Ending on a high note!

         As we are coming to the end of your season...remember to take a moment to reflect on how much fun you have had coaching. Breath in and think about where your kids were waaaay back in August compared to the juggling, upper 90 shooting, lightning quick, dribbling superstars they are right now.  Okay maybe they aren't all getting call ups to the national team, but I am sure they are hitting their stride....because you've done a good job so far. Each player is more confident and has even more love and passion for the game because of one major factor in their life, You. 

So...the end is in sight. The holidays are just around the corner.  You already have visions of yummy turkey legs and maybe even sugarplums bouncing around your head. How do you feel?   Raise your hand if you thought "Relieved!"  It's okay. It's been a long 4 months or so. You can be a little tired. We aren't over yet, but its coming.  So strap in, stay focused, and have fun while you finish up Fall 2012.

For those of us coaching the u4's up to the u12's....keep in mind that it's not all about where you are in the standings come that final whistle of your last match.  At these levels, its about cultivating a relationship with the game and a loving bond with the ball. If your kids go home each day smiling and come back every week ready to go, then you are doing a great job. So be proud of yourself.  Take pride in the fact that you, coach, are helping to grow this game in a positive way.

So with just a few weeks to go....have lots of goofy fun! Play games and focus on building team spirit. Many of the kids will head off to basketball, hockey, or flag football for the Winter break. And that's ok. Sure, soccer can be played year 'round. Futsal or indoor soccer calls many players to continue to feed their obsession. But these other sports teach our boys and girls valuable skills that they will surely use when they strap their boots back on and get back on the pitch this Spring.

 If mom or dad asks what you think they should do, tell them to take a little break. Play another sport. Reenergize. Come back to soccer fresh and ready to play.  Yes, I know...Blasphemy, right!?!?  Ok, if you just cannot stay away...or if maybe you have an Academy or Select team, then plan to have a couple of sessions just to kick around over the break.  Give them a little bit of homework here or there. Maybe offer a pizza party if every player reaches a juggling goal. Whatever you decide to do, your goal should be to avoid burnout and keep those kids loving the game.  What is that saying, "If you love something, let it go..."?

To recap -

• Thanks for what you do!
• Play lots of silly games to end the season.  My favorites are:
•  Head/Catch - line the players up or stand in a circle (with you in the middle) and yell out Head or Catch while you toss the ball at the players. They must do the opposite of whatever you say. Head = catch with their hands / Catch = head the ball back to coach
• Duck, Duck, Goose - simple enough, right!?! same as you remember, but the player walking around the circle is dribbling a ball. Once they choose a goose that chases them, they have to dribble as fast as they can around the circle (while retaining possession of the ball) to sit in the Goose's spot.
• The Farmer & The Foxes -  Foxes tuck flags (pinnies) in the back of their shorts as tails.  Farmer tries to grab the tails.  Foxes try to avoid losing tail by running around in penalty area and turning, etc.  Once a fox loses his tail, he becomes a farmer.  
• ·        Make more complicated by having foxes also dribble a ball.  This gives them two lives.  Farmers must grab tails and kick balls out of square.
• Let the kids take a break from soccer for the Winter.

Thanks again for being who you are and doing what you do. Coaching, there is nothing more rewarding!

Activity of the Week - Slow Soccer

Slow Soccer credit to Steve Watson @ wwwfooty4kids.co/uk

I've played  Slow Soccer with children aged from eight to 15 but some players couldn't do it, no matter how hard they tried, and some found it easy.

The one thing it did was make every player really think about what they were doing!

Objective: To play soccer thoughtfully, to plan ahead.

Age range: U8s and upwards.

Set-up: Play a 4v4 or 5v5 "match" on a small pitch. For U8s, 30x20 yards is a good size.

How to play: Tackling, shooting, scoring and passing as in normal soccer.

There is only one condition - running is not allowed.

When the ball goes out of play, the game can be restarted in a number of ways:

• A normal throw-in.
  
• A kick-in.
  
• With a goal kick.

Note: Speed walking is allowed in Slow Soccer but if anyone breaks into a run, even for a second, a free kick is awarded to the other team.

Progression: After five or 10 minutes, lift the "no running" restriction and allow your players to play normally.

Why this works: Not being able to run to get back in defence or chase after a misplaced pass, makes young players see the importance of accuracy and anticipating what might happen next. And, believe it or not, it's great fun!


Please give me some feedback on how this worked for your team!

Discipline Problems? Read on...

Credit to Steve Watson @ www.footy4kids.co/uk

How to deal with discipline 'problems'

During the years, I have received hundreds of emails from coaches asking me to help them restore order to undisciplined teams and there is no doubt that "misbehaving" is the biggest single concern for many youth soccer coaches.

The coaches who write to me complain about a range of problems: Players not showing them any respect, mud slinging, chatting during team talks and even players who would rather fight each other than play soccer.

While there are several control techniques that will help coaches with "difficult" players, they do not address the real cause of the coaches' frustration, which include:

1. False expectations

Many new youth soccer coaches walk onto the field expecting their players will turn up ready and eager to be taught how to play soccer.

These coaches spend a lot of time and effort planning their coaching sessions and they expect their players to reciprocate by hanging onto their every word and to do exactly what they are told. That is their perception of what coaching should be like.

It doesn't take long, however, for these eager new coaches to become disappointed and frustrated by their players' lack of attention and apparent refusal to engage with their carefully crafted plans.

But they have forgotten soccer is a child's game. It is "play time" for the players and they really don't want to be told what to do.

If the coach and the players are unable or unwilling to adjust their expectations there can only be one result: Frustration and anxiety for all concerned.

2. I want to be liked!

New and inexperienced youth soccer coaches who are worried they are not controlling their players also want to be liked but these two interests are seen as incompatible. 

"If I am friendly, I can't control them," and "I can control them but they won't like me." Thus many coaches think they have to choose between being friendly and not in control or tough disciplinarians who are disliked.

Unfortunately, both of these approaches have undesirable consequences.

Friendly coaches may feel that their players are taking advantage of them while tough coaches usually cause young players to feel resentful and make them want to fight back.

3. It's all my fault...

As my email inbox proves, some inexperienced coaches who have difficulty managing their players place the blame squarely on the players: "They just won't listen to me!"

Others, after several unsuccessful attempts to restore discipline, become increasingly frustrated, start to think that it's all their fault and that they will never become a good coach.

That's why many youth coaches decide that coaching children is too stressful and they pack it in.

So what's the answer?

As we have seen, discipline problems are often the result of the coach and the players having different expectations and needs.

It would be unreasonable to expect your players to adjust their expectations in line with yours so the answer is obvious: Realise that young players play soccer because they want to play, not listen to lectures or be regularly stopped from behaving in a child-like way.

Your job is to help them enjoy their play by teaching them skills, not trying to force them to conform to what you think soccer coaching should be look like. 

So relax and fun with your players!