Coaching Practice Methodology
“If you aren’t 15 minutes early, you are 15 minutes late”
No-No’s
- don’t allow your players to pick their own teams
- false praise
- prolonged stoppages
- associating fitness with punishment
- lines, laps, and drills
- idle time
Yesses
- Incorporate games that players are already familiar with, into your training session
- (playground games, physical education games, etc.)
- Stretching, and selecting certain players to lead stretches, are chances to develop
- leadership in your players
- Do you refer to what you worked on in your last practice before your next game?
- Pause for brief coaching messages
- Coach the positive!
- Encourage decision making and problem solving by allowing groups to “strategize” before
- beginning and in between activities
- Send them away with “soccer homework”
Principles and Methodology of Coaching
Developmentally appropriate
Clear, concise, and correct information: Brevity – Clarity – Relevance
Simple to complex: there should be a flow that is appropriate to the age of the players and
the topic of the practice – in some instances this will proceed from a warm-up to individual
activities to small group activities to large group activities (THE GAME) – While the
progression may vary, every practice should start with a warm-up and end with “The Game."
Designing a Training Session
Helpful questions to ask yourself when planning a training session
- Are the activities fun?
- Are the activities organized?
- Are all of the players involved in all of the activities?
- Is creativity and decision making being used?
- Are the spaces being used appropriate?
- Is the coach’s feedback appropriate?
- Are there implications for the game?
- Are the players having fun?
Variations, Restrictions, and Alterations to keep your players excited
about training:
- Number of balls
- Number of teams (instead of the traditional 2 teams, why not play with three!)
- Size of field (short in length and wide in width and vice versa)
- Number of goals
- Size of goals
- Various ways of scoring a goal (passing, shooting, dribbling, etc.)
- Size of balls
- Touch restrictions (maximums and minimums)
- The Main Areas of a Practice Session
Warm-up:
Enthusiastically set the tone for fun.
The warm-up prepares the mind and body for upcoming activities. Ball gymnastics greatly enhance
motor skills (i.e. coordination, balance, agility, and flexibility).
Young players need very little stretching, but it is a good habit for them to begin at an early age.
Plan your warm-ups so that each player uses a ball. Incorporate games and exercises that
emphasize a lot of touches and dribbling,
If possible, use or create conditioning exercises that require the players to work with a ball rather
than just running. The kids will have more fun and they will learn more soccer skills!
Individual Activities:
Fun-filled activities that emphasize technical development. "GAMES!" Remember this is the
discovery age. Lots of contact with the ball.
Activities should be appropriate for the skills you are teaching. Limit the number of activities in a
given practice, and don’t spend too long on any one activity. Remember that a child’s attention
span is limited!
Group Activities:
Group games are an extension of the individual activity. Groups are small to again allow for ball
contacts. Activities should emphasize fun while challenging the players in a non-drill manner.
Keep it varied and interesting with a minimum of oral instruction (don’t lecture!). Demonstrate as
much as possible, if you feel uncomfortable demonstrating techniques, don’t hesitate to enlist your
more skillful players, or perhaps older soccer players, to help you. Depending on the level you are
coaching, junior high or high school players may be useful for this purpose.
MAXIMIZE the number of touches for each player by running activities with several small groups at
the same time; no child likes to stand in line waiting!
"The Game":
This portion of the practice session is designed to familiarize the players with the varying aspects of
the game. Kids want to play and have fun. After a brief explanation and/or demonstration quickly
get the players playing.
Small-sided games (e.g. 4 v 4) are an excellent practice tool that help
keep everyone involved and, by reducing the size of each playing field, you
can have two games going at the same time. Activities should be
organized to progress into controlled scrimmages (e.g. no shots until at
least four consecutive passes have been made). Follow up a controlled
scrimmage with an open scrimmage. Remember, the kids signed up to
play soccer!
Be prepared to change your plans! Weather, field conditions, the number
of players who come to practice, can all affect your plans.
Be flexible and adjust to conditions.
You may also need to extend the time spent on a particular activity if the players are having
difficulty acquiring a particular skill. If it is especially hot, allow for more frequent water breaks and
reduce the physical intensity of practice.
