The Novice Coach s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season Practical Advice on Coaching a Competitive Youth Soccer Team 1
The Novice Coach s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season The vast majority of soccer coaches in the United States are still Moms and Dads who volunteer to coach their sons or daughters. 2
The Novice Coach s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season While a growing proportion of these parents have some soccer-playing background, most youth coaches are new to the sport. The term novice includes those who are new to soccer and also those with a soccer background who are inexperienced in their role as coach.
The Novice Coach s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season This self-paced course provides theoretical and practical information for novice coaches working with the U-10, U-12 and U-14 age groups. For the purposes of this presentation U-10 includes U-9 and U-10 U-12 includes U-11 and U-12 U-14 includes U-13 and U-14
The Novice Coach s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season The information is organized Into six sections. What is Soccer? Understanding Your Players. Understanding Tactics and Skills. Team Management. Practice Management. Parent Management.
Section 5 Practice Management
Practice Management Transfer from Practice. The more closely soccer practices mimic the demands of the game, the more likely it is that the players will transfer habits and learning.
Practice Management The Four Main Coaching Objectives For Practice Are: 1) Technical Development Maximize individual ball contacts. 2) Tactical Development Expose players to basic game situations. 3) Physical Development Help players become soccer fit. 4) Psychological Development Provide a productive, challenging and fun soccer experience. 8
Practice Management The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Combine with another team, or two, to add volume to your training numbers. Keep everyone active all the time. Players learn by doing and active participation is fun!
Practice Management The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Keep everything competitive. Tell the players what they have to do to win and how long they are playing for. Develop soccer fitness by playing soccer. Soccer is not played in straight lines, nor at constant speeds. Eliminate the laps.
Practice Management The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Create multiple games. Eliminate the lines. Eliminate waiting to participate. Play uneven teams if necessary. Keep your practice games flowing. Use natural stoppages and other suggestions from the Coach s Tool Kit to provide information.
Practice Management The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Eliminate the lectures. Instead, ask questions and allow the players to make decisions. Quick comments and questions are much more effective for keeping the player s attention. Let the games do the teaching. Particularly if you don t have a strong soccer background, let the players learn through experience.
Practice Management The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Plan games that include lots of transition moments. Players need to learn to react to turnovers by attacking or defending, not stopping. Make it look and feel like soccer. The kids come to play the game. Indulge them!
Practice Management There are many, many ways to organize a training session. The following suggested outline includes the most important elements. Warm-Up: Get the players started in multiple small-sided games as soon as they arrive. The game numbers should range between 1v1 and 4v4 to maximize participation.
Practice Management Organizing a Training Session. Structured Free Play: About 15 minutes into the practice, play a version of a 4v4 game, such as line soccer or the 4-goal game. Play rounds of between 5 and 10-minutes and change the teams after each round.
Practice Management Organizing a Training Session. Technique Training: Slow things down for 10-15 minutes with a skill development activity, such as juggling or dribbling moves, or ball control skills, or soccer tennis. Don t forget the GK need lots of technical repetitions, as well!
Practice Management Organizing a Training Session Structured Free Play: Increase the intensity with another 4v4 game, such as the 6-goal game, or the shooting game. Play rounds of between 5 and 10- minutes. Rotate the teams after each round.
Practice Management Organizing a Training Session. Large-Sided Game: Finish the practice by playing a game to two large goals (including goalkeepers) with the largest numbers available. Ideally, this practice should replicate the competitive game form (6v6, 8v8, 11v11).
Practice Management Organizing a Training Session. Cool-Down: Finish with a tag game or a juggling challenge (100 touches) or simply a slow jog and static stretch (U-14+)
The following slides present examples of freeflowing soccer games that provide for technical repetition within tactical contexts. The basic purposes, game-specific rules, game times, and suggested field dimensions are noted. Each game provides for natural transitions between attacking and defending, and each game provides for soccer fitness development.
The examples show a range of organizational variations to help the novice coach gain experience in creating their own practice games. The basic organizational considerations include the number of players, the size and shape of the field, the playing time, the method of scoring, and any special conditions or modified playing rules.
Active Time: 90-120 seconds Rest Time: 60-120 seconds Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 20 yards long. No touchlines required. 1v1 to One Small Goal on Each Short Line
Purposes: Individual skills and tactics. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Dribbling and Ball Control. Individual defending. Logistics: No touchlines. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Active Time: 2-4 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 20-25 yards long. No touchlines required. 2v2 to One Small Goal on Each Short Line
Purposes: Support in attack and defense. Combining. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Field 25 x 16 yds White scores by passing to the Red target players. Target players support their own team And vice versa. Target players cannot score. Field 40 x 30 yards Active Time: 3-5 Goals 2v2 to Two Targets with Support Players
Purposes: Creating space. Playing backwards to relieve pressure. Vision. Ball circulation. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Both field players must touch the ball to score or goals must be 1- touch.
Field 25 x 15 yds Active Time: 4-5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes 3v3 to Two Large Goals
Purposes: Combining and creating scoring chances. Finishing. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending. Logistics: All out of bounds restarted with GK possession (hands). Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal.
Active Time: 5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 30 x 20 yards 3v3 to One Small Goal on Each Short Line
Purposes: Spacing. Combining. Ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing, and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks optional. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Indirect kick-ins from the touchlines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Active Time: 5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 30 x 20 yards 3v3 to Two Small Goals on Each Short Line
Purposes: Spacing from to back. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Each team defends and attacks two small goals. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score. Goals must be 1-touch. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines.
Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 40 x 30 yards 4v4 to One Small Goal on Each Short Line
Purposes: Spacing. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Indirect kick-ins from the touchlines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Goals close to the center of the touchline Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 40 x 30 yards 4v4 to Two Small Goals on Each Long Line
Purposes: Group defending: balance and compactness. Ball circulation. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing, and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: 1 or 2-touch goals. Goals placed close to the center line. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Small Goals 2-yards wide Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Neutral plays for both teams Field 40 x 30 yards 4v4 to Three Small Goals on Each Long Line
Purposes: Creating width and depth in attack. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: 1 or 2-touch goals. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.
Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Dribble The ball between the cones to score Neutral plays for both teams Field 40 x 30 yds 4v4 + 1 Line Soccer: Short Lines
Purposes: Spacing. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Better players: Maximum three touches.
Dribble the ball between the cones to score Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Field 40 x 30 Field yards 40 x 30 yds 4v4 Line Soccer: Long Lines
Purposes: Spacing: width and depth. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Better players: Maximum three touches.
Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Dribble The ball between the cones to score All players must be over the half way line when a goal is scored. Field 40 x 30 yds Penalties: Attacking team: No Goal Defending Team: Goal = 2 4v4 Line Soccer: Short Lines
Purposes: Staying connected in attack and defense. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines.
Active Time: 5-6 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Score by passing to a teammate through any small goal. Goals 2 yds wide Neutral plays for both teams Goals are two-sided. Field 40 x 30 yards Field 40 x 30 yds 4v4 +1 to Multiple Small Goals
Purposes: Moving off the ball. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Kick-ins from the boundaries.
Red scores by passing to the White target player. Target player supports their own team. And vice versa. Target players cannot score. Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Field 40 x 30 yards Field 50 x 30 yds 5v5 to a Target Player on the Short Lines
Purposes: Penetration. Vision. Spacing and ball circulation. Playing backwards to relieve pressure. Group defending. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines.
Goals in the middle of each half field Field 50 x 35 yards 7v7 to Two Large Goals with Goalkeepers on Each Touch Line Active Time: 10 minutes / Rest Time: 2 minutes
Purposes: Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending. Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Throw-ins from short lines. 1-touch goals count double.
Goals = 3 Pts Shots on Goal = 1 Pt Passes to Teammates = 1 Pt Active Time: 10-15 Minutes Rest: 1-2 Minutes Field 55 x 40 yards 6v6 to Two Goals. First Team to 21 Points wins.
Purposes: Spacing. Ball circulation. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the build-up. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing (long and short). Receiving. Individual defending. Logistics: Regular soccer rules. No offside for U- 10 s. Scoring system encourages passing.
Teaching Offside Tactics Teaching offside tactics to U-12 s is most effective when offside lines are added to any game played between two large goals. Repetition is important to develop situational awareness. For practice, the offside line can be placed anywhere in the attacking half, as noted in this and other examples.
Offside Lines 10 yds from each goal Regulation Goals Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes Field 40 x 30 yards Field 35 x 20 yds 4v4 to Large Goals with Offside Lines.
Purposes: Combining and creating scoring chances. Offside tactics. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending. Logistics: Indirect kick-ins from the touch lines. GK possession (hands) for goal kicks. Offside lines are GK boxes.
Goals 10 yds from each corner Field 50 x 35 yds 6v6 to Offset Goals on Each Long Line
Purposes: Spacing and ball circulation. Wide play. Vision. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Crossing. Individual defending. Logistics: Regular soccer rules. Offside lines may be added 10 yards from each goal.
Shots on Target = 1 Pt Goals = 2 Pts 1-Touch Goals = 3 Pts Offside lines 10 yds from each goal (U-12) Active Time: 10 Minutes Rest: 1-2 Minutes Field 36 x 44 yards 6v6 to Two Large Goals
Purposes: Combining and ball circulation around the box. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the buildup. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. 1 st touch. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending. Logistics: All out of bounds restarted with GK possession (hands). Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Goalkeepers can score from their own half.
Offside lines 15 yds from the half-way line. Active Time: 15-20 Minutes Rest: 5 Minutes Field 80 x 55 yards 8v8 to Two Large Goals
Purposes: Spacing in the build-up. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the build-up. Offside tactics. Transitioning. Fitness. Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending. Logistics: U-12 only. Regular soccer rules with deep offside lines.
The Coaches Tool Kit
The Coaches Tool Kit In 2005, US Soccer released Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States. One of the key messages from that player development blueprint was that the youth soccer environment needed to become much more playercentered and far less coach-driven. 64
The Coaches Tool Kit Central to that notion was the desire to move coaching away from the traditional Anglo-German approach of stopping and starting training games whenever breakdowns occurred. As an alternative, coaches were encouraged to find less intrusive opportunities to provide information to players. Those methods, the Coach s Tool Kit, are explained in the following slides.
The Coaches Tool Kit 1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. Individual players can be given information while the game is in flow. This information should be given when the player is not involved in the immediate action. 66
The Coaches Tool Kit 1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. The best information will help players understand how to recognize and perhaps deal with standard game situations. Players will attend to information when it is delivered sparingly. 67
The Coaches Tool Kit 1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. Players will tune out or ignore information that is distracting or delivered in a constant stream.
The Coaches Tool Kit 2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. Group coaching should seek to address strategic objectives, such as how to attack and defend as a team. Group coaching may also address the overall rhythm of attacking play and the success or failure to defend relative to the cues coming from the game. 69
The Coaches Tool Kit 2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. Essentially, group coaching should seek to address the positioning and organization (balance) of one or more lines (defenders, midfielders, forwards). 70
The Coaches Tool Kit 2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. The group coaching approach can become more player-centered by working through designated players who are responsible for standard game situations. For example, the goalkeeper can help organize his/her defenders when there is a goal kick at the other end of the field. 71
The Coaches Tool Kit 3. Coach during Natural Stoppages. Information can be exchanged between coach and player(s) when the ball is not active. Natural stoppages include balls out of bounds, injuries, goals, fouls, and the end of time periods. 72
The Coaches Tool Kit 3. Coach during Natural Stoppages. The length of any coach-player exchanges during a natural stoppage should be proportional to the duration of the time-out. Flow and continuity are important. 73
The Coaches Tool Kit 4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Conditions are rules of play that can shape learning and performance. The use of conditions offers one of the most effective player-centered teaching tools. 74
The Coaches Tool Kit 4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Once the conditions are explained and understood by the players, there is no need to actually coach during the allotted playing time. Conditions can reward good play by assigning bonus points when, for example, there is a successful pass to a teammate. 75
The Coaches Tool Kit 4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Conditions can penalize non-compliance, for example, by awarding indirect free kicks, when players fail to take more than one touch. 76
The Coaches Tool Kit 4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. There is a danger that using unrealistic conditions, such as Do X (5 passes) before Y (score a goal) hinder tactical development. The use of conditions must be balanced by periods of free play. 77
The Coaches Tool Kit 4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Scoring schemes should always value goals more highly than extra points. The objective of the game is to score goals, not, for example, to keep possession. 78
The Coaches Tool Kit 5. Use the Freeze Method. Because of its impact on enjoyment and flow, freezing (stopping) play should be the last option in the coaches arsenal. The use of the freeze method is most relevant when the players are positionally organized and likely to face the same game situation again. 79
The Coaches Tool Kit 5. Use the Freeze Method. In the communication during a freeze, it is more important that the players to begin to understand the tactical cues (player-centered approach) related to the immediate situation than the perfect solutions (coach-centered approach). 80
The Coaches Tool Kit 5. Use the Freeze Method. Contrary to common practice, it is not necessary for the game to be restarted with a successful performance. It is more important for the coach to relay the necessary information and restart the game as quickly as possible. 81
The Coaches Tool Kit 5. Use the Freeze Method. Freezes should include information on the cues (words) the coach might use to help the players read similar game situations later on. The freeze method is least relevant for technical mistakes. 82
End of Section 5 Click Here to Take the Quiz!!!