Hi Coaches,

Something that is important to me that I want to pass along to you are ideas for improving the manner in which you prepare your players for the session.  The old way in which players used to warm up involved running laps around fields or grouping players into a circle and performing static stretching.  This is no longer the preferred method to prepare players for training.  The best way to prepare players, both mentally and physically is something called dynamic technical warm ups (DTW).  A good DTW incorporated stretching and warming up of muscles, while also providing players with touches on the the soccer ball to better prepare players for your training sessions.  These warm ups should only last 10-15 minutes maximum, while also providing players opportunities to get 100+ touches on the soccer ball.

For younger players, I would almost exclusively use a rectangular or square grid, with each player having the ball at their feet.  Have each player start dribbling the ball, with commands from the coach dictating the movements and warm up stretches for the players.  I want young players to "kill the ball" upon my whistle, which is basically them stopping the ball by placing their foot on the ball.  After they do this a few times, I build on what I want them to do, always having them "kill the ball" first. Use any of the following, varying between sessions.  Below are some examples, but be creative.

• Have players run 2 circles around the ball
• Have players pick up the ball, hold it out horizontally with their arms, then pull their thighs up to the ball
• Have them pick the ball up, hold it out horizontally with their arms, then kick their feet so their laces touch the ball.
• Have them pick up the ball, hold it behind them, and have them kick up their feet to the ball.
• Perform 6 stepover moves on the ball on the ground
• Have them perform 6 scissor moves on the ball on the ground
• Have them touch each knee, separately to the ball
• Have them touch their bottom to the ball
• Have them touch their head to the ball

Once you get the players to do some dynamic stretching activities, focus a few minutes on the topic you plan to teach that day.

• If dribbling is the topic, incorporate dribbling moves or turns
• If passing is the topic, get players passing between them with specific parts of the feet

Please make an effort to learn and incorporate dynamic technical warm ups into your training sessions.  If you are out of ideas or want some, please let me know.  When I get out to watch sessions, there are very few coaches utilizing these types of warm ups, so I want to do what I can to educate you on better methods to prepare players for training.

Thanks for all that you do.

Bryan Farnsworth
Director of Recreation

Hi Coaches,

Information that I want to pass along to our entire community of recreation coaches. 

How to manage a one-sided game


In youth soccer leagues, one of the key ingredients to good player experience is to ensure competitive games with balanced teams. However, despite efforts to create equality between teams, there are occasions when one team is much stronger than the other. This presents a problem for both teams; the weaker team has morale issues in the face of a negative goal margin, while the stronger team does not really gain from playing a one-sided game.
 
One of the more difficult challenges for a volunteer parent-coach is when he finds himself in this situation managing a soccer game. If you are coaching the losing team, there are a limited number of things you can do. A defensive alignment may reduce the final margin, but it will not change the reality. Keeping your strongest players on the field at the expense of the weaker players is not fair either. In the end, the only real relief will depend on the actions of the winning team's coach.

If you happen to be that soccer coach, you are not in an easy situation. In fact, many coaches will confess that being the winning coach in a one-sided game is far more awkward than being the losing coach. At least, as the winning coach, you have a chance to do something about it. But how does a coach tell his players not to score anymore, especially when that's the whole point of the game?

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to ensure that the score remains reasonable and the other team is not humiliated. You should avoid "running up the score" and instead should seek new challenges for your own team within the context of the game. When a game score margin reaches five goals (5-0, 6-1, 7-2, etc.), the winning team should take immediate measures to limit additional goals without embarrassing the opposing team. 



Try some of the following tips:

• Switch players into unfamiliar positions (defenders into attack and vice-versa)
• Provide more playing time to players who pose less of a scoring threat (while still allowing all players to play at least one half)
• Require multiple passes before a goal can be scored (for example, three or more consecutive passes must be completed before a shot can be attempted)
• When you win the ball, ensure that you play the ball back into your defensive half before going to goal
• Allow players to shoot only from outside the penalty area
• Allow players to shoot only on a volley or with a headball (suitable for older teams)
• Allow players to only score off of a pass (1 touch finishing)

 Thank you for all you do and please make an effort to keep these ideas in mind during your games.

Bryan Farnsworth

Hello Coaches,

 I hope everyone had a good weekend of soccer as I had the opportunity to be out on the fields and observe several games on Saturday.  On Friday afternoon I send out a communication to the U7 & U8 coaches, which I am sure was late notice, so I plan to provide additional details within this message.

With the overall goal to improve the experience for the players, there are a couple of game rule changes that I would like to implement.  Again, these rules changes need to be implemented on the field by the head coaches, as you are the leaders on the field.

1.       Once a team gets ahead by a 6 goal lead, one of the attacking goals for this team needs to be removed.  This ensures that the leading attacking team now will have only one goal to attack.  Once the team that is behind in score gets to within 4, this removed goal can then be added back into the field of play.

a.       Essentially think of this as a 6/4 goal rule.  Once a team is up by 6 goals, one of their attacking goals is removed and can only be added once the score is within 4.

2.       Goal Kicks:  a change to goal kicks must occur such that the defending team must be 16 yards (2 boxes) away from the ball, not 8 yards (1 box).  The team that is taking the goal kick can have players within this space.

a.       This encourages teams to be able to pass to a team mate and have a little more time to play.

I am going to be communicating these changes weekly through the Fall season as reminders, with plans to make these rules "official" starting in the Spring.  Be sure that you communicate with the other coach prior to the start of the match, so that you are both on the same page.

Thanks,

Bryan Farnsworth

Director of Recreation