Even though I’m not very sure about how you work, I’d still like to discuss some simple yet effective teaching techniques in coaching soccer drills before you start your practice sessions. Work out a common objective for the team as well as yourself as a coach, for instance; during soccer practice the players must enjoy the game while they are a part of it.
Herein, you must remain careful otherwise you’ll not be able to follow the fun part. Consequently, identify such objectives that are particularly important for you as a coach and also equally important for the team. Some examples are; focus on player’s individual soccer skills, promote the importance of their physical fitness, and help them grow into mature, professional, and sporting soccer players.
It is your duty to set reasonably high standards for players in relation to sportsmanship. Encourage attitudes like fair play, team spirit, and sportsmanship. However, in teaching soccer, you can have numerous other objectives that you can add to those mentioned above.
Winning is another important concept that I’d like to emphasize in coaching youth soccer. When you coach your kids, you must instill an open concept of winning in their minds. Let them know that to be tagged as winners, they must focus on playing their best game and not worry about the results.
It has the effect of encouraging the players to give it their best shot and play the game without unnecessary pressure to win anyways.
It’s important that your instructions during coaching soccer drills are to the point and exact for players to fetch expected results. It’s imperative that your kids are aware of the dos and don’ts that are critical to the game of soccer before you go any further with their training. The dissimilarity between coaching and teaching lies in the fact that coaching is concerned with a group of players who are already familiar with the game to a certain extent.
In the process of coaching drills, it is nice to first impart 5 to 6 demonstrations about a drill to the kids and then let them practice it themselves. It is because kids have a tendency to learn quickly by watching than by listening. If you endeavor to explain in instructions, they will not understand it. Relatively, they imitate perfectly.
So, as a general rule, demonstrate the skills yourself whenever possible.
Last but by no means the least; keep your players active with several purposeful activities. This becomes even more important when the weather is windy, wet, or cold. You must understand that kids are just thrilled at the prospect of playing in the rain. So, rather than just telling them to go home, it is more beneficial to find ways so that they can still enjoy soccer in some form.
Just keep in mind that the kids should be wearing additional protective gear in such weather.
Move forward now and start using these tips to your training sessions. The results will make you happy.
To get more knowledge on coaching soccer drills, join our youth soccer coaching community that will help you get more of such immense knowledge.
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. 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 youth soccer coaching guide visit: Coaching soccer drills.
Tags: coaching drills, coaching soccer drills, Soccer practice, teaching soccer