If you coach soccer to kids you need this…

Complete Soccer Coach is proud to announce the release of a brand new iPhone application,  GoLearn Soccer for Kids! We’ve partnered with the Whagaa to bring you your own personal soccer coach on your iPhone and iPod Touch.
GoLearn Soccer for Kids Features:

* Over 30 videos covering: drills, warm ups, games and stretching.
* All age appropriate skills and drills for kids U6-U12
* Soccer Notes
* Good. . . [more]

‘C’ Standards Rubric

I was working at a coaches clinic this past weekend here in Watertown, and had a discussion with a man who was the director of coaching for a club.  He was trying to come up with a way of evaluating the coaches that are in the club that he works with.  I immediately thought of this “rubric” that we developed for the ‘C’ License. . . [more]

STREET SOCCER IDEAS

Recently, I conducted a session that the players really enjoyed, and we got a lot accomplished in the process. I played what I call “street soccer”. It was a time where the players were given a lot of the decision making as to how they played. We assigned each player to a team, gave them the “challenge” of the game, and let them decide. . . [more]

MID WINTER COACHING REMINDERS

Hey coaches!
I decided to post a letter that I wrote to coaches a year or so ago. It was a letter that I wrote to coaches in the club that I was working with at the time, reminding them of what they could be doing to “move things along”.
After visiting an indoor soccer event this past week here in WI, I thought about. . . [more]

EVOLVING PLAYERS, EVOLVING COACHES

The women’s game on the international level has been improving steadily over the past several years. This brings with it the task of attempting to maintain our superiority in those areas of the game that have served as a strong foundation for our success in the past, namely our winning mentality and our athleticism. It also forces us to develop those areas of our. . . [more]

Types of Soccer Fitness

We as coaches often say that we need to improve the fitness level of the players.  But, what EXACTLY do we mean when we say that?  What is “soccer fitness”?  What are the components?  If we can’t define it, there is not a chance that we can improve it!
Here are some thoughts on the various “fitness ideas” that we have to think about as. . . [more]

POSITIONAL ROLES IN A 4-4-2 DIAMOND MIDFIELD

Here is something that we put together to give to the U19 National Team to help remind them of their positional roles in a 4-4-2.

More specifically, it addresses the issues of when we were playing with our midfield in a “diamond” shape. (ie: 4 central midfielders… in a diamond shape).

POSITIONAL ROLES IN A 4-4-2 DIAMOND MIDFIELD

COMMUNICATE!

Forwards

Defensively

-          1st win the ball; 2nd force/funnel outside, then. . . [more]

MAINTAINING TEAM DISCIPLINE

After a recent game at an indoor center, I was talking with the coach, and the conversation drifted towards the challenges of “keeping order” on the bench. We talked about the substitution plan that he was trying to use to ensure equal playing time, and the challenges associated with that whole process. Then, this coach started talking about the challenge of staying on top. . . [more]

COACHING EDUCATION FOR THE NON-SOCCER PEOPLE.

I am currently teaching a ‘D’ License here on campus as an academic course. I have to admit, it is a pretty good idea to allow students to test for the ‘D’ License who are taking the soccer coaching course that is usually offered to PE Majors. We just adjusted the curriculum a bit, and there you have it.
Teaching the course is. . . [more]

The “WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY” of coaching

I just got back from instructing at the US Soccer National Coaching School ‘A’ License in Tampa Florida. It is one of my favorite “soccer things” to do as I find the week challenging and stimulating. When a group of good soccer people get together and share ideas about the game, and work on the craft of coaching, it has a way. . . [more]