Coaching Guide SOCCER updated 11/01/12 i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 1
First and foremost, THANK YOU for volunteering to become an i9 Sports Coach. This league can only thrive with the involvement of parents and friends such as yourself. Whether you know it or not, you will play an enormous role in the development of the i9 participant both on and off the court. We have heard countless success stories of how players have grown due to caring coaches. This responsibility can and will be very rewarding to you! Sound daunting? Don t worry; being a great coach is not as difficult as you may think. Are you still a little apprehensive because you think that you don t know the difference between a slant and a post? Do you think you're not qualified? Excellent! Your willingness to question your own knowledge shows that you possess one of the key elements for success; you care enough about others to honestly evaluate yourself. This sign of good character combined with the right resources of knowledge will enable you to provide your team with a great experience. Some think in order to effectively coach you must have an extensive knowledge of technique and tactics for the specific sport. Quite simply, this is not true. It is much more important to have the appropriate coaching mentality when it comes to youth sports. This theory was utilized when we developed the i9 Sports Core Principles and Certified Coaching Standards. Please review the following pages to familiarize yourself with our philosophies. We are sure that you will agree that these philosophies will help create the ideal environment for total participant enjoyment. In an effort to make your job as an i9 Sports Certified Coach more enjoyable, we have created this manual to use as a resource. In the following pages you will find game day procedures, a sample playbook, practice exercises and our end of season awards description. Once again, we must say that your participation in our league is invaluable and we appreciate your time and energy. We hope that you enjoy this experience as much as we do! The i9 Sports Soccer Staff i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 2
Core Principles 1. Fun. We believe that the primary reason children play sports is to have fun. They love mastering new skills, developing friendships, and healthy competition. We avoid spoiling the fun by focusing more on skills development and enjoyment of the game than on the score or outcome. 2. Inclusivity. That s our word for everyone s right to play and have fun. Our program is for everyone, regardless of race, gender, religion, or ability level. No child will ever be excluded by a try-out, be made to feel like they aren t good enough because of a league draft, or be cut from a team. We endeavor to play every child at least half of every game. 3. Safety. We believe your child s safety is paramount. As such, we background check each of the adults supervising your children and hire trained officials for each game to ensure that safe play is enforced. 4. Good Sportsmanship. We believe that learning to play the game is only half the equation. Helping children develop character is the other half. The value of teaching children teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship goes far beyond the game. 5. Everyone is a Winner. Competition is a natural instinct. However, the win-at-allcosts mentality so prevalent in youth sports today is not only destructive to team morale, it severely undermines individual self-esteem. We believe everyone is a winner and should be both encouraged and given the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. Certified Coaching Standards Thank you for your interest in becoming an i9 Sports youth coach. The league s success depends on interested parents and such as yourself to ensure that our children get the very best experience possible while playing in an i9 Sports program. As a coach of an i9 Sports program, we are far more interested in your ability to i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 3
communicate with the children on your team to effectively impart a positive sports experience, than we are in your ability to teach the nuances of the double reverse. Benefits of Athletic Participation for Kids Research points out many benefits of getting kids to continue to participate in youth sports, noting that, kids who stay in sports tend to, stay in school, get better grades and have fewer behavioral problems. It is extremely important that coaches remember that a successful youth coach is defined not in terms of a won-loss record, but in terms of how many kids decide to return to play again next year. As a helpful reminder here's a checklist of some behaviors connected with positive coaching: Kids deserve praise for participating/trying The child chose to play a sport rather than hang out during free time. We need to credit each player just for being there. The child and parent chose to sign up, come to practice and come to the games. We need to remind ourselves not to notice and praise kids only when they achieve. It's easy to praise the kids who do well in a sport. We also need to praise the youngsters who don't shine but who stay with a sport day in and day out. Make a BIG deal out of even the SMALLEST positives Promoting a positive self-image in kids while they play sports is essential! Look for positives and then encourage them with animated praise. At practices and games, a good goal is to try and keep a healthy ratio of positives to negatives. The more positives to negatives the better! Additionally, you want to be specific in your praise. Good job, while a good effort won t go quite as far in building up kids as a more specific compliment such as, "I like the way you kept hustling after that play." Stay calm when mistakes crop up, help kids learn from their mistakes. Dealing with a child after a mistake has been made is one of the most critical issues facing youth sports coaches. Ideally, youth sports offer kids great lessons in life: 1) it's OK to make a mistake, 2) mistakes WILL happen and 3) mistakes are stepping stones for learning. When a young child makes a mistake in a sport, one of two things can occur: 1) the child i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 4
can learn from the mistake and try to improve the next time; or 2) the child can become preoccupied with the fear of making another mistake. The coach is the focal point that will help determine which path the child will travel. If a coach stays calm and tries to instruct the child, there's a chance that the child will see the mistake as an opportunity to learn. If the coach stays calm there's a chance that the kid will stay calm, focus on the mistake and learn from it. Unfortunately, as human beings, we often tend to have more animation in our reactions to negatives than in our reactions to positives. So it takes an extra effort on our part as coaches to remind ourselves to do all in our power to try to stay calm when mistakes occur. Have reasonable, realistic, and reachable expectations. Trying to live up to expectations can be a major frustration for kids whether they are their own expectations, or those of adults in their lives. Despite the fact that they may not show it, kids have a strong desire for adult approval, the lack of which, can be a major source of low self-esteem. Since a coach often plays a major role in the life of a youngster, it is important to keep expectations reasonable and attainable. A good coach's skill expectations are based on the knowledge that all youngsters are different in their physical skills, skill development potential, and growth rate, all of which can affect their coordination. A good coach's motivation expectations are based on the awareness that there are three levels of motivation for kids in youth sports: 1) some kids, especially the entry-level players, are playing because their parents enrolled them, 2) many playerz are playing because it's a social event allowing them to be with their friends, 3) a smaller group of players, beginning at about age 11 or 12, are playing because they enjoy sports for sports' sake. A good coach's dedication expectations are based on the knowledge that the level of dedication to practice and mastery of skills depends upon the level of motivation in a youngster. A good coach also knows that dedication wanes when playing the sport is no longer fun. Remember not to take yourself too seriously during the game. Remember, this is a volunteer position; nobody is being paid to pace the sidelines here. You don t need to make this your life, too many times in youth sports, the same person who seems to have it all together away from the field, is a different person as a coach. Kids will respond much more positively to a coach that does not look at mistakes on the field as a poor reflection of his coaching ability and his team s preparedness. Rather, mistakes can be looked at by a coach as another opportunity to give encouraging feedback to a young athlete. Be a role model of good sportsmanship. These days, sportsmanship has taken a distant back seat to the outcome of the contest. Coaches have a responsibility to promote sportsmanship and: 1) Win without gloating, 2) Lose without complaining i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 5
3) Treat opponents and officials with fairness, generosity and courtesy. Maintain a Fun is #1 focus, with lots of laughter and sense of humor. The #1 motivator for kids to play sports in the first place?...fun! If you ask a child his motivation for playing a given sport, you are not likely to hear to increase my selfconfidence or to learn sportsmanship, or to better prepare me for life. Kids enjoy competing, but the fun is the act of competing, the excitement of competing, not just the winning. The effective coach is the coach who learns what fun is for the kids by getting into their shoes and seeing the world from their point of view, the world of fun. The effective coach knows that fun, laughter, and humor are second nature to kids. COACHING RESPONSIBILITIES Pass a criminal background check Participate in a pre-season webinar Support the i9 Youth Sports Philosophy & Coaching Standards Regular Communication with parents of players Being familiar with the weekly schedule of practices & games Wearing your RED shirt every game Be at the field a few minutes before programmed practice Know your Sportsmanship Value for the week Participate actively in all practices & games the entire season Weekly feedback to i9 Sports Have FUN!! PARENTAL PLEDGE Any coach or parent that acts in a manner outlined as inappropriate by i9 Sports will be given: 1. (1) verbal warning and 2-points will be given to their child s opposing team. 2. If behavior is repeated during any time during the season, i9 Sports may ask the parent to leave the premises and not return. No refunds will be given for any remaining portion of the season. In addition to their removal, their child s team will be forced to forfeit the game during that day. If this is a coach, i9 Sports will seek a replacement coach. LYSTEDT LAW A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall be removed from competition at that time and may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed heath care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and received written clearance to return to play from that health care provider. Within the soccer program, we strictly enforce a No Heading policy as well. When in Doubt, Sit Them Out i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 6
Game Day Operations i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 7
OPENING DAY HOUR 1: Meet & Greet Team (All divisions) A: Check-In at entrance to field and sign any missing paperwork. We recommend assistant coaches show up 15 minutes before designated practice. At check-in, players will receive their jersey and guided to the right area of the field. B: i9 Sports will convene all parents reviewing parental pledge and season expectations including coach discussions. C: Players will be grouped by team assignment. A placard will be placed on the field for your convenience. D: Instructor warm-ups: Soccer staff will use this time for team skill assessment and work with assistant coaches accordingly. HOUR 2: GameTime Scrimmage-30-45 minutes depending on division REGULAR SEASON HOUR 1: Programmed Practice A: Please show up a few minutes early with your RED shirt on B: Check-in at MAIN ENTRANCE for schedule, jersey color & court number (no need to check in your child after initial check-in) C: Meet team on designated field you will be playing on. D: Meet with the lead instructor to go over the program for the day. E: 30-45 minutes of this time will be directed by a lead instructor overseeing skill development, doing drills and games, but assistant coaches are integral in participating. Please do not wait to arrive at game time, but be present during ALL practices. F: Instructors will also focus on sportsmanship values during this time as well. SPRING & FALL LEAGUES Week 1 (Opening): Team Orientation/Skill assessment Week 2: Dribbling/Foot Skills/Passing/Game Play Week 3: Shooting/Kicking Week 4: Passing/Receiving/Control Week 5: Attack/Defend/Playmaking Week 6: Review/Skill Focus Week 7: Coach Time Week 8 (i9 Cup Tournament): Team Practice Only i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 8
SUMMER LEAGUES ONLY Week 1: Team Orientation Week 2: Dribbling/Control Week 3: Kicking/Shooting Week 4: Passing/Receiving Week 5: Team work Week 6: Review/Coach Time HOUR 2: Game Time A: Game takes place on same field as programmed clinic B: PeeWee Games: 30 minutes; Rookie/Varsity Games: 40 minutes B: Please be prepared with team 5 mins before game begins. C: Your instructor will be assigned as an official to your game (except PeeWees) AFTER GAME: A: Sign score card from official (if available) B: Recognize other team. C: Get all the players in your team to join the circle in the middle to present Medals. How to Post Statistics, Team News Articles, & Photos DO NOT SUBMIT SCORES ONLINE: Our staff will do this for you. We gather our information from the officials and you will be required to sign the score sheet at the end of the game. Get Social Any member who has a username and password can submit a team news article once per week. For coaches, you can go to the COACH button and click Submit Team News and you re on your way. If you wish to include a digital photo with the article, please email it to us with the article it should be matched up with. We will then review, approve, and post the article. These articles can be viewed towards the bottom of the home page under "Team News." We encourage all teams to have at least one volunteer to write a weekly article on their game. NOTE: i9 Sports will monitor articles to make sure all teams are showcased positively. Mobile Site For your convenience we have a mobile site for your smart phone at m.i9sports.com! Here you can have quick access to schedules, standings, rosters & directions to venues! Submitting Photos & Videos Kids get so excited when they are able to be recognized! Please remember that anyone can submit digital photos by emailing them to seattle@i9sports.com or submitting them directly to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/the-official-i9- SPORTS/88009728575 i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 9
Soccer Rules i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 10
THE BASICS Division Ages Players Ball Size Officiate Goalie Game Length PeeWees 3-5 4 v 4 3 Coaches No (2) 15 min halves Rookies 6-7 5 v 5 3 Ref No (2) 20 min halves Varsity 8-10 5 v 5* 4 Ref No (2) 20 min halves *4v4 during Summer Leagues SAMPLE FIELD LAYOUT i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 11
THE TEAM BY DIVISION PeeWee: Teams must have a minimum of 3 players on each side to commence play. All games will be officiated by volunteer coaches PeeWee teams will be limited to <7 kids per team to avoid sideline distractions. This league is considered to be an instructional league focusing on igniting the player s interest in soccer play. Rookie Teams must have a minimum of 4 players (3 players during Summer League) on each side to commence play. All games will be officiated by a trained i9 Sports instructor/official This league is considered to be an instructional league focusing on creating solid foundational skills in soccer. Varsity Teams must have a minimum of 4 players (3 players during Summer League) on each side to commence play. All games will be officiated by a trained i9 Sports instructor/official This league is considered to be a prep league with the purpose of preparing the players for more competitive options. General League is Co-Ed Teams will consist of 4-10 players assigned* in the following order: 1. Grade 2. Age eligibility 3. Siblings 4. School 5. Buddy/Coach Requests 6. Skill Level (will be considered to balance league) *When balancing rosters, the program director will consider the # of kids on each team, particularly after the initial rosters are announced. The team with the lowest amount of players will receive the next registered player PLAYER ATTIRE Official i9 jersey must be worn during game play* Shin-guards are MANDATORY (available to purchase with i9 Sports) Dark-Colored Shorts or athletic pants are recommended during game play. Soccer cleats are highly recommended! Mouthpieces are optional. No hats with brims or bills (including baseball hats). No jewelry (except medical bracelets)* No casts or any items deemed dangerous* Please note that any player not wearing official i9 jersey or found to be wearing prohibited equipment will not be able to participate in game play. i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 12
THE COACHES All volunteer coaches are considered assistant coaches and must be certified to coach or help with practice on the field. There is no limit to the number of certified coaches present on the field during the programmed practice. However, only (2) certified coaches per team are allowed on the field during game time. All coaches must have their RED shirts visible to the instructors. PeeWee Division All coaches are allowed on field at any time, including game play Rookie Division All coaches are allowed on the field during time-outs and half-time. (1) coach is allowed on field during game play. Varsity Division All coaches are allowed on field during time-outs and half-time. Coach must always remain on sideline during game play. The Start of Play The winner of a coin toss at the beginning of the match will elect either to kick or to select which goal to defend during the first half. Teams will switch sides of the field at half time. Play is restarted at the beginning of each half -- and following a goal -- by means of a kick off taken at midfield. All kick offs shall be indirect kicks, meaning that a goal cannot be scored unless the ball is touched by another player of either team before it goes in the goal The referee shall award ball possession and a free kick to restart play after a temporary stoppage for any reason not otherwise mentioned in these rules. Ball In and Out of Play The ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the goal line (end line) or touch line (side line) on the ground or in the air; or when play has been stopped by the referee. The ball is in play at all other times, including when it rebounds from a goalpost, crossbar, corner flagpost, coach or referee and remains in the field of play. INFRACTIONS The following will result in a free kick for the opposing team. Any tackling (including but not limited to slide tackling) Grabbing and holding another player's shirt. Intentional tripping, pushing or shoving. Any handball. ("handball" occurs when a player intentionally makes contact with the ball using any part of the hand or arm from the top of the shoulder to the tips of the fingers). Unintentional contact with the hand or arm (i.e., "ball to hand") is not a foul. All rule infractions should be explained to the offending player. Fouls and misconducts shall be awarded a free kick. All Free Kicks Will Be Indirect Kicks A goal cannot be scored unless the ball is touched by another player of either team before it goes into the goal. If the ball enters the non-kicking team's goal before being touched by another player, a goal kick is awarded to the non-kicking team. If the ball enters the kicking i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 13
team's goal before it is touched by another player, a corner kick is awarded to the nonkicking team. Free kicks are awarded to the non-offending team at the spot of an infraction. If the defending team commits an infraction inside their own goal area, the free kick is taken from the nearest point parallel to the goal line and outside the goal area. If the attacking team commits an infraction inside the goal area of the defending team, the free kick is taken from any point within the goal area. The non-kicking team must yield no less than 5 yards from the kicker. The ball is in play when it is touched by the attacking team Throw-in A throw-in is the method of restarting play and is awarded when the whole of the ball goes out of bounds or crosses the touch line (side line) in the air or on the ground. Throw-ins on smaller fields shall be taken from a point on the sideline near where the ball went out of bounds, but no closer to the goal. The ball is in play immediately as it enters the field of play. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in. If an infringement occurs on a throw-in, coach the players on the proper technique and retake the throw-in. Goal-Kick A goal kick is the method of restarting play and is awarded when the whole of the ball, having last touched a player of the attacking team, crosses the goal line on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored. The ball is kicked from any point within the goal area by a member of the defending team. Opposing players must remain outside of the goal area until the ball is kicked. The ball is in play when it is played outside of the goal area. Corner-Kick A corner kick is the method of restarting play and is awarded when the whole of the ball, having last touched a player of the defending team, crosses the goal line on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored. The ball is placed within 2 feet of the closest corner cone. The cone cannot be moved for the kick. Opposing players must remain no less than 5 yards away from the ball until it is kicked. The ball is kicked by a member of the attacking team. The ball is in play when it is touched by an attacking player. i9 SPORTS WEEKLY SPORTSMANSHIP VALUES Each coach will be given up to (10) medals for their team to distribute every week based on the value being taught. THE VALUE OF A MEDAL i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 14
Each medal symbolizes a teaching moment. Therefore, each is special and all kids should feel very special when receiving one. Coaches should conduct a small awards ceremony after each game in the presence of all the team parents. We recommend that you distribute ALL medals by last week of regular season (week 7)! We also recommend that you keep track of which players received medals and limit to (1) per player. WHY? It dilutes the meaning of the value being taught i9 Sports will also provide every player with an additional award commemorating their final day Enthusiasm Is your player approaching practice and game play with excitement and passion? This is a great value as it helps your child to socialize positively. Cooperation/Being A Good Buddy This is the first day where the TEAM is more important than the individual. If everyone works together, great things happen. By being courteous, humble and generous, the TEAM goes farther than ever! Hustle This value needs no explanation! The players that work the hardest, approach the game with enthusiasm and stay active and focused during the game will learn faster and become a more effective athlete. Communication Teach your player to work on how they communicate. Can they communicate loudly and clearly? Do they know their teammates, coaches and instructor s names? Are they verbal on the court? This is a great tool as they mature into adulthood. The best communicators achieve the greatest success in life. Unselfishness Is your player passing the ball instead of taking the shot all the time? Are they lending a hand when an opposing player is down? Are they helping those on their team that need help? Do they help clean up with enthusiasm? Accountability Is your player taking responsibility as an individual as well as a member of the team? Do they understand that a great athlete shows up early, supports each other on the court and takes responsibility for their actions and behaviors? Good Sportsmanship This value incorporates all the preceding values. A good sport is truly visible on the court. He/she focuses on the team s needs first and is a student of the game, playing i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 15
enthusiastically at every turn. This value should be given to your player that is the most well-rounded member of the team that demonstrates most of the values on a weekly basis. Determination The difference between a good athlete and a great athlete is persistence and a determined mindset to play to the best of their abilities. This value should be given to your player that has the very best attitude during the tournament. i9 Sports an Experience Beyond the Game! 16