the novice coach’s guide to a successful soccer season coaching... · the novice coach’s guide...

1

The Novice Coach’s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season

Practical Advice on Coaching a Competitive Youth Soccer Team

Ohio Youth Soccer Association North

2


The vast majority of soccer coaches in the United States are still Moms and Dads who volunteer to coach their sons or daughters.



While a growing proportion of these parents have some soccer-playing background, most youth coaches

are new to the sport.

The term “novice” includes those who are new to soccer and also those with a soccer background who

are inexperienced in their role as “coach.”



This self-paced course provides theoretical and practical information for novice coaches working with

the U-10, U-12 and U-14 age groups. For the purposes of this presentation… “U-10” includes U-9 and U-10 “U-12” includes U-11 and U-12 “U-14” includes U-13 and U-14



The information is organized Into six sections.

What is Soccer? Understanding Your Players.

Understanding Tactics and Skills. Team Management.

Practice Management. Parent Management.


Section 1 What is Soccer?


What is Soccer? Soccer is an “invasion” sport, tactically identical to other team sports such as basketball, hockey, fast

Frisbee and water polo.


8

The basic objective of invasion sports is to penetrate through the other team and score more goals in the

time allowed.


What is Soccer - Attacking

9

When in possession, each player should first consider the question, “Can I score a goal?”

If scoring is not possible, the next most important consideration is, “Can I pass to a teammate who can?



10

As a general tactical approach, when attacking the goal is not possible, the players should be encouraged to

pass or dribble the ball away from the opponents (keep possession) until there is a new opportunity to

attack forward (penetration).

Understanding when to possess and when to penetrate is the foundation of tactical awareness.



11

While possessing the ball (building-up), the attacking team should spread out from side-to-side and from

front-to-back in order to circulate the ball and create new opportunities to attack the goal.

Often, the most open spaces to possess the ball are found

to the back and to the sides of the field.



12

When the ball is turned over to the opponent, the closest player(s) should try to win it back.

If regaining possession is not possible, the next best objective is to block or delay the opponent’s forward progress and recover defenders behind the ball.


What is Soccer - Defending

13

Once behind the ball, the basic tactical concept underlying team defending is to reduce the field space

available to the attackers. This is achieved by the players moving towards the ball – as a team.



14

The respective skill level of each team, the position of the ball on the field, and the number of opponents and teammates in the area around the ball will dictate the best time and place to attempt to regain possession.

….often, good defending is demonstrated by simply not giving up scoring chances!



The most dangerous tactical situations in soccer occur when the ball changes possession. This is because

defenders are often out of position and more space is available to attack the goal.

All players must learn to naturally transition between

attack and defense, and vice versa. This is best achieved by playing soccer games in practice.


What is Soccer - Transition

When coming into possession, attacking players should be encouraged to counter-attack as a first tactical

option – and then keep possession if the chance is lost.

In contrast, defenders caught in transition should be encouraged to immediately try to win the ball back. If this is not possible, the objectives are to… a) stop or

slow the counter-attack, b) stop or slow forward progress (dribbles or passes), or c) get behind the ball.


What is Soccer - Transition

17

Keeping possession of the ball is the most important aspect of individual and team play – and therefore the

most important element in player development.

Without the ability to control and dribble the ball, there is no possibility of constructive team play.


What is Soccer - Technique

18

Young or inexperienced players must concentrate on the mechanics of controlling the ball before they can

look up and decide what to do next.

This is one reason why young players and those with poor technique need more time and space - and fewer

teammates and opponents - than those with more refined skills.


What is Soccer - Tactical Insight


When playing 1v1, each player only has to process the movement and actions of one opponent.



When the game numbers rise to 4v4, each player in or out of possession has to process the movement and

actions of three teammates and four opponents.


As the number of players increases, the complexity of processing and reading the

game increases exponentially.


1v1 2v2 3v3 4v4 5v5 6v6 7v7 8v8 9v9 10v10 11v11

2 12 30 56 90 132 182 240 306 380 462

N(n-1) Ron Quinn, 1999

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

1v1 3v3 5v5 7v7 9v9 11v11

Soccer is fundamentally a player’s game; a game of mistakes and turn-overs; a game of improvisation and

expression; a game of creativity and movement; a game of tactical opposites; a game that rewards those who dare; a game that breathes through individuals

and which often suffocates from over-coaching; a simple game that is very difficult to play well.


What is Soccer - Summary

End of Section 1


Click Here to Take the

Quiz!!!

http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/7eb1dXO58b761Hha






the novice coach’s guide to a successful soccer season coaching... · the novice coach’s guide...

Documents