March 12, 2010
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times that practice makes a man perfect. I’m not sure about others, but it’s certainly true for soccer practice sessions. The kids enter the ground everyday with a hope to try something exciting and new. Yet, it is extremely important in soccer training that they keep practicing old techniques that you teach them regularly.
Here’s your test to ensure that kids are not bogged down by the sameness of the drills that they are made to do on a daily basis. The following are a few tips that’ll help you perform practice sessions in an exciting, controlled, and an accepted manner.
1. Does this need more emphasis? Kids emulate you so you need to behave in a way that’s expected of them. Be punctual on the field, show them your expertise with the ball, involve everyone in drills, and organize the sessions well. You’ll get to earn your players respect, their confidence and trust in you.
2. The kids should be instructed to get to the field everyday with their own ball. It is mandatory that every kid has a soccer ball. Keep some extra balls handy in case any of the kids fails to get his.
3. A number of soccer moves are such that call for daily practice sincerely. Kicking, passing, dribbling, throw-ins are the essential elements of soccer practice. It is imperative that kids practice these on a daily basis. Make sure each one of the kids participate in this even if some of them shy away in the beginning.
4. When compared with soccer drills, include games more in practice sessions. The major reason is that games call for a lot more strength and judgment when compared with drills. And it is easy to keep the focus on soccer as also to test new things with games.
5. Discipline is the key to success for any team. With kids, it is almost certain that you will have issues. It is mandatory to correct all instances of indiscipline irrespective of their scale. However, do it carefully since it is kids you are dealing with and they are susceptible.
6. While the session is on, you will note that some players do not run with the ball while others do. Make sure that this is not the case. All the young players should involve themselves in the game. Tell each player his position on the field and then make them accountable for it.
7. Do not allow a lot of scrimmage. Just about 20 minutes after the session is more than enough. Also, do not appoint a goalie when scrimmaging. This will make the team good at defense.
8. Keep your eyes open for new ways to conduct trainings. This is the most recommended way of keeping the students interested in the training sessions.
Now, take these tips to your soccer practice sessions. In a short time, you will see your kids improving in every department. Our youth soccer coaching community is full of resources on soccer coaching. Enroll for them and your team’s performance is guaranteed to improve.
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.