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Repetition Is The Mother Of Learning
Soccer is as much an art as it is a sport. The skills required to enjoy playing soccer require repetitive practice. We encourage you to include as part of the warmup to each game the practice of basic skills. Skills such as juggling a ball, trapping, and dribbling can be practiced easily in a group. Some coaches have taught left footed kicking by requiring each player to make 30 left footed kicks against the wall at the beginning of each practice during indoor soccer. By the end of the year, most players felt comfortable using both their left and right feet during games. But the key is repetition.
For inspiration, click here to watch this young man demonstrate advanced juggling skills in his back yard. Click here to watch NBA star Steve Nash perform some amazing juggling tricks with a soccer ball. Most children can learn ball control and gain confidence through juggling. But many parents and children mistakenly assume that they can develop ball control and soccer skills simply by going to practice and games. Piano students cannot master a piece simply by going to lessons and recitals. Similarly, soccer players cannot master soccer skills unless they also work on their own. Encourage them to work on the skills. Perhaps inspire your team by announcing a juggling contest, where the most improved juggler at the end of a session will receive a prize. You will be amazed at the results.
Coaching Girls vs. Coaching Boys
Boys and girls are both very sensitive and home oriented when they begin to play in Kindergarten. At this age boys and girls enjoy a warm, light hearted nurturing environment when playing soccer. They are frightened by loud voices. Negative comments can be devastating to both at young ages.
But as children get older, coaching boys and girls requires a very different approach according to studies (see Anson Dorrance, Training Soccer Champions). With girls and young women, coaches must be very careful not to be negative. Girls and women generally know when they have made a mistake, and pointing it out to them personally tends to hurt them and turn them off. Coaches should avoid making negative comments to the team about the team in general because each girl will think that you are talking about them personally. A coach should never criticize a girl in front of her team because female teammates tend to view such comments a personal assaults and will tend to become angry with the coach. Instead, as you watch the girls play, look for the good things they do. And then tell them all the good things you saw. Encourage them to do more of the good things, and that you are confident with some strategy changes the team can do even better. More than anything, coaches of girls must demonstrate that they care about their welfare as human beings first, not just as players who can help the coach win. Have talks with the team about fun things, like favorite movies, teachers, pets, etc. This will foster a family like atmosphere that girls thrive in.
It is important to be positive and constructive with boys too. Boys, however, tend to be less sensitive about criticism of the team as a whole. For example, if a coach says that the team was not hustling in the first half, most boys tend to think that the coach must be talking about someone else. But boys tend to respond to positive comments and encouragement more than negative comments. The boys also will tend to respect a coach who is organized and fair. If boys sense that you do not have a plan, they will do their own thing. Even with boys, however, Saturday Soccer is intended as a fun experience so try not let winning overshadow fun.
Links And Resources For Practice Tips
In the past HSA has purchased and used a variety of coaching manuals from Reedswain, Inc. Click here to visit Reedswain’s website to browse for coaching manuals, videos, and DVDs.
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