In any neighborhood in the United States it's not uncommon to see soccer goals in the backyard or a group of kids kicking a ball around. There is a reason for this. Kids like playing soccer. Each year more and more kids are introduced to the game in organized leagues. If more and more kids are playing, where are the coaches coming from? In many cases the coaches are parents who have been asked to coach by the organization that their child is playing for. Many parents who never played soccer now find themselves coaching. One of the biggest questions for the parent in coaching kids soccer is "what are they ready for"?
Kids as a rule love to play soccer. Everyone on the field is involved in playing the game. When kids play a baseball game, chances are that the player in right field never gets a ball hit to him. In soccer, there is no right field everyone on the field is involved in the match. Soccer is a game that involves running, is fast and provides opportunities for every level of player.
The parent coach has been in existence for many years in youth soccer. The necessity of utilizing parents who may never have played soccer as coaches has led to the publishing of a plethora of coaching manuals. Some are excellent some are mediocre. The United States Soccer Federation has published one of the best manuals for the parent coach. The fundamentals of the game are explained. Drills and exercises for any age group are provided. Players are usually divided into two year age groups. Youth leagues are generally arranged in Under 6,8,10 and 12 year old age groups. Most leagues play girls and boys in the same league when they are younger.
U-6 players need to be taught the basics and nothing but the basics. Their learning curve allows them to be able to kick a ball with their foot, somewhat control the ball when it comes to them and kick the ball and run after it when they get it. U-6 players have as a general rule the mental thought of "it's my ball and I'm going to play with it". Asking a U-6 player to pass the ball is like asking a penguin to fly. U-6 matches are as a general rule, organized chaos. Most of the players on the field will be in a group, chasing after the ball. The term bunch ball comes to mind when watching a U-6 match.
U-8 (6 & 7 year old) players are basically advanced U-6's. For the most part the "my ball" concept is still very strong. Many U-8 players in youth leagues have never been exposed to the game and they need to be taught the fundamentals. The fundamentals must be stressed for all U-8 players. Among these fundamentals is that must be taught and practiced is to use both feet while playing. This is fundamental to the game as the players get older and the earlier they are taught the easier it is to learn. Because the "my ball" psychology is still strong, matches may deteriorate into bunch ball games but as the players get older, this will cease.
U-10 players (8 and 9 year olds) are more mentally mature and physically coordinated. This is a natural aspect of growth. The U-10's are ready for more challenging practices and more advanced ball control techniques. When the matches are played the maturity of the U-10 player surfaces. Players actually develop the concept of playing in a position and balls are passed, sometimes successfully to a teammate. The more mature psychology and physiology allow matches to actually resemble a "real" soccer match.
At the U-12 level, tactics of play can be introduced to the players. The players are now old enough to comprehend the actual tactics and utilize them during the match. More complex ball skills should continue to be introduced in practice and these skills will be developed adequately enough to be utilized during a match. Players at this age enjoy being provided with set plays for use during the match. These set plays are generally utilized during restarts in the match. The tactical play of these athletes expands and provides an enjoyable experience for both the players and the parents in the stand.
The skills involved in playing soccer are functionally simple. The players need to learn how to both pass and shoot the ball along with controlling the ball when it comes to them. The parent/coach can provide the exercises to hone these skills through the use of coaching manuals and opportunities to attend clinics that are put on by the local club or association. This learning by the parent/coach provides new learning opportunities for the player when the parent is coaching kids soccer.
Kids as a rule love to play soccer. Everyone on the field is involved in playing the game. When kids play a baseball game, chances are that the player in right field never gets a ball hit to him. In soccer, there is no right field everyone on the field is involved in the match. Soccer is a game that involves running, is fast and provides opportunities for every level of player.
The parent coach has been in existence for many years in youth soccer. The necessity of utilizing parents who may never have played soccer as coaches has led to the publishing of a plethora of coaching manuals. Some are excellent some are mediocre. The United States Soccer Federation has published one of the best manuals for the parent coach. The fundamentals of the game are explained. Drills and exercises for any age group are provided. Players are usually divided into two year age groups. Youth leagues are generally arranged in Under 6,8,10 and 12 year old age groups. Most leagues play girls and boys in the same league when they are younger.
U-6 players need to be taught the basics and nothing but the basics. Their learning curve allows them to be able to kick a ball with their foot, somewhat control the ball when it comes to them and kick the ball and run after it when they get it. U-6 players have as a general rule the mental thought of "it's my ball and I'm going to play with it". Asking a U-6 player to pass the ball is like asking a penguin to fly. U-6 matches are as a general rule, organized chaos. Most of the players on the field will be in a group, chasing after the ball. The term bunch ball comes to mind when watching a U-6 match.
U-8 (6 & 7 year old) players are basically advanced U-6's. For the most part the "my ball" concept is still very strong. Many U-8 players in youth leagues have never been exposed to the game and they need to be taught the fundamentals. The fundamentals must be stressed for all U-8 players. Among these fundamentals is that must be taught and practiced is to use both feet while playing. This is fundamental to the game as the players get older and the earlier they are taught the easier it is to learn. Because the "my ball" psychology is still strong, matches may deteriorate into bunch ball games but as the players get older, this will cease.
U-10 players (8 and 9 year olds) are more mentally mature and physically coordinated. This is a natural aspect of growth. The U-10's are ready for more challenging practices and more advanced ball control techniques. When the matches are played the maturity of the U-10 player surfaces. Players actually develop the concept of playing in a position and balls are passed, sometimes successfully to a teammate. The more mature psychology and physiology allow matches to actually resemble a "real" soccer match.
At the U-12 level, tactics of play can be introduced to the players. The players are now old enough to comprehend the actual tactics and utilize them during the match. More complex ball skills should continue to be introduced in practice and these skills will be developed adequately enough to be utilized during a match. Players at this age enjoy being provided with set plays for use during the match. These set plays are generally utilized during restarts in the match. The tactical play of these athletes expands and provides an enjoyable experience for both the players and the parents in the stand.
The skills involved in playing soccer are functionally simple. The players need to learn how to both pass and shoot the ball along with controlling the ball when it comes to them. The parent/coach can provide the exercises to hone these skills through the use of coaching manuals and opportunities to attend clinics that are put on by the local club or association. This learning by the parent/coach provides new learning opportunities for the player when the parent is coaching kids soccer.
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