Soccer Coaching - 5 Tips to Becoming a Better Soccer Coach

When it comes to soccer coaching, it is very important that we always look to improve upon what we do in our training sessions. It is critical that we consistently put our players in positions that allow them to progress and enjoy the game of soccer. In this article I am going to take a look at 5 key tips that will help you become better at teaching the beautiful game.

Tip #1 - Know Your Players

Soccer Drills

Too many coaches just go out and run drills they found in a book without consideration as to whether or not they are age appropriate. Running activities that are too difficult (or too easy) for your players leads to frustration on their part.

Soccer Coaching - 5 Tips to Becoming a Better Soccer Coach

Take some time to learn the characteristics of your players. Knowing what you can expect them to be able to handle will go a long way towards choosing proper soccer drills for them. Young players will need to move quickly from activity to activity. They are easily distracted, and very focused on the ball. It is best to use drills that have a ball at every player's feet for the majority of the practice. As the players get older, you can begin to introduce more tactical elements to your sessions.

Tip #2 - Have a Theme

Each practice that you run should have a definite theme. It doesn't help your players if you jump from passing to dribbling to defending to shooting in the same session. You will often find that you need to stick to a single theme (such as possession) for an entire week, or even multiple weeks for the lessons to stick with your players.

Use your end of the week games as an opportunity to assess how well your players are adapting to what you have been coaching them.

Tip #3 - Make a Plan

This tip really dovetails with Tip #2. Don't show up at the field with a bunch of cones and set something up based on your mood. As you only have the opportunity to work with your players a few times per week, it is very important that you make each session really count.

Plan ahead so that you have the proper equipment for the activities that you want to run. There should be a flow from simple to complex within each practice session, with each phase getting your players closer and closer to activities that resemble the actual game of soccer.

Tip #4 - Coach the Session

It is critical that you "coach" each session as opposed to just "managing" the drills. You should be choosing your practice drills with a specific goal in mind. All coaching points you make during the session should build on that goal.

For example, if you are running a drill with a focus on possession, your coaching points should include receiving away from pressure and providing proper support angles for passing. You want to make your points as necessary, instead of just watching the players go through drill after drill.

Tip #5 - End with Free Play

One problem that we have in the United States is a lack of creativity, especially in the final third. Most of our youth soccer players only play in structured environments under the watchful eye of coaches. They are not encouraged to experiment. It is important that you allow your players to play the game from time to time without worrying about you jumping all over them when they mess up. This type of environment is just as beneficial as ones where you are providing active soccer coaching.

Soccer Coaching - 5 Tips to Becoming a Better Soccer Coach

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver

Catch a football?! That's easy, you say. You just stick your hands up and grab the football out of the air, right? Not so fast! All that matters in the end is that you catch the football right? Well, not exactly. If you want to be a good receiver, you need to learn how to not only catch the football, but also the proper techniques for catching it. Here is why. If you catch the football using proper technique, it will be easier to tuck it away for running. Not getting the football tucked could result in a fumble. Not only that, but if you use improper technique for catching the football, you will not consistently make catches. You will drop a lot of passes that should have been caught.

Here are a few tips for catching a football correctly.

Soccer Drills

#1 - If you are facing the ball as it is approaching you above waist height, form a triangle with your two hands, palms out, placing the tips of your thumbs on opposing hands together and the tips of your index fingers on opposing hands together. Your pinkies and other fingers should be slightly spread out, but pointed in the direction of the football. Reach your hands out towards the ball and catch it with your fingers away from your body. Be sure to use your fingers and not your palms. A football that is thrown hard, will often bounce right off of your palms. As the ball makes contact with your body, squeeze the ball and in one swift motion, tuck it under your arm. Preferably you will want to tuck it under the arm that is closest to the sideline and away from defenders who will be trying to strip it from you. Yes, there is a proper way to tuck the ball also. More on that in a later post.

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver

#2 - If the ball was thrown low and you will have to make the catch below waist height, your pinkies should go together, palms up, with your thumbs facing outward. Again, squeeze the ball and tuck it.

#3 - If you are catching the ball on the run and it is coming over your shoulder, reach both hands out, palms up with your pinkies touching, thumbs out, and other fingers extended. Squeeze and tuck the ball as soon as possible.

#4 - Always watch the ball all the way into your hands. When you can see a defender coming with your peripheral vision or hear footsteps, it is tempting to look away, but you must force yourself to concentrate on making the catch. You cannot run with the ball if you do not first catch it.

#5 - Always use two hands whenever possible. Sometimes the only way to make a catch is by diving or using one hand. Most of the time, however it is possible to get two hands on the football. Don't try to be the hero by making a one handed grab when it was possible to use two hands. No one will think you are the hero, if you drop a catchable pass.

#6 - Be aware of the sidelines. You don't have to take your eyes off the ball to do this. Just know where you are in relation to the sidelines. The more you play, the better feel you will get for this.

#7 - Practice, practice, practice. You know what they say...practice makes perfect. No. Perfect practice makes perfect. Get your Dad to throw you some passes. Ask him to make sure you are catching the ball using correct form. The more passes you catch, the better you will get. As you get better, have him throw the ball just out of reach, so you can practice diving for it. Have him throw it to you from different angles and at different velocities. If you really want to get good, have your Dad or a friend throw you 200 - 300 passes a day, every day.

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver

Soccer 101 - Training Tips on Becoming the Best

1.) In Dribbling
Try dribbling the soccer ball to and fro the opposite ends of soccer field three times during training period. This will serve as an excellent warm-up exercise that also helps you condition your dribbling skills. Every turn you make, without losing control of the ball credits you one point. Performance of this routine will improve the way you maneuver the ball in the field. Though it may not be much of an enjoyable experience, it produces great results after four to five practices, making you more skillful in control dribbling, speed dribbling and shielding the ball, as well as turning the ball.

2.) In Heading
Assemble a three-manned team and practice cyclically heading the ball from player one to player two to player three. Remember to use the middle of the forehead in striking the ball. Do not jerk your head when attempting to hit the ball, instead, lean back and exert force along with your entire upper body. This training will give you more powerful headings and make you less prone to injuries.

Soccer Drills

3.) In Passing and Shooting
When working out alone, kick the ball towards the wall and continuously strike it towards the wall's direction, using both your left and right foot. Remember to keep your ankle in place and firmly kick the ball right in the middle. This exercise will help you develop quick reflexes as well as a strong sense of balance that will be very helpful when trying to deliver a ball to a teammate. It also helps you practice different shooting acrobatics in order to secure that goal.

Soccer 101 - Training Tips on Becoming the Best

4.) In Controlling
Still working with a three-manned team, the ball will be repeatedly passed from player one to player two to player three. This exercise may involve running throughout the field. The goal of this drill is to train each player in controlling the ball with one touch. This exercise helps in building a player's focus and technique.

Soccer training aids were devised to help out in basic skill development as well. Training tools, like cones, rebounders, poles, ladders, mannequins, hurdles, nets and targets, are specialized to provide inexhaustible means for performing drills and exercise, and allow the practice of different maneuvers, while preventing costly damage to your other soccer equipments (most especially the ball). Soccer training aids can facilitate in priming you and your team into becoming the scoring machine that you want to be.

Soccer 101 - Training Tips on Becoming the Best

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver

Catch a football?! That's easy, you say. You just stick your hands up and grab the football out of the air, right? Not so fast! All that matters in the end is that you catch the football right? Well, not exactly. If you want to be a good receiver, you need to learn how to not only catch the football, but also the proper techniques for catching it. Here is why. If you catch the football using proper technique, it will be easier to tuck it away for running. Not getting the football tucked could result in a fumble. Not only that, but if you use improper technique for catching the football, you will not consistently make catches. You will drop a lot of passes that should have been caught.

Here are a few tips for catching a football correctly.

Soccer Drills

#1 - If you are facing the ball as it is approaching you above waist height, form a triangle with your two hands, palms out, placing the tips of your thumbs on opposing hands together and the tips of your index fingers on opposing hands together. Your pinkies and other fingers should be slightly spread out, but pointed in the direction of the football. Reach your hands out towards the ball and catch it with your fingers away from your body. Be sure to use your fingers and not your palms. A football that is thrown hard, will often bounce right off of your palms. As the ball makes contact with your body, squeeze the ball and in one swift motion, tuck it under your arm. Preferably you will want to tuck it under the arm that is closest to the sideline and away from defenders who will be trying to strip it from you. Yes, there is a proper way to tuck the ball also. More on that in a later post.

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver

#2 - If the ball was thrown low and you will have to make the catch below waist height, your pinkies should go together, palms up, with your thumbs facing outward. Again, squeeze the ball and tuck it.

#3 - If you are catching the ball on the run and it is coming over your shoulder, reach both hands out, palms up with your pinkies touching, thumbs out, and other fingers extended. Squeeze and tuck the ball as soon as possible.

#4 - Always watch the ball all the way into your hands. When you can see a defender coming with your peripheral vision or hear footsteps, it is tempting to look away, but you must force yourself to concentrate on making the catch. You cannot run with the ball if you do not first catch it.

#5 - Always use two hands whenever possible. Sometimes the only way to make a catch is by diving or using one hand. Most of the time, however it is possible to get two hands on the football. Don't try to be the hero by making a one handed grab when it was possible to use two hands. No one will think you are the hero, if you drop a catchable pass.

#6 - Be aware of the sidelines. You don't have to take your eyes off the ball to do this. Just know where you are in relation to the sidelines. The more you play, the better feel you will get for this.

#7 - Practice, practice, practice. You know what they say...practice makes perfect. No. Perfect practice makes perfect. Get your Dad to throw you some passes. Ask him to make sure you are catching the ball using correct form. The more passes you catch, the better you will get. As you get better, have him throw the ball just out of reach, so you can practice diving for it. Have him throw it to you from different angles and at different velocities. If you really want to get good, have your Dad or a friend throw you 200 - 300 passes a day, every day.

How to Catch a Football - 7 Tips to Becoming a Star Wide Receiver