great deal of coordination required to achieve this and as a coach, you must instill this in them.

When you coach youth soccer, it is important to observe how long players can keep the possession of the ball. The longer they can do that, the better it is. Also, teach them to pass the ball cleverly and efficiently by considering the different positions of the ball. As discussed earlier, the role of the supporting players in critical here.

When passing the ball, instruct them not to get in the route of the ball. Also, ensure that when the pass is about to be made, the players should have 3 different choices to pass the ball to. Before receiving the pass, the players must rearrange their spaces so that they are in a good position to handle the ball.

While teaching soccer, imagine a situation where the player does not have the required space to play the ball once he has it. Also, if possible, it is ideal to have at least 2 more players supporting the pass so that after the pass is made, it can be moved about in an attacking position.

Another great trait of a winning team is how they prepare themselves to tackle the ball in unexpected situations. Such situations do occur and the team that makes the best of them wins. On the contrary, when you ignore this ability, even the best teams can end up on the loosing side.

Lastly, any practice session will surely fail if it is devoid of any fun element. No matter what the level of players be, beginner or advanced, you must include a lot of drills and fun games that take away the monotony of rigorous daily sessions. There are many such drills that help the players learn the art of controlling the ball. The best part is that they learn while having fun.

So go ahead and make the best of these tips and techniques to coach youth soccer team. These will surely put them on the winning path. Our youth soccer coaching community has tons of resources, articles, videos, newsletters and so on that will teach you elements of youth soccer coaching. Join it today.

Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in Coach youth soccer. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free Coaching Youth Soccer guide visit: http://www.soccerdrillstips.com.

Ever wondered how difficult it may seem to coach youth soccer team? Actually it is not, if you have the right attitude, flair to deal with the kids, and some handy tips.

It is always logical and best to start with the basics. At this stage, all they need to do is enjoy the game and eventually, they will begin to get professional in their approach. Also, getting familiar with the fundamentals of soccer will make them confident and get accustomed to the essentials of the sport.

To teach youth soccer, the first things to do is to do nothing. Yes, be very very observant but let the kids be on their own. Do not try to organize things a lot or instruct a lot. This way, the kids will just enjoy the game and that is most important.

Provide short and accurate feedbacks on which the kids can act instantly. Give these feedbacks only at the end of the session, not during them. Remember that they are just kids and so it is important to communicate with them in their language.

Parents of kids take a lot of interest in their progress. So it is a great idea to involve them early. This will also help you in making sure that kids sustain their interest in the game even when they are at home.  Make sure that you understand their queries and answer them appropriately.

Keep all the communication channels open. Personal meetings, telephones, email are all acceptable and effective modes of dialog. However, a word of caution! Do not instruct the kids or allow parents to do the same on the field. Also, the feedback, especially negative, should never be discussed in front of the the young player.

To effectively coach youth soccer, interacting with your fellow coaches is also essential. Every one has unique experiences of their own and sharing them with each other opens new doors to communication and ideas.

Prepare your plans and drills in advance. This essentially means that you do your homework well in advance. Sometimes coaches take an easy approach thinking they are dealing with kids. That is not right. Professionalism and courtesy is as much relevant in youth soccer as it is in professional soccer.

Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in Coach youth soccer. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free Coaching Youth Soccer guide visit: http://www.soccerdrillstips.com.

If you are going to coach youth soccer for the first time, you will have to study the various aspects of the game.

However, if you have a sincere passion for the game, you might have already the idea of the important elements that contribute to the success of your team.

Take, for example, the aggression factor. The team that is fairly more aggressive has more chances to win.

‘Steal the bacon’ can be a good soccer drill in this regard. As per this drill, you have to coach youth soccer by dividing your players into two teams.

Assign a specific number to each player. The drill is very simple. All you have to do is to call two numbers from the two teams while throwing a football into the air.

The players who have been assigned those numbers will come ahead and will try to win that ball and get control of the same.

The players have to show their aggression while doing so, but please note that you should not allow tackling in this drill.

Tackling must be strictly prohibited for this specific drill. What is more, the players are not supposed to run with the ball. They just have to get control of it.

Try this youth soccer coaching drill and let me know of the results.