Coaches who damage player’s
development due to inexperience and nearsighted coaching
<Administrators! Post this article to keep the outlaw coaches away from your club>
I have noticed a recent trend on
numerous youth soccer online posts. Parents of young soccer
players with some background soccer experience are extremely hesitant to
register their young soccer player on a recreational team. The hesitation
is due in large part to doubts in the quality of coaching and bad habits
which will be ingrained in their kids at an early age. Administrators its
time to take action against parents who play the role of coach without prior
knowledge or understanding of the principles of soccer, at the expense of
the other player’s development.
When children begin playing soccer,
there should essentially be no structure. Telling a 6 year old child to
stay on her half and “boot” the ball forward is criminal. Restrictions such
as these limit
young players and leave lasting effects can stunt the player’s development.
The ultimate goal should be developing a love for the sport. If a child
enjoys the game they will play more often and with proper basic training
develop a solid base of ability. Just a reminder: a drill with lines is a
waste of time!
A coach who places emphasis on
tactics and winning too early will do nothing but develop a team full of
role-players lacking the ability to place their individual flare on the
game. A youth surrounded with too much structure also runs the risk of
losing a passion for the game, as practice will more
likely resemble work then play causing player burnout. By focusing on
individual development, players will develop a self confidence necessary to
become a dynamic exciting player. A player who is both confident and
comfortable with her ability is more willing to take risks and develop
fully.
As players enter their early teen
years, team play, tactics, and structure grow in importance. Movement off
the ball and speed of play should be focal points at every practice assuming
the players have properly developed their individual ability and self
confidence. Small sided games are
an excellent way to improve speed of play, while full-sided games offer the
proper setting to instruct young players on positioning, 3rd man
runs, and combination play. Once players increase their tactical
understanding of play as well as hone their wide variety of individual
skill, positive results on the game field will occur with regularity.
Do not offer special attention to
the players who physically develop early. Playing the ball to the
“big/fast” kid who runs past everyone to score may be beneficial for
meaningless U13 wins, but is
extremely detrimental to all players’ development. The “big/fast” kid will
neglect other attributes and regress in skill and ability. In a couple
years all players will have caught up physically and the player will fade.
Similarly, youth who play “provider” for the young superstar, will fall into
the pitfall of role-player losing self confidence in their ability.
Nearsighted coaching such as this is the worst thing a coach can do for his
or her players.
In the end, the goal is to provide youth who enjoy soccer, and want to improve, the proper process to do so. Initially the most important ingredient is a love for soccer. A player who wants to play and improve should do so without restrictions in order to develop self confidence and an array of skills as a basis for growth. As these players progress into their early teen years, tactics should be introduced, but only as long as these tactics allow for continued skill development. By allowing your players to develop as dynamic players without a focus on wins and loses you are ensuring future success when it counts. Don’t let bad coaching ruin your club member’s experience.
