When it comes to teaching youth soccer, it is very important for the coach to teach the players about various fouls and the consequent penalties so that they could avoid the same and save their team from getting into problems.

• Yellow Card And Red Card

Younger players can easily avoid most of the penalties if they keep their hands away from ball. In soccer, it is not the hand, but the feet that the players have to use. However, you must teach the young players that it is not just touching the ball from hand that can result in penalty, but pushing, tripping or holding the other players will certainly bring penalties.

There are some malicious players in almost every soccer team and when it is about young players, it is very difficult to have a malicious free team. Such players intentionally foul on their opponent players, but the coach must teach them that if they do so, they will get a warning in the form of a “yellow card”.

If the player repeats the same behavior again, he is “rewarded” with a red card and is taken out from the field and from the game. A player with red card is not replaced, but the soccer game continues.

• Handball

Handball is the term that is used when a player tries to touch the ball with hands in order to get better control of the ball. It does not really matter whether the players do this intentionally or unintentionally – handball will certainly result in penalty.

• The Offside Player

When a player dribble the ball, and dribbling he gets nearer to the goal line of the opponent team than one defensive player and the goalkeeper, the player is offside. The coach must train the players of their team regarding all these little things that may result in penalties.

However, the offside rule is not applicable when it comes to goal kicks, throw-in’s or corner kicks. The main objective of the offside rule is just to stop an offensive player from ‘camping-out’ at the goal awaiting passes.

• Other Fouls

There can be various other fouls as well, such as pushing, kicking, striking, holding and charging into an opponent. However, these things may turn into penalties only if the players do the same intentionally. If it was not intentionally, there will be no penalties.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of teaching youth soccer. His web site,
Youth Soccer Drills: www.SoccerDrillsTips.com, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,
resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.