ORGANISATION OF YOUR COACHING PRACTICE

Your practice sessions

Your organisation of the practice session is one of the most important responsibilities of the coach. It covers many aspects, from securing a field, to preparing a written plan for the practice.

You should plan ahead of time and always prepare for the unexpected. Never arrive at a practice or a game without considering all the elements of organization. Players will recognise immediately when a coach is unprepared.

Good planning and thorough organisation translates into confidence.
If you have a well thought out plan and you are certain about how your objectives are to be achieved your players will respond appropriately.

• Facilities - Where are you going to practice?
• Equipment - What equipment do you need?
• Number of Players – How many for practice?
• Realistic Practices – Does it happen in the game?
• Injured Players Policy – How to keep them involved.

COACHING FORMULA

• Introduction – Coaching the practice.
• Step One – What’s the topic?
• Step Two – Stand back and observe.
• Step Three – Correct the mistakes.
• Step Four – Progress to the next level.
• Step Five – Relating the topic to the game.

WHEN TO PROGRESS

• Introduction – Going from simple to complex.
• Step One – Starting with the basics.
• Step Two – Striking a moving ball.
• Step Three – Passive resistance.
• Step Four – Introduction of pressure.
• Step Five – Relate to the game.
• Step Six – The big picture.

COMMUNICATION

• Introduction – A coach can communicate in two ways, by showing or by speaking.
• Do it by Showing – A picture tells a thousand words
• Do it by Speaking – Keeping it simple and clear.

HOW YOUNG PLAYERS LEARN

• Introduction – How do young players learn?
• Profile of an Under 6 player – Love to run, jump, roll and hop.
• Profile of an Under 8 player – The puddle is still too tempting.
• Profiles of an Under 10 player – Skills are emerging.
• Profile of an Under 12 player – They are openly competitive.

QUALITIES OF A COACH

Good coaches possess some fundamental qualities. It is not all about your win, loss record. Ironically, you can do a great job coaching and still not win. Conversely, you can have a successful record by just having the fortune of better players. Regardless of the level you are coaching, the game should be a fun and learning experience for your players.
This section illustrates the qualities of a good coach.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Team Management deals with factors other than coaching skills and principles of the game. It involves handling issues with players and parents such as playing time and behavioural expectations on the sidelines. It is the attention to detail in areas such as pre-game, half time and post game preparation. It encompasses a wide variety of topics, which are crucial to the harmony, and structure of the team.

Ideas on attendance policy, items you should have at every practice and a sample of a practice layout that you could print and take to the field with you.
• Attendance Policy – Soccer is a team sport.
• Practice Checklist – What you will need for your practice.
• Practice Planner – Printable practice planner.

GAMES

There are important considerations to make during game day. A thorough warm up must be implemented, considerations of team line-ups and who starts and does not and crucial team talks at keys moments. This section addresses all these areas and provides you with ideas to help.

• Playing time – How much per player?
• Substituting – When to make a substitution.
• Coaching in a game – Do not yell negatives.
• Pre-Game – Are you ready to play?
• Half Time – Rest and reassurance.
• Post Game – The wrap up.

PLAYERS

Outlining players’ responsibilities during the season, how to handle disruptive players and suggestions for selecting your team captain.

• Responsibilities – What are your player’s responsibilities?
• Disruptive Players – How to deal with them.
• Selecting a Team Captain – How do you choose?

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

The most important factor in winning games are not tactics or formations, it is the quality of individual "technique". Team tactics are very dependent upon each player's ability to execute the technical components of those tactics. For tactics to succeed you must have players who can pass the ball diagonally behind a defence, control the ball in tight areas, dribble past an opponent, or win head balls in set-plays.

Without players who possess good technique, your time invested in team organization and principles of play will be fruitless. With players of high technical ability, the foundation will be strong to apply those techniques in skilful and tactical situations.

It is of paramount importance that coaches understand how quality technique is developed and implement a coaching regimen to challenge players to a level of technical excellence. "Practice does not make perfect" rather” practice makes permanent."

To teach technique, coaches must be able to break down each component and relay that information to their players. The technique must be isolated and performed until it becomes habit. Skills in Passing, Ball Control, Shooting, Heading, Dribbling, Defending and Goalkeeping.

Passing

• The Push Pass
• The Low Driven Pass
• The Bent or Swerved Pass
• The Chip Pass
• The Lofted Pass
• The Volley Pass.
• The Side Volley Pass
• The Toe Poke Pass
• The Heel Pass
• The Flick Pass
• The Stab Pass

Ball Control

• Cushion Control using the Feet.
• Cushion Control using the Thigh.
• Cushion Control using the Chest.
• Cushion Control using the Head
• Wedge Control using the Feet
• Wedge Control using the Thigh
• Wedge Control using the Chest
• Wedge Control using the Head

Shooting

• Shooting with the inside of the foot
• The Low Driven Shot
• The Lofted Shot
• The Chip Shot
• The Bent (swerved) Shot
• The Half Volley Shot
• The Side Volley Shot
• The Full Volley Shot

Heading

• Attacking Heading
• Defensive Heading
• Flick-On's
• Diving Headers

Dribbling

• The Half Turn
• The Quarter Turn
• The Stop and Go
• The Fake Stop and Go
• The Beardsley
• The Chop

HEALTH & SAFETY

You should have or be aware of a safety checklist when coaching your players and preparing your team. There are important information and procedures to ensure goals safety and how to correctly anchor your goals. Understanding the concerns regarding heading the ball at a young age and building confidence in players to head the ball correctly.

Beating the heat

Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are all serious (in some cases fatal) heat-induced conditions. It is imperative for the safety of your players and volunteers that you and your coaches know how to identify and treat them.

• Heat Cramps
• Heat Exhaustion
• Heat Stroke
• Symptoms of Dehydration

What you need to know about fluids

• What Does Water Do For You?
• What Happens Without Water?
• How Can You Avoid Dehydration?
• What Happens If Your Sweat Does not evaporate?

Lightning Policies

• Before the storm
• What to do when you hear thunder
• Soccer games and practices policy
• What to do if you are caught outdoors and you cannot get to a building
• When to resume outdoor play
• Flash (Bang) Method