| Every week around the world, millions of children go | | | | and what drills can I use to reinforce these? What |
| to soccer training ready and willing to learn, and | | | | areas do we need to improve and what soccer drills |
| excited about kicking a soccer ball around the park. | | | | can I use to do this? Remember that it is OK to |
| This article will look at some of the challenges faced | | | | change your plan during the session, but if you don't |
| by their respective coaches in how to keep them | | | | have a plan in place in the first place you are destined |
| interested, teach them new skills and let them have | | | | to have children that get bored. And we know what |
| fun so that they turn up on game day ready to play. | | | | happens after they get bored! |
| Soccer Drills should cater to children of different | | | | How do you teach the children? This has a huge |
| levels of abilities, they should be planned prior to the | | | | bearing on their confidence level and also on your |
| training session to address the needs of the children, | | | | relationship with the parents within your team. And |
| they should help you foster good relationships with | | | | rest assured if you maintain a positive relationship |
| the parents by demonstrating your level of interest | | | | with the parents then this will make training the |
| and knowledge, and they should teach the kids new | | | | children alot more rewarding. Do you criticise? Do you |
| skills in a positive manner. This article will introduce | | | | yell? Do you point out the faults of the children? |
| you to four vital concepts to help you to teach your | | | | (And forget to mention when they do something |
| players new skills by planning and utilising soccer drills | | | | wrong). Sounds terrible doesn't it but sometimes we |
| in a fun and educational manner. | | | | get so caught up in the emotion of the moment and |
| Anyone that has coached a children's sporting team | | | | what everyone else is doing that we forget about |
| understands that players have differing levels of | | | | our own behaviour. It has been scientifically proven |
| ability, and different physical statures. One of the | | | | that children learn and improve many times more |
| great things about soccer is that large physical | | | | quickly with praise than with criticism. I found most |
| stature is not a prerequisite for success. The | | | | successful the formula of 2 doses of praise for |
| challenge for the soccer coach is that they will be | | | | every dose of correction. When I found myself |
| dealing with children with different physical statures | | | | wanting to criticise I first made myself praise. I then |
| and different skill levels within the same team. Soccer | | | | offered correction, and I then praised again. |
| drills must be adaptable to cater for these | | | | I once heard a coach say "I just wish the kids could |
| differences within the team. They must also offer | | | | learn what I am trying to teach them!" He was very |
| extensions so that as players learn the skills they can | | | | frustrated at the time. What he failed to realise was |
| be extended further. | | | | that what he was trying to teach them was not |
| It is always astounding to me when I talk to coaches | | | | appropriate for their stage of learning. So make sure |
| of children's' sporting teams that many of them go to | | | | your soccer drills are appropriated for your team, plan |
| training without a clear plan of what will happen in the | | | | your sessions so they are fun and educational, and |
| session. Failing to plan is planning to fail. A plan does | | | | teach your children in a way that is positive and |
| not have to involve great detail but should be written | | | | truthful. And at the end of the season your success |
| down. How long does the session go for? How long | | | | is not measured by how many games you won. Your |
| do we warm up for? How long is spent doing soccer | | | | success is measured by how much your children |
| drills? How long is spent reviewing last weeks' game? | | | | learned, how much fun they had, and how many of |
| What were the strong points from the last game | | | | them come back to play next year. |