How to Coach Soccer to Young Kids
Long the favorite sport of Europe and South America, soccer is becoming one of the most popular youth sports in the United States. Kids as young as 3 are joining teams and learning how to play. For the dedicated individuals who take on coaching responsibilities, there are some specific challenges involved with teaching the sport to this age group and making sure the players have a positive experience.
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Things You'll Need
- Practice field
- Size 3 soccer balls (1 per child)
- Goal nets
- Cones
- Shin guards (1 set per child)
- Whistle
Instructions
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Coaching Young Kids
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At a young age, almost any flat grassy field will work. Secure a small practice field for your team. For children ages 7 and under, this field should be between 15 to 25 yards across and 20 to 30 yards long.
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2
Playing soccer without shin guards is a great way to get hurt. Each child will need a size 3 soccer ball and a pair of shin guards. Cleats are optional.
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3
Children will instinctively try to kick the ball with their toe. Start off by teaching the players to kick the ball with the sides of their feet, rather than their toes. Focus only on the technique, not on the direction or accuracy of the kick.
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4
Try to have all kids kicking at the same time, so no one is waiting. Set up cones to form lanes for each child. Instruct the children kick their balls gently across the field to the cones. This will help them to learn ball control.
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Too much criticism can turn a child off of sports for life. Keep all feedback constructive. Tell them what they did right before advising them how to improve. Always praise the effort.
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Some children will freeze at the shrill sound of a whistle. Play a game of "Red Light, Green Light" using your whistle to stop and start the action. This will help them to get accustomed to stopping and starting when a whistle is blown.
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Bad throw-ins are one of the most common fouls committed in youth soccer games. To teach the proper throw-in technique, line up the players along the sideline of your field with the ball held in both hands. Show them how to raise the ball over their head, and remind them to keep both feet on the ground when throwing.
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Kid's learn best by doing, so keep the talking to a minimum. Form two teams and let them scrimmage. This will teach the players the basic flow of a soccer game.
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Tips & Warnings
When working with first-time players, focus on technique, not strategy. Young soccer players should spend their first season or two just working on basic skills, such as kicking and passing, before attempting higher-level play. Introduce the concept of positions early on, so that the children will learn to work together rather than just chase the ball.
Young children have a short attention span and their feelings are easily hurt. Keep the talking to a minimum, and instead let them try things. Avoid singling anyone out for criticism.
References
- Photo Credit soccer boy image by .shock from Fotolia.com soccer field image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com soccer image by Sandra Henderson from Fotolia.com young soccer player tries to manuever the ball image by Robert Young from Fotolia.com child playing soccer image by JoLin from Fotolia.com soccer boy image by Yoram Astrakhan from Fotolia.com Metal whistle with the yellow cord image by Peter Ivanov from Fotolia.com rugby player lineout throw image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com young boy playing soccer image by John Steel from Fotolia.com
