Coaching Tips for PracticeCOLIN SCHMIDT'S TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SOCCER PRACTICE:
Be organized in advance. Have a practice plan.
Be ready to move from one activity to the next.
Use each player's name frequently.
Treat all players with respect. Don't demean.
Acknowledge specific things individual players do well.
Find good assistant coaches. Plan in advance what you want them to do at each practice.
Be enthusiastic.
Use your voice. Fluctuate it to stress points and to get a player's attention (see below).
Demonstrate skills and concepts. Paint a clear picture for your players.
Manufacture successes.
Give knowledgeable, constructive instruction.
Give the gift of failure (see below).
I've found the above suggestions helpful in my coaching career. I've designed the Coaching Cards to help you facilitate your duties as a coach. The Cards can help you plan in advance, prepare you with specific coaching suggestions, and allow you to easily utilize assistant coaches. Most important, however, is a positive attitude and a contagious enthusiasm for your players and the sport.
ELABORATION ON COLIN'S TIPS (AS LISTED ABOVE)
BE ORGANIZED IN ADVANCE
Be prepared before you get to the field. Know what your going to do. Know how the field should be set up. The more quickly your practice moves from one activity to another the better. If players are standing around in lines and not playing the game, the greater the chance for fooling around and discipline problems. Know what you want to accomplish. Have a plan in place.
USE YOUR VOICE
How you say something is as important as what you say. The volume of your voice is crucial when coaching. Modulating the intensity of your voice can produce results. Say for example that a person’s voice has five levels of volume. Normal conversation is level 1. Screaming uncontrollably is level 5. Most coaching is done at level 2 or 3. The coach communicates a strong, confident stream of information. When things break down, when players aren't paying attention, the coach can jump to level 4 for a few quick remarks. Watch players react. You are in control.
DEMONSTRATE SOCCER SKILLS
Many players learn by seeing. Coaches like to talk. Coaches should try to paint pictures. Demonstrations can help show players new skills or concepts. If you can't demonstrate find a player who can.
ADJUST FOR SUCCESS
Players must be successful in your practice. You must manufacture success. Successes increase the joy and fulfillment the players experience. If a drill or exercise is too difficult, players become frustrated, they become discouraged. Be prepared to adjust a drill so that players can accomplish the objective. You may have to make a grid larger or a goal wider. You may have to decrease the number of defenders. Look for ways to adjust for successes.
GIVE THE GIFT OF FAILURE
Coaches should acknowledge players when they do something well. Not when the mess up. When we yell at a player, we highlight the fact that they made a mistake. We scare players. We create players who are afraid to take risks. The player becomes afraid to fail. They think, "I'll get yelled at if I make a mistake." Often, these types of players drift into the background, into the middle of the pack or back of the herd.
If you want a player to make an impact--to be an impact player--let them know it's okay to take chances, that it is okay to make mistakes! Instead of pointing out the obvious mistake, don't say anything. Bite your tongue. (Make a note. Work on the "mistake" in a practice session). If you have to yell, say "Nice try!" or "Unlucky" or "Good Idea" or "You'll get it next time." Build confidence, don't rip it apart. Remember these players are on your team. It's your job to make them better no matter what their ability.
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