Football Strategy, Training and Parenting - Leeuwin Naturaliste Soccer Association

The perfect parent

I suggest that you hand it out as part of your welcome pack to new parents, at pre-season meetings or whenever you have a problem with parents shouting 'advice' from the touchlines or asking why their little star isn't getting more of a game. You can download a copy of…

Ten Commandments For Parents of Athletes

1. Make sure your children know that win or lose, scared or heroic, you love them, appreciate their efforts, and are not disappointed in them. This will allow them to do their best without a fear of failure. Be the person in their life they can look to for constant…

Make your child a winner

I often hear the comment "Oh well it’s just a game!" I wonder? Playing on a soccer team can be an important experience in your child’s life. Participation can help your child physically and personally. However, placing your child on a soccer team does not guarantee a beneficial experience. As…

The most important soccer skills to teach children

Soccer players need a lot of different skills, and it does not matter for most of these skills whether you teach Skill A or Skill B first. However, there are some skills that are absolute "must-haves" for any player- and are so important that you probably will want to teach…

Characteristics of six to ten year old soccer players

six to eight...the wonder years Attention span is a not at a "competitive" stage Inclined towards small group activities. Always in motion: scratching; blinking; jerking; rocking.... Easily bruised psychologically. They will remember negative comments for a long time. Shout praise. Give "hints". They want everybody to like them. Developing physical…

Individual Technical and Tactical Issues for U-5’s and U-6’s

Coordination and Basic Motor SkillsVery young children (four and five year olds) are learning to coordinate and control their body movements and dynamic balance, and are generally not very nimble or agile. Practice activities that develop these basic motor skills, with and without the soccer ball will be beneficial and…

Introducing the concept of team work

Team work starts with two. If players cannot solve the simple problems they face with a partner they will not be able to function in any larger team context.Therefore, 2v2 in modified forms (different goals and rules,) offers them opportunities to learn how to work together in the four main…

First season as a youth soccer coach

For the parent coach that's new to the game and coaching, the first two questions they usually ask are "What am I supposed to do and how will I do it?" This article offers information and direction on these questions. It also contains links to other pages so that even…

Coaching at the game: junior soccer coaching style on match day

Soccer CultureThe essence of the soccer culture is that soccer is the "player's game". What this means is that, once the game is underway, the players are expected to make their own decisions as to the right thing to do in any situation, without interference from coaches or spectators. Of…

how to use small sided games in youth soccer coaching

4v4 can be misused as a tool. It is not just a matter of putting eight children on a small field and making some random comments. Even with a properly constructed game learning can be left to chance. The following are some ideas, which help to insure that proper learning…

Coaching the swarm - a guide to teaching formations and positional 'sense'.

Most teams (and new coaches) are thrown into games after just a few practices - well before the coach has had any real chance to teach the players anything. Thus, new coaches often feel intense pressure to "perform" and may take early losses personally. This is silly - and it…

Corners

Well thought out corners are difficult situations for the opposition to defend against and often lead to goals being scored. The offensive tactics used in corner kicks and the positions of the players used often depend on several factors: Attacking ability: Does the attacking team have players who are strong…

Free Kicks

As with corners and throw-ins, free-kicks are a major source of goals at any level of the game. There are many reasons for this which have already been discussed in the introduction to this article. However, it is always useful for a coach to remind his players. Firstly, the attacking…

Throw Ins

Players often lose their concentration when the ball is cleared out for a throw-in. Defenders may feel their job is done and it is at this moment that the attacking team must take advantage of this lapse. The throw should be taken quickly by the player nearest the ball to…

Penalties, Kick-Offs & Goal Kicks

Likewise for defenders, there is a simple but effective rule to respect during penalty kicks. The fastest attackers should position themselves where the "D" line crosses the line of the penalty area in order to be first to the ball in case of a rebound. As soon as the ball…

Set Plays

It is often mentioned that a large percentage of goals arise from "dead ball" situations. However, many teams do not devote the necessary time and practice in training to improve their set-piece play. This is especially important as these situations arise regularly throughout a match and it makes sense to…

Principles of Defense

(Based on the USSF Coaching Schools) Good defending begins with an understanding of how the principles of defense are applied by both the individual player as well as collectively within the team. The moment a team loses possession immediate defensive organization begins. A. Immediate chase/pressure – The moment possession is…

Possession

The usual possession exercises progress through some warm-ups involving takeovers and combination play through 4v2 all the way to 6v6 to goals. You can choose some alternative elements in assembling your progression. The core emphasis should include quick support, open body shape, being prepared to play the ball first time,…

Principles of Attack

(Based on the USSF Coaching Schools) Soccer is a fluid game in which the player who has possession of the ball must always have several options to pass the ball. The more options a player has, the less likely he/she is to lose possession. Therefore, it is necessary for players…

Goalkeeping - Overall description

Quite often coaches wrestle with the question of when to encourage a player to specialize in the GK position. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer as the correct response will vary for each individual player. However, it is clear that whether a player has focused solely upon playing GK at…

Football Strategy, Training and Parenting - Leeuwin Naturaliste Soccer Association - Western Australia