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by Drew Price

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I am an English teacher and high school and club soccer coach and I try to think of the two as being related. In each case, I have information I want to pass on to them, and they are expected to master that information. The only difference is I cannot make my students run when they are not listening. Approaching coaching like the field is a classroom will allow you to organize effect and efficient sessions.

The most important thing youth players need to see is modeling. They need to see the correct way to perform a technique. It is a coaches responsibility not to simply tell them what to do, you must show them. If you are unable to perform the technique than find a player who can. Even when explaining a game or drill a coach should always show the players what to do with a physical demonstration.

Just like in class a coach should always have an idea of what he/she wants the players to learn before practice starts. Many coaches simply try to wing it, some don't even do that they just throw a ball on the field and say "play." In the classroom, lessons progress from teacher instruction to student practice, and eventually to assessment. In soccer coaches should follow the same pattern. With one exception, don't spend much time instructing at first, kids hate to stand and listen to lecture, instead show them - remember Show vs Tell!

-Begin with an activity where players get lots of repetitions doing whatever the topic of the day is. Monitor players and correct on an individual basis. However, if you notice many players making the same mistakes, demonstrate to the entire team how to correct the common mistake.

-After it seems the players have a general grasp of what is being coached move on to another drill where limited pressure is introduced. Now the players have an opposition to worry about, however, this opposition should be very minor at first and gradually increasing.

-The next step would be a small sided game that places some sort of emphasis on a certain skill. For example, a 4v4 game where dribbling is the topic of the game may have a rule that a team can earn extra points by dribbling by a defender, or if we are working on offensive headers than create "free" lanes where defenders cannot go on the outsides of the field to allow for unpressured crosses. In other words manipulate the circumstances to create a desired effect. (field length and width ca also be adjusted as well).

-Once they have had ample time playing in high pressure situations and have opportunities to succeed or fail at the desired task in a somewhat game like setting, it is time to assess. The only way to assess is to actually set up a full game and observe. Are the players performing the technique or tactic? It may be necessary at this point to stop the scrimmaging every now and again to reiterate the coaching points of the day, and show how they are relevant in a real game. Make sure to stop the players for successful implantation of the drill as well, nothing works better than positive reenforcement. Don't stop them too much or they will eventually become frustrated with you, after all they just want to play.

All too often coaches run practices with no clear focus and don't bother to assess whether or not a player has learned what they were supposed to. Don't make that mistake!

Learn more about this author, Drew Price.

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