| One problem that confronts youth coaches is | | | | parents are yelling for the defenders to fall back, |
| parents. Unfortunately, trying to figure out how to | | | | which allows the attackers to get that much closer |
| coach soccer requires more than just learning kids | | | | to the goal. You may be teaching your wings to stay |
| soccer drills. It also requires learning how to coach | | | | wide, and the parents are yelling for the wings to |
| soccer parents, and teaching them how to behave | | | | push in to help the center midfielder. You might be |
| properly. | | | | working on short, controlled passes, and parents are |
| The best way to handle parents is to lay out your | | | | yelling for the ball handler to make a long pass. The |
| expectations of them at the beginning of your time | | | | point is, parent don't always know or understand |
| with the kids. A great time to do this is at the | | | | your game strategy, or what you are trying to teach |
| beginning of the 2nd or 3rd practice. It is best to be | | | | your players. The more you learn how to coach |
| upfront about the fact that you are trying to learn | | | | soccer, the more you will be trying new things during |
| how to coach soccer, and you would appreciate their | | | | games. Parents that don't respect what you are |
| input (privately, not in front of the players). Even | | | | trying to do will cause serious problems between you |
| though you're are just starting to learn how to coach | | | | and your players. |
| soccer, you are the teams coach, and that parents | | | | Explain to parents that the amount of time their child |
| should not second-guess your decisions in front of | | | | will get to play depends on how well they attempt to |
| the players. If they are truly interested in helping, you | | | | do what you tell them to do. If a child's father tells |
| can let them work with you as an assistant coach, | | | | them to do something different, there is a good |
| and you can learn how to coach soccer together. | | | | chance the child will ignore you and listen to the |
| Let your parents know that the best thing they can | | | | parent. If you tell them to make the short pass, and |
| do for the team is to be cheerleaders. Children are | | | | the player listens to dad and boots the ball long, you |
| typically very sensitive to criticism from adults, and | | | | will end up pulling the child from the game for not |
| having parents on the sideline pointing out their | | | | listening to you. It's a situation where nobody wins. |
| mistakes will hurt their self esteem, and will | | | | Unfortunately, it happens time and again during youth |
| negatively affect the way that child plays in the | | | | soccer games. |
| future. Youth soccer players need to be encouraged. | | | | It comes down to getting the parents to understand |
| You may be asking them to do something different, | | | | that even though you may be just learning how to |
| or to play a position that is not comfortable for | | | | coach soccer, you are the coach. The more they can |
| them. If a parent begins to criticize the child, that | | | | support your decisions in front of the children, the |
| child will revert back to a more comfortable habit, | | | | easier your job is, and the quicker your team will |
| even if it is the wrong thing to do. | | | | learn what you are trying to teach them. |
| One frustration that many youth soccer coaches | | | | Learning how to coach soccer parents how to |
| endure is having parents that insist on coaching their | | | | behave on the sidelines is a big key to reducing the |
| child from the sideline. You may be trying to teach | | | | stress on game day. |
| your defenders to set an offside trap, and the | | | | |