How to Be a World Class Soccer Coach
Soccer coaches that are considered "world-class" often coach high-ranking professional men's or women's teams. Along with their ability to lead a team to victory, soccer coaches earn the distinction of being "world class" by mentoring players in a way that helps them to succeed. People often have to acquire knowledge and develop a style that sets them apart from others before receiving recognition as being top coaches.
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Things You'll Need
- Clipboard
- Pencils and paper
- Game strategies
- Soccer uniforms
- License
- Soccer balls
- Orange cones
- Instructional videos
- Soccer books
Instructions
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Becoming a Top Soccer Coach
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Play soccer yourself to learn the rules and strategies of soccer. Playing soccer can help you to learn about how different players learn and practice the game, and also allow you to better understand what strategies and coaching techniques are successful. This knowledge will help you develop your own coaching methodology.
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Serve as the head or assistant coach of a local youth soccer team. If you start out as an assistant coach, learn about coaching from head coaches under which you serve. You have a better chance of becoming successful as a youth soccer coach, and moving up to a higher-ranking team, if you are able to help players to grow as individuals, deal with injuries in a knowledgeable manner and continually improve your practice drills and game strategies.
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Take coaching positions at higher levels, on high school, college or national soccer teams, after you have become established as a successful coach. Work your way up from coaching a small local youth team to working with more skilled players by finding ways to stand out in your every league and gain contacts at high schools or colleges or in national or international soccer leagues. Continually work to improve the teams you coach and help players move on to higher levels. Winning local, regional, state or national titles as well as personal awards can also help you gain a good reputation.
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Work your way up to being the coach of a professional soccer team, in the United States or another country, to have the best chance of being recognized as one of the top soccer coaches in the world. Draw on the knowledge that you have gained through working with lower level teams to find strategies to win at the professional level. Draw from the experience of coaches and players around you to find ways to improve your team and win.
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Tips & Warnings
To become a soccer coach in different countries throughout the world, including the United States, you need to earn certain certifications or licenses. The National Soccer Coaches of Association of America has regional and state licensing programs, and the United States Youth Soccer Association's licensing program has different certifications for coaches teaching at contrasting division levels. A national program offers certifications for people who want to teach children at different levels.
Watch instructional videos, read books on soccer, take classes and clinics and talk to other coaches to learn more complex soccer techniques and strategies.
Becoming one of the top soccer coaches in the world is a difficult task, one that takes years. Usually soccer coaches do not get the distinction of being "world-class" until they have had a long career and have won a number of different titles and awards.
To teach at a middle school, high school or college, you may have to work as both a coach and a teacher. You will likely have to get a teaching degree or a degree in a specific subject to have a better chance of landing a coaching job at a school.
References
- Surefire Soccer; Becoming a Great Soccer Coach; Doug Pillsbury
- Bleacher Report; Master Tacticians: World Soccer Top 8 Coaches of the Last Decade; Kiran White
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Athletes, Coaches, Umpires and Related Workers
- Coach's Manual; Certification and Licensing for Soccer Coaches; David Graham
- Minnesota Youth Soccer League: How to Become a Coach
- Alabama High School Soccer Coaches Association: Philosophy and Psychology of Coaching Soccer
Resources
- Photo Credit soccer dribbling image by Sirena Designs from Fotolia.com
