Youth soccer coaching thread

Discussion in 'Soccer Board' started by Chief OsceBROla, Sep 4, 2012.

  1. Phil Weston

    Phil Weston average to below average poster.

    Grew up playing soccer, and still play, want to give back to youth of America so I'm coaching a U6 soccer team and a U10 here on base (in the marines, stationed on camp Pendleton)

    Tried to search, but mobile search is retarded and that's all I have, found nothing so apologize of there is already another thread.

    ITT I plan on sharing funny stories, as well as lessons learned on my journey to coach youth soccer (this is my first time). Will also share which drills were effective, and hope to receive effective drills/advice from others who have coached or have ideas they think will work.

    Again, I apologize if there is already another thread.
     
  2. tne

    tne Now tagging people with spaces in their name
    TMB OG

    should be an Arsenal icon
     
  3. pearroh

    pearroh New'ish Member
    Donor
    Los Angeles DodgersOakland RaidersLos Angeles KingsArsenalLos Angeles Galaxy

    "New game plan - pass the ball to the eyetalians"
     
  4. Phil Weston

    Phil Weston average to below average poster.

    Had first practice with my U6 (under 6 years old) team lat Wednesday. Going to break my posts into "drill" posts, whic will be posts about successful and unsuccessful drills or games and then "stories" posts which will be about funny stuff that happens during practice.

    This will be drill post 1.


    I was really nervous. Have never coached before. It was a quick practice practice. Started out by playing "don't crash the car" you crash the car by running into other people or going outside of the box I set up (said it meant they drove off a cliff). Green light meant go, red - stop, yellow - go faster to speed through the light (setting them up for success later in life IMO). When I'd call red light I'd add a fun drill like "pump some gas" whih was them doing toe taps for 15-20 seconds. "clean the car" pass it in between your feet, "wind shield wipers" use one foot at a time to roll the ball left and right (would make them switch feet), and "honk your horn" which was sitting on the ball and yelling "honk honk" or beep beep...whatever they wanted. We did this for 7 or 8 minutes and I'd stop and bring them in. Ask them what went right and what went wrong. Coached them on keepin control by NOT using their toe, but the inside and outside of their feet (laces too). Also stressed keeping heads up

    Negatives: none, worked really well
    Positives: everything.


    After this game we played "sharks and minnows" would line all the players up on one side with a ball but I'd put one in the middle no ball. Have that one say "fishy, fishy, swimming in the sea" to which everyone would reply "sharky sharky you can't catch me!" I personally thought it was gay and wouldn't work, but the kids liked it. anyways they'd dribble their ball to the other side of the field without the shark trying to eat them. If they were eaten, they'd join he ranks of the sharks

    Negatives with sharks and minnows:
    - took to long to get kids in place.
    - should have demonstrated because kids didnt know when to stop running
    - wouldn't last very many rounds, to easy for sharks...could make better by spreading the kids out. Maybe having comes spread up and make each kid go to a cone

    Positives:
    -kids had fun
    -worked more on dribbling with control

    Last game was Simon says

    Sort of winged this game. Did more toe taps. Passing Inbetween feet. Rolling the ball around with their foot under it.

    Negatives:
    - didn't have any system set up for when they'd lose or not listen to Simon
    - ^^ made the game almost ineffective

    Positives:
    - got more comfortable touching the ball wih feet
    - game has potential just needs to be better thought out. Will go back to the drawing board and improve it

    Side note: I'm not a genius, I found most of these drills by using google. Just sharing my experience with them.

    In future I will post links to each drill and only list what worked well and didn't work well for that drill so if you are interested you can click the link and read.

    Stand by for stories
     
  5. Phil Weston

    Phil Weston average to below average poster.

    STORIES post 1 (first U6 soccer practice).

    Was set up in the wrong spot so I had my kids scream and go get my cones for me (being lazy,
    Making them run, it's a win win for everyone). Two kids bump into each other after 5 frets and I got 1 girls crying, literally 1 minute into practice. This is my nightmare. My other kids are runnin all over the place, some (the bright ones without add) went to get the cones, the other are EVERYWHERE. Not a good look

    Wanting to give the girl who got knocked over a second chance I try again but have them go fetch all the soccer balls. She gets knocked over AGAIN and starts crying again...you gotta be kidding me! This girls mom is gonna hate me...luckily her mom said she was sick and usually not like this. HUGE sigh of relief.

    After this experience I learned a valuable lesson: get down on the little jit's eye level. If you talk while standing at your natural height, they don't listen. Everything ran a lot smoother when you got down on their level.

    I'm fairy certain two of my kids have severe add. It can be very frustrating. Often times they are in their own world. Have yet to figure out how to deal with this. Think it'll be better when I have my assistant coach out there to try so he can focus on them while I do the group as a whole.

    Story 1 involving add kid: it's the end of practice and we need to pick a team name. I tell the kids our jerseys are red as ask who has some ideas...first girl: fireants!
    Second girl: red hot tamales!
    Third girl (clearly made up on the spot): fire dogs!
    First boy (also on spot): fire balls, no wait fire fire fire balls.

    I am starting to notice a trend here

    Second boy: fire snakes!

    Surprise, another "fire"

    Third boy: fire airplanes!!

    Interesting.

    Fourth and final boy (add child): BLUE TORNADOS!!

    Me: Uhh, our jerseys are red.
    Him: I was blue tornados last year and I'm not changing!
    Me: but you're red now
    Him: that's boring!

    I take a vote by having them close heir eyes. Thy narrow it down to fireants, fire fire fire balls, and fire dogs.

    Fireballs is taken leaving it down to two and finally fireants is picked. I have everyone open their eyes and announce we are the fireants and blue tornados starts freaking out and puts his finger in my face telling me no. I said we were fireants and he said no again. I say "we can talk about it after practice". Right on cue, fire airplanes chimes in "yes, please do!"

    Met with the parents, told them my story, asked for a team mom volunteer...got know volunteer which made me sad panda.

    Other notes:
    - really surprised at how good 3 or 4 of them are
    - not surprised my best and brightest player is the little :w2d: boy. Little :w2d: girl isn't bad either.
    - girls seem to be better then boys, but 2 of 4 boys are add kids.
    -sad, no hot moms yet, but still have chance because one with twins has yet to show

    That's all for now...hope you enjoyed.
     
  6. Phil Weston

    Phil Weston average to below average poster.

  7. London Humphreys

    London Humphreys The next Julian Edelman, obviously.
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta UnitedLiverpoolFormula 1

    Helped start the association in my town, and this year will be our first with a select team. I am coaching the U-14 boys classic V red team and our first game is this Saturday. Any other select coaches on the board this fall?

    Tried to use a 4-2-3-1, but our possession ability or lack thereof can't handle it. Switched to a W format with our back 5. What say you TMB?
     
  8. Phil Weston

    Phil Weston average to below average poster.

    what is a select team?
     
  9. Wu

    Wu Nope.
    TMB OG

    Basically you hold tryouts then pick the players you want. No mandatory playing time. More competitive league and usually costs more money.