Robert L. Koger - The New Coachs Guide to Coaching Youth Soccer: A Complete Reference for Coaching Young Players Ages 4 through 8

Also by Robert L. Koger

101 Great Youth Soccer Drills

Copyright 2007 by Robert L. Koger

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Koger, Robert L.

The new coachs guide to coaching youth soccer : a complete reference to coaching young players ages 4 through 8 / Robert L. Koger.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60239-031-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-60239-031-2 (harcover : alk. paper)

1. Soccer for childrenCoaching. I. Title.

GV943.8.K64 2007

796.334083dc22

2007010870

Cover design by Adam Bozarth

Cover photo credit Ana Abejon

Print ISBN: 978-1-63220-688-6

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63220-945-0

Printed in China

Contents

Preface

C hances are you went to sign up your child to play soccer and walked away as a coach. Well, let me say congratulations. Are you a little scared? Are you worried that you dont know what to do? Dont be afraid: you have just signed up to have a lot of fun. It may not seem like it now, but you have already taken the first big step. You have taken the initiative to learn more about the game of soccer. This book is written for you.

The New Coachs Guide to Coaching Youth Soccer is designed for new parent coaches with little or no experience in coaching or in soccer and with players 4 to 8 years of age in their charge. You may be using this book for five years or more, so sit back, get comfortable, and take everything one step at a time.

All coaches want their players to be the very best they can. To the player, soccer is just a fun game. Coaches and parents may be looking ahead to high school or even college. Scholarships are possible if the players learn properly. Having this book means that you have taken an initial giant step in learning the game of soccer and letting your players reach their maximum potential.

Your knowledge of the game will help in improving your teams skills and knowledge. This will aid their development in the game. Remember that soccer is more than just another activity. Playing soccer is an opportunity for children to socialize and get physical exercise in a safe, structured environmentan opportunity for families to enjoy activities together and to provide critical support to children developing confidence and a sense of identity.

One of my favorite quotes, which I think aptly applies to new coaches of youth players, is by H. L. Mencken: The best teacher, until one comes to adult pupils, is not the one who knows the most, but the one who is most capable of reducing knowledge to that simple compound of the obvious and the wonderful which slips into the infantile comprehension The best teacher of children, in brief, is one who is essentially childlike.

The more fun you make the game for the children playing the game, and the more you make the game enjoyable for the whole family, the more successful you will be. Have fun and enjoy being a soccer coach.

Getting Started as a Soccer Coach

Y ou have already taken two steps toward getting started as a coach. You have signed up to coach a team, and you have purchased a book to assist you in doing the job correctly.

The information in this book is designed for those coaching players between the ages of 4 and 8. There is some information on older players used to demonstrate the progression of training and development for soccer players, but the focus is on the youngsters.

Depending on where you are located, the name of the soccer organization you are involved with may be termed an association, a league, or a club. In most cases they mean the same thing. You will have a governing organization with different age groups and teams making up that organization.

Now that you are part of the organization, here is the important information you need to get started.

COACHING ESSENTIALS

Information Packet

Every coach receives an information packet. This is given to you when you sign up to coach or at the first coaches meeting. The packets vary in content but usually have a team roster so you can list all of your players, their addresses, and their phone numbers. Game cards which are blank are usually included so you can fill them out to list the names and uniform numbers of your players.

The game card is turned into the referee prior to the start of the game. You will need one for each game your team plays. The packet also usually contains insurance forms, bylaws/rules, and often information about sponsors. Dont wait for the meeting to start getting ready. Go online or contact your age group commissioner for information.

Parents Meeting

It is advisable to conduct a meeting with the parents prior to the start of practices. This is very important to establish who you are and what the parents can expect from you, as well as what you expect from them. Look in the table of contents of this book and you will find a section in labeled Parents Meeting. The meeting contents are scripted so you can read it or paraphrase it when talking to your teams parents.

Notebook

One key item that you will need as a coach is a notebook. A spiral notebook that is about half the size of a full notebook is ideal because it will easily fit into your soccer bag or on your clipboard. Also a mechanical pencil easily fits into the spiral binding. This book will be used to keep all of your important soccer information in one location.

Keep your notebook accessible. If you pass a soccer field and see a team practicing and they are using drills that look good, stop and write down a diagram and information about the drill. This will help you expand your knowledge and, eventually, become a better coach. Also, remember there are many very good coaches and referees who are knowledgeable about soccer. If you are having problems with a certain drill, skill, or even a parent, dont hesitate to call an official in the organization and then record the information you received in your book. My books contain over twenty-five years of information that I constantly referred to.

Use of Drills

Teaching the skills is the important first step, but refining these skills is a must. This is accomplished by practicing the skills. Practice is achieved with a progressive set of skill development steps called soccer drills.

Drills are a necessity for every soccer player, as they provide the key to progressing from an understanding of the basics of a skill to becoming an advanced player with great soccer skills. As you coach your team, drills must be an essential part of every practice.