How Not To Coach A Youth Soccer

By Alan Maher

Twenty-five years ago the NSCAA began a discussion of the proper way to coach and train a youth soccer team. Has anything changed? Did the message get out, or is a new generation of soccer moms and dads making the same mistakes made 25 years ago?

From time to time it is a good idea to review some key aspects of coaching young players. Before reviewing the positive techniques of coaching young players, it is important to examine some of the mistakes made by youth coaches today:

1. The most common practice technique is placing young children in long lines and having only the first player perform a skill. The rest of the players wait in bored and restless anticipation of performing. This is called the "Bank Teller Drill." It takes about three and one half or four minutes for the average team to have a player shoot or pass a second time. What a waste of time!
2. Related to this is the "Bank Teller Drill" combined with the "Assistant Coach Drill" Here the coach gets into the act by receiving the ball from the front player, passing it back to him or her, and calling for the final shot or pass to be executed. In this drill the coach is the participant touching the ball the most times! The players watch the coach perform instead of the coach watching the players perform. Who receives the greatest benefit from such an organization?
3. Next is the drill where the coach wants to give the player practice in going 1 v. 1 against an opponent. The coach begins by passing the ball to the player and then advancing to try to get the ball from the player. This is called the "Cookie Monster Drill." There is no contest when an adult challenges a child in a physical activity. The player will lower his/her head to try to control the ball when the real objective is to have the player look up while possessing the ball. What does it do to the confidence of the player? How does the player learn how to control the ball?
4. The final organization that we will comment on is "The Museum Tour." Now the coach gathers the players in a semicircle and lectures to the whole team about one thing or another. Sometimes the coach points to a clipboard that has the outline of a soccer field marked on it. The coach drones on while the players wait to play. The coach is under the mistaken impression that the players are hanging on every word being uttered. Be assured, the players want to touch a ball not listen to anyone. Soccer is a participatory sport; the participants must be kept active. Moving and active!

What should the coach do? How can he/she make a youth practice more efficient? Here is a list of some suggestions that are good for any youth soccer team. Common sense and erring on the side of motion and action will provide the basic approach.

1. Have every player come to practice with a ball. Any ball will do, as long as it is round and bounces.
2. Pre-plan an activity that the players can start when they arrive at the field. Some individual moves with the ball are good so that there is no waiting for the coach or other players. There is nothing worse than having players wait for the coach and his bag of balls.
3. Stress passing, shielding, dribbling, driving, turning, reversing direction and shooting. Individual work is very important for young players. In fact, it is very important for all players!
4. Have all ball work done while moving, since that is how the game is played. Pattern running is an excellent way to develop these skills with movement. Pattern running includes such activities as practicing throw-ins. For example, have the players chase the ball over a touch line, run to the rolling ball and throw the ball and chase it. Then do it again. Perhaps a dozen times or more in each practice. All work should be done with movement.
5. Do not train the whole team in the beginning. Let two-thirds of the team play a small game and work with the remaining third. If the game has an odd number, let the extra player put on a practice vest and play with the unit that has the ball. This extra player is called a neutral player and provides an excellent opportunity for extra work for a weak player. Players like to participate in the game, so they will play without close supervision. An assistant coach will be a big help in just supervising small games during the practice session.
6. When doing drill work, follow these three rules:
   • Make it work from the beginning. Keep it simple so it works, but make it work.
   • Make it harder, by reducing the touches of the ball before passing or making the training space smaller.
   • Then introduce an opponent. The pressure of the defense should increase slowly. First the defender just stands, then progresses through walking, jogging and finally running. Remember Rule No. 1 - it must work at all times. Never make things too difficult. Give the players a positive experience.
7. Don't talk about things - show them. Touch the part of the body to be used. Make the players do the same thing
8. Never lie to children, why say "nice try" when it is not true? Children lower their expectations when they are lied to by an adult. All people are influenced by the power of suggestion. So he positive in what is said, but do not lie.
9. Remember that the best teacher of soccer is readily available to any coach and player at any time - the ball! Keep the players close to the ball.
10. Finally, make the session fun for all. Remember that the process is more important to a young child than the product. They are less concerned with winning than playing.

In a recently observed youth game there were some glaring mistakes by the coach. The game was five field players and a keeper for each team. One coach forced his team to keep two players back near the goal at all times. When this team was on the attack, they were forced to play with only three players against five opponents and the keeper. The odds were two-to-one against them every time that they had the ball. This caused a great deal of frustration on the part of the players. All youth coaches should remember that from an early age the children should be taught:

• When a team has the ball all players attack
• When the ball is lost all players defend

This is how modern soccer is played. The game needs well developed players, not defenders or attackers. The game needs all-around players. Today even the keeper must have the skills of a field player. Put some thought into your practice plan and everyone will have a better time and learn more soccer.

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