Coaching Youth Soccer

In kids soccer drills, it’s a known fact that the coach’s faults bring the teams to a point, from where it’s near impossible to get back on to the winning track. Yes, it’s a fact. Many of you must be thinking that how can there be something so big that can destroy a team. Then let me tell you, there can be numerous causes.

To take steps pertaining to soccer drills for kids, be very alert and calculative. You must recognize kids psychology. Speak with them in a language that they can understand well. But sadly, most coaches are not ready to adapt to this. They simply close their eyes to the dissimilarity between teaching adult players and kids.

So there you have it; top faults of coaches that bring the teams to a point, from where it’s near impossible to get back on to the winning track.

1. Many coaches take their jobs for granted. They are not punctual, fail to organize the drills, and don’t think it’s important to plan the sessions. Such behavior is bad and also has the potential to sadden the kids. Kids take soccer very seriously and so should you. Plan the youth soccer drills in advance. Any equipment required to execute the drills should be assembled in advance.

Youth Soccer Drills

Always be prompt. Always reach the field before the kids. In fact, you should be on the track before the kids arrive. This will also give you some time to rehearse the drills or arrange for things.

2. When coaches give instructions for kids soccer drills, they get so carried away by their emotions that they keep going on and on. Can you believe how boring that can be? Understand that kids come to play soccer, not to hear your long lectures. Always speak for less amount of time. Use these sessions in a way that the kids get inspired to play and enjoy the game.

It is also important not to disturb them in between the sessions. If there is something that you need to tell the kids, wait for the session to end. And stand outside the field when the kids are playing.

3. Some coaches tend to get emotional or abusive with the players. In soccer drills for youth, both the behaviors are unacceptable. It is bad to display weak behaviour on the soccer field. It is Ok if kids make mistakes. Never forget that they are very young. You should not take it seriously and get offensive with the players.

If this happens, you can drive the kids away from the game. Soccer is a game of the mind. Make the kids realize this and you would have motivated them.

Just keep yourself aloof from these problems in kids soccer drills. If you are looking for tips on how coaches should handle the kids, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community. This will dramatically improve your knowledge and skills.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching 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 ebook at: Soccer Training Drills.

It’s amazing to see that the value of warming up in kids soccer drills is underestimated. As a coach, I just cannot emphasize enough that warming up before sessions is not just mandatory but also a great way to kick start your training sessions. Coaches in youth soccer drills do not take this factor into consideration. This has an end result in terms of injuries to players when in the practice sessions.

You will find some great tips on warming up your team before practice sessions. The team should be guided to use such body movements that have the effect of warming up all muscles. This is the correct method of stirring up all the body parts. If the movements are intense, body could become stiff or develop cramps.

Tip 1: Have the players jog for about 5-7 minutes initially. It’s advisable to begin with a light jog and then move on to sprinting.
This must increase the pulse rate to at least 120 beats per minute. But, slow improvement is better. Next, make the players sway their legs, front and back, which should take roughly 10 minutes each. To conclude, the players should vigorously stretch their body more than 20 yards.

Tip 2: Talking of active stretching over 20 yards, it should be noted that it should be accompanied with some warm up exercises of its own. For instance, the players should practice hopping forward and backward. Teach the players cross stepping as well. High-knee carioca can also be taught to players. You can have these performed similar to sprinting.

Youth Soccer Drills

In soccer drills for kids, an extremely helpful warm up drill is backward running. However the right way to do it is to kick up the heels to the butt. It’s actually tough to practice it like this but there’s no choice as it’s the single most and right way of doing it.

Tip 3: There are other essential warm up exercises in kids soccer drills that build up the momentum to the actual session. The players can be taught to hop with swings and loops. These result in giving an extra edge to the skipping exercises. You can also make them cross-over skip. Quick Hip Swings, though it’s slightly complex, can also be used to warm up the body intensively as it’s a very valuable and tested means.

After that, have the players do the long shuffles along with twists halfway. Tell the players to practice backward and forward leg swings. This activity is considered as extremely useful in body toning. Equally effective are high leg forwards and backwards.

Tip 4: Stretch adequately and complete it in the approved manner. For the legs, stretch hinging works the best. Make sure all players have worked out their quadriceps, calves, hamstring, and groin without fail. Stretching not only prevents injury but also increases the range of the muscles.

Also ensure that in soccer drills for youth, kids are discouraged from overdoing anything. They have the tendency to get carried away in excitement and injure themselves as a result.

In kids soccer drills, you have to guarantee that kids attend the warm up sessions before the drills as you are now equipped with all the necessary information. Our youth soccer coaching community is the place where you’ll many related news and articles. Become a member today and benefit from it.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free 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 ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.