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:
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:
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Be specific with your praise
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Stop practices to point out when a player does something well rather than when they make a mistake
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While providing feedback, use the “sandwich” method by placing a critical remark between two encouraging comments
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Pile on the praise for kids giving their best and displaying good sportsmanship
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Provide constant positive reinforcement — it’s the key to improvement
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Focus on fun and safety instead of wins and losses
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Be passionate and enthusiastic and it carries over to your players
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Have reasonable expectations and set attainable goals for the kids
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Remember that kids making mistakes is all part of the learning process
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:
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Speak in a calm and relaxed manner.
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Be brief.
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Conduct the talk away from any distractions.
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Stress the importance of having fun and displaying good sportsmanship at all times during the game.
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Stay away from overused clichés; speak from the heart to get your point across.
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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.
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Be enthusiastic with your tone of voice and body language. The kids will be more responsive.
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.
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Inspect the field for loose rocks, broken glass, raised sprinkler heads, or anything else that could injure a child.
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Verify that all the kids brought the proper equipment.
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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.
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Give the kids a water break before the game begins.
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Provide encouraging words and a pat on the back to boost kids’ confidence and enhance self-esteem.
