Choosing players to take part in the tryouts soccer depends on the purpose of your team. Help to improve the competitiveness of the kid if you are working with kids. It is good to help your players shine in the game if you see both the athleticism and love of the game.
In few cases, you may have a player who’s new to team but has got inbuilt ability to learn fast. In such a situation, take account of the time you’ve got to prepare him for the tryouts.
What you find below are only a few points that help coaches to prepare players for the upcoming tryouts and soccer tournament.
To be in shape is vital for the players prior to the tryouts, so make them run 3 days a week. This will help build stamina. Ability to run 2-3 miles by the end will definitely make players to be in good shape.
Steadiness and agility are also to be considered. Also, they have to consider running, stopping, and changing the direction. Have the players practice these by doing short sprints. For example: count out 40 yards and 100 yards on a flat surface and place a marker. Make them run between it a few times.
The round targets drawn with the chalk on the wall can be hit by the players while practicing shooting. The perfect place to draw the target would be two feet from the ground and a foot diagonally. Ask the players to hit the target from a 10 feet distance.
Once they have accomplished it from that distance then move back further and continue.
Get to the place with your players early to get plenty of time for warm-ups.
When the kids are not required to wear something specific, request them to wear something distinctive. To point to someone wearing blue socks and give an opinion is easier than pointing to a group of girls wearing red T-shirts and white shorts.
Almost all the tryouts soccer sessions start with small games like 2v4 or 4v4 to goals, and work up to 8v8 to goals with goalkeepers.
Most decisions are made in the small-sided phase. Players are rated as a) definitely b) may be c) certainly not in many cases. The ‘may be’ players get the most playing time in the 8v8 stage, so as to arrive at a decision. So encourage kids to play with energy and take control of the game.
You should communicate well in the games, because it makes your player to observe you and to stand out in a positive way. Any player can be a leader if they are able to give instructions and if they help other players with vocal and visual signals. Silent players somehow appear to be out of the game mentally.
Players should take every opportunity to greet their coaches. Soccer association is very strict about the etiquette of the players.
Some food for thought; players who keep asking questions know better what’s going to happen at the tryouts soccer and during any follow-up tryouts. This doesn’t include everything. You should consider joining our youth soccer coaching community for it has got newsletters, articles, and videos to make you a better coach.
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.