A youth soccer coach shares his experience navigating the complexities of coaching children under six, emphasizing the need for basic strategies to enhance their game enjoyment and prevent frustration.
Coaching Young Soccer Players: Lessons in Simplicity and Strategy
Coaching Young Soccer Players: Lessons in Simplicity and Strategy
Reflecting on the challenges of coaching a youth soccer team led to valuable insights on simplicity and fundamental strategies for young players.
In recent weeks, the youth soccer team that occupies my thoughts has faced several hurdles, predominantly linked to the age of its players—each under the age of seven, which presents unique tactical challenges. Coupled with my unexpected role as a coach, our struggle to prevent goals from being scored against us became increasingly apparent.
In England, children typically start formal soccer at age six, where competition is not emphasized; there are no league tables, and results are not officially recorded. Yet, the noticeable lack of success became evident to anyone with a basic understanding of the game. Our troubling results prompted me to devise a plan to mitigate this escalating issue.
Prior to this, we had devoted two years instilling in the kids the fundamental principles of soccer: building play from the back, making thoughtful passes, and relying on their developing skills. However, the truth was that this philosophy did not translate well once the boys and girls hit the field. Instead of overcoming defensive challenges, we found ourselves self-inflicting damage with careless dribbling in dangerous areas and aimless passes into congested parts of the pitch.
In the face of the impending risk of losing the children's enthusiasm for the game, I revisited some timeless coaching wisdom imparted to me in my youth—specifically, two core directives from my youth coach, Geoff. With a focus on simplicity and basic execution, Geoff advised us to "Play the way you are facing" and, crucially, "If in doubt, boot it out."
These straightforward tactics seemed to offer the potential remedy our team desperately needed. By encouraging the players to focus on basic principles that prioritized safety and effective game play, I found hope in transforming our struggle into a positive soccer experience. With clarity on our strategic approach, perhaps we could cultivate an atmosphere of enjoyment over frustration that would nurture these young athletes' love for the beautiful game.
In England, children typically start formal soccer at age six, where competition is not emphasized; there are no league tables, and results are not officially recorded. Yet, the noticeable lack of success became evident to anyone with a basic understanding of the game. Our troubling results prompted me to devise a plan to mitigate this escalating issue.
Prior to this, we had devoted two years instilling in the kids the fundamental principles of soccer: building play from the back, making thoughtful passes, and relying on their developing skills. However, the truth was that this philosophy did not translate well once the boys and girls hit the field. Instead of overcoming defensive challenges, we found ourselves self-inflicting damage with careless dribbling in dangerous areas and aimless passes into congested parts of the pitch.
In the face of the impending risk of losing the children's enthusiasm for the game, I revisited some timeless coaching wisdom imparted to me in my youth—specifically, two core directives from my youth coach, Geoff. With a focus on simplicity and basic execution, Geoff advised us to "Play the way you are facing" and, crucially, "If in doubt, boot it out."
These straightforward tactics seemed to offer the potential remedy our team desperately needed. By encouraging the players to focus on basic principles that prioritized safety and effective game play, I found hope in transforming our struggle into a positive soccer experience. With clarity on our strategic approach, perhaps we could cultivate an atmosphere of enjoyment over frustration that would nurture these young athletes' love for the beautiful game.
