Coaching Soccer For Dummies

Coaching soccer should be safe and fun for you and your players, so start by getting familiar with the layout of the soccer field. As a soccer coach your players will look to you for guidance so use some helpful tips to teach and motivate them. Create a pregame routine to check the field and prepare your soccer players for the game and deliver a strong pregame speech to inspire your team.






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The Soccer Field of Play


Although the size of a soccer field can vary, sometimes even from community to community, the markings remain pretty much the same. Get to know these playing field features:


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How a Soccer Coach Supports the Players


As a soccer coach, your players count on you during the season for guidance and support. The following are some ways to help your kids through the soccer season:



  • Be specific with your praise



  • Stop practices to point out when a player does something well rather than when they make a mistake



  • While providing feedback, use the “sandwich” method by placing a critical remark between two encouraging comments



  • Pile on the praise for kids giving their best and displaying good sportsmanship



  • Provide constant positive reinforcement — it’s the key to improvement



  • Focus on fun and safety instead of wins and losses



  • Be passionate and enthusiastic and it carries over to your players



  • Have reasonable expectations and set attainable goals for the kids



  • Remember that kids making mistakes is all part of the learning process







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The Soccer Pregame Talk


What you say and how you say it when delivering the pre-game speech is a big motivator for your soccer players. Try these coaching tips when talking to the kids before the soccer game to prepare them for competition:



  • Speak in a calm and relaxed manner.



  • Be brief.



  • Conduct the talk away from any distractions.



  • Stress the importance of having fun and displaying good sportsmanship at all times during the game.



  • Stay away from overused clichés; speak from the heart to get your point across.



  • Avoid pressure phrases like “Let’s score five goals today.” Kids can give you their best effort, but they can’t control the outcome of games.



  • Be enthusiastic with your tone of voice and body language. The kids will be more responsive.







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The Pregame Routine for Soccer Coaches


Get your day of coaching soccer off to a good start by establishing a pregame routine. Go through the following tips so your players have a safe and fun-filled time on and off the soccer field.



  • Inspect the field for loose rocks, broken glass, raised sprinkler heads, or anything else that could injure a child.



  • Verify that all the kids brought the proper equipment.



  • Have the kids warm up. Keep the drills light, cover all the muscle groups that will be used in the game, and involve a large number of soccer skills to properly prepare kids for the game.



  • Give the kids a water break before the game begins.



  • Provide encouraging words and a pat on the back to boost kids’ confidence and enhance self-esteem.







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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/coaching-soccer-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

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