1. Effort is more important than systems and tactics
Yes, we know you love to tinker with your tactics and formation in an effort to defeat your opponents; The truth is that your players’ effort will always be the difference between winning and losing, especially if both teams are of a match in terms of ability. Instill in your players the importance of giving everything on the field and walking away knowing they have nothing left to give. Win or lose, if they give it all, they can be happy and so should you be.
2. What you know is not as important as your personality and your ability to communicate with your players
Any coach can improve their understanding of the game by reading the endless pages of advice and help that you will find on the Internet. Sure, if one coach knows absolutely nothing and another coach is very experienced, the latter coach will probably be better. However, not every coach has or is willing to develop their personality and approach to the game to get the best out of the children they work under.
3. Practices don’t have to be complicated
Running complex drills can be confusing for younger players while running drills for too long gets tedious. If you make these mistakes, players will lose interest very quickly. Your practices should be based on small-sided games and scuffles as they relate directly to match day situations. Of course, some one-on-one skill-based drills are a good idea, but you should aim to move to small-volume games and scrimmage for most of the drill.
4. Winning is not the goal. Your focus should be on improving your players and developing their love for the game
Yes, we know that winning has become the be- and end-all for football coaches at all levels, especially in recent years. However, your focus as a coach should not be on young players. You want them to get better at the end and learn to love the game. Nobody enjoys losing, but even if you win matches, if you don’t coach your players the right way, and allow them to express themselves and make mistakes without fear of being yelled at, it is very likely that eventually they will fall out of love with the game.
They need to have the freedom to play without being judged on whether they win or lose. If you encourage them at all times and focus on the positive things they do rather than the negatives, they will improve faster and just enjoy playing the game. Gamers improve faster when they have fun doing something, it’s important to remember that.
5. The biggest secret is that there are no “secrets”!
There really is no big secret to soccer training. Sure, there are different formations, tactics, playing styles and training methods, but they are all available to every coach, seasoned or novice, simply by searching for information on the internet.
It is ultimately up to the player to develop a deep relationship with the game, with the ball. As a trainer, you can facilitate this and therefore you have a great responsibility. Encourage your players, give them freedom and teach them to play with pride, passion, fairness and respect for their opponents and match officials. Finally, remember that kids’ soccer is a game for players, not a game for coaches.