Youth Soccer Training

In comparison to:

Baseball

The fielding teams’ players largely stand around and are active when the ball comes near them, whereas the batting teams’ players sit in the dugout while 1 person takes their turn and others sit on bases. Scores can be high in value.

Football

A non fluid, stop-start game where players wear heavy protection and are active for a few seconds every few minutes. Key players are your quarterbacks and running backs. Large team for defense and offense rotate frequently depending on tactical plays. Often Football scores are in high numbers

Soccer

Majority of selected squad will play on the field in a fluid game. All outfield positions are active and the activity of the Goalkeeper depends on the flow of the game. Tactics are majorly important at set pieces and games are typically low scoring. More excitement and sense of achievement can be found in a low scoring Soccer game than a high one.

The steady growth of Soccer can be argued as being even greater as we hit 2010 and beyond, making Soccer one of the largest Youth Sports in America, even if the popularity is not as large in the Adult sporting world. The increased media coverage of worldwide leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL) The Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A, plus the developing leagues of the MLS, Japan’s J League and the South American leagues on networks such as the Fox Soccer Channel and ESPN will ensure the continued exposure and growth of interest in Soccer into the next generations.

So what does all this mean then when it comes to Youth Soccer Training? Well, quite simply, that as a player, coach or parent, you are involved in one of, if not The best sports for a child. A sport that teaches the values of team play, good sportsmanship, the winning mentality and how to overcome adversity, how to pick yourself up when things are down, and those important social life lessons.

In order for the continued growth of Youth Soccer it is vitally important that players are given a fun and positive environment on which to learn and prosper, and to make sure they can relate to the training.

Top Tips for Youth Soccer Training

1. Get qualified! Take the USSF beginning licenses, F, E or E/D to understand that basics of Soccer coaching and the structure in which to effectively coach.
2. Be Prepared! There are a variety of free websites that offer training drills and plans to keep your sessions flowing. Remember to stick to 1 theme per session, and focus purely on that theme
3. Fun and Dynamic! Players learn more when they enjoy what they do, so don’t stand there preaching. Set up your drills and make them fun and dynamic. Fast flowing exercises will result in a higher level of conditioning and a sharper game play. When you stop to coach, make short points and demonstrate your point, get them to mirror you, then get the players moving again
4. Too many cooks…! Don’t take every parent as your assistant coaches. Once a parent sees the enjoyment their child gets from your sessions and the success you have on the field, they want to join in. Players learn quicker if information isn’t contradictive and comes from one source
5. Get Help! Make sure your assistants are also qualified, so you are offering quality to your players. If you want to see your players respond quicker and on a new level, think about hiring a professional for a camp or clinics. Your players will benefit from the boost in experience
6. Be Positive! Always be a positive person and turn the negatives into positives. A fun, dynamic, positive learning environment is paramount to their social development and increase in skill. Don’t pull your team aside at half time when you are playing poorly and tell them how bad they are, explain to them where they need to improve and give them instructions and responsibilities. Have the player repeat their roles back to you so you know they understand. In every game there can be positives extracted, even if you are on the end of a heavy drumming
7. Finally, Reward your Players! We all like knowing we do a good job, and we all feel great when we are appreciated and rewarded. Think about how you can dynamically reward good performances. Are they captaining the next game? Do they get a trophy at the end of the season? Do they win an ice cream? Be creative and make the rewards compatible with the age of your team.

Being part of a good team setup can be one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have as a coach, parent and a player. It is why Youth Soccer will remain, the no.1 sport for Young Americans.