Cairo, Egypt
Soccer Coaching Tips
There are hundreds of websites to help you design and run and effective soccer practice session. The following links are by no means exhaustive but give some great examples of practices drills, warm ups and games to make your practice sessions both more effective and more fun.
Some Basic Coaching Tips
#1 Soccer Coaching Tip: Stay Focused
One of the most important soccer coaching tips is to stay focused. Coaches who allow their practice sessions to jump from one move to the next with no sense of plan will confuse their players and make them lose interest. By staying focused, coaches can implement several soccer coaching tips in one. For instance, to stay focused, coaches usually need to have a plan, which is our next coaching tip.
Plan Things Out
Coaches without a plan will have a difficult time leading soccer practices. All coaches should prepare ahead of time so they know what will happen first when players arrive, how long they want to spend on each part of practice, and what will happen at the end of practice. Coaches who have already planned things out are less likely to get caught off-guard when something goes wrong, because they may have already foreseen the issue during the planning stages.
Assert Authority Appropriately
The coach needs to be the final authority during soccer practices and games. Without that sense of hierarchy, players will feel that they do not have to listen to instructions, follow along, or participate. By insisting that players treat each other and him/herself with respect, the coach asserts a healthy sense of authority and ensures that things run smoothly.
Get Engaged
Coaches need to be engaged with players at all times, interacting with them. Though one coaching method is to stay hands-off and allow players to figure things out themselves, a better coaching method is to actively work with players to fix problems in technique or execution. By showing players that they care, the coach builds trust with them and promotes a safe, enjoyable environment.
Make Teamwork a Priority
Because soccer is a team game, players need to respect and understand each other. Coaches should build a sense of team through different activities designed to introduce the athletes to each other, require them to work together to find a solution, and learn to like and trust each other. Some teams will be better at teamwork than others, without fail. Personalities sometimes conflict to the point where a good soccer practice is one where there are no arguments or hurt feelings. To encourage even these teams to find common ground, the coach should engage all players by showing them that they are a team and that no one member can achieve as much alone as he/she can with their team.
Final Thoughts
There are countless soccer coaching tips, but those listed above constitute the most important and the ones coaches can employ immediately. By having a plan, coaches can more easily assert their authority. They can also stay focused easier because they already know what is coming next. By staying engaged with the players and showing them that teamwork is essential to success, coaches put their teams on the right track to build positive relationships and win soccer games
Some Soccer Practice Examples
Soccer Warm Ups
Before you get your players started on the field it is critical that they go through a good warm up. Conventional wisdom used to call for some static stretching before a game. Most coaches and trainers now focus on getting a dynamic warmup as it helps players be more explosive. Young children warm up pretty quickly. A quick little jog, some dribbling drills and a little shooting is more than enough to get their little bodies ready for action. For older players, a little more structure is required. Try something like this:
3-5 Minutes Light Jogging Rather than just running around the field, go from touchline to the penalty box and back. Use different types of movement: straight jogging, backwards jogging, side steps, high knees, etc.
3-5 Minutes Soccer Specific Movement Here are three soccer specific dynamic stretches you may want to include:
1. High Knee to Ball Split the players up into groups of two. Have a player hold a ball at waist height while his partner tries to touch the ball with alternating high knees. Change places after a minute.
2. High Toe to Ball Split the players up into groups of two. Have a player hold a ball at waist height while his partner tries to touch the bottom of the ball alternating with each foot. You should be bouncing gently on your toes rather than staying flat footed throughout the drill. Change places after a minute.
3. Straight Leg Volley Split the players up into groups of two. Have a partner throw a ball for his partner to volley back at about waist height. Keep your leg straight and use the inside of the foot. Repeat 10 times for each leg and repeat for the other leg.
5 Minutes Work With Ball
Take your favorite ball working exercises and use them here. Dribbling and lots of movement are key here.
5 Minutes Speed & Agility
At the end of the warm up your players should be moving at full game intensity. Some short basic sprints are a good way to finish things off. You can add a ball at the end of the sprint by having the coach feed the player for a shot, volley or header
Soccer Dribbling Drills
Here are a couple of great drills designed to maximize your player's ability to dribble and control the ball.
Dribble & Turn - Dribbling
Set up a line of cones with another line about 10 yards away from it. Have the kids dribble to the opposite line, make a turn and return to the beginning. Have them repeat multiple times. You can have them perform different types of dribbles to keep things interesting. Outside of the foot, just right foot, alternating feet, etc.
Number of Players: All
Equipment: Each child needs a ball. 3-5 cones for each line.
Beat Down - Dribbling
Set up an area about the size of the penalty box with a cone goal on each end. Your players will play 3 on 3 with the following condition. You can't shoot unless you take on and beat someone with a one-on-one dribble move.
Number of Players: Groups of 3
Equipment: A ball for each mini-game. Cones for goals.
Soccer Passing Drills
Here are a couple of great drills designed to maximize your player's development with passing the ball.
Monsters On the Loose
Set up a 15 x 15 playing grid. Two players jog around the outside of the grid and act as the monsters. The remaining players should be broken up into groups of two. They move the ball around the inside of the grid by dribbling and passing. When you call "Monsters on the Loose", the outside players rush in and try to kick the balls away from the pairs. The monsters may not double team any pair of players. They must act independently. The pairs should try to move and pass to keep the monster from getting the ball. Play for a minute, then change out the monsters and do it again.
Number of Players: 2 Monsters, plus pairs of two
Equipment: A ball for each pair. Cones to mark a grid.
Air Ball - Passing & Receiving
Split the players up into groups of three. One player will hand pass the ball in the air to a second player. The second player must receive the ball in the air and touch it to a third player. Keep the players rotating after a few successful combinations.
Number of Players: Groups of 3
Equipment: Each groups needs a ball
Soccer Shooting Drills
Here are a couple of great drills designed to maximize your player's skill at shooting on goal.
Over the Head - Shooting
Each players stands with his back to the goal about 10 to 15 yards away. Each player tosses the ball over his head, turns and then chases it down to shoot on goal. This game really develops foot/eye coordination. Encourage the kids to get the shot off before the 3rd or 4th bounce.
Number of Players: All
Equipment: Each child needs a ball. 1 Goal.
Multi-Ball Attack - Shooting
Split the kids up into two teams. Use your scrimmage vests or colored t-shirts if you have them. Play a small sided game with two goals and multiple balls. Try to keep 3 to 4 balls in the game at all times. The goal here is to keep the kids from bunching up and give them lots of opportunities to shoot on goal. When you run out of balls, take a quick break and have the kids go fetch them and bring them back so you can start again.
Number of Players: All, split into 2 teams
Equipment: At least 4 balls, 4 cones or 2 pop-up goals
Soccer Heading Drills
Here are a couple of great drills designed to maximize your player's skill at heading the ball.
Head it! - Passing & Ball Striking
Set up a small circle of cones with you in the middle. Place all of the balls in the middle with you and set the kids up on the outside of the cones. One at a time, toss the balls to the kids and have them attempt to head them back to you. Keep instructions very simple.
Try to get them to hit the ball with the upper part of their forehead and not the top of their head. To make it more challenging you can call out "Head it" or "Catch it" and they must do the opposite of whatever you say. Each time the kids get it right, they get a point as a group. You get a point for each mistake. See who wins!
Number of Players: All
Equipment: Each child needs a ball. Enough cones for a small circle.
Heads Up - Heading
Set up several goals with cones. Place a goalkeeper in each goal. The remaining players will be paired up in groups of 2. Player 1 will toss the ball to Player 2 who will attempt to head the ball into the goal. Once the ball goes through, both players run to the other side and switch roles. Be sure to rotate your keepers so that everybody gets a chance in goal.
Number of Players: All
Equipment: Cones for goals. 1 ball per heading pair