Any soccer coaches in here?

[lewiville]

Always looking to get new practice idea's.

[dmontzsta]

I only coached one year 8-2-1 record, those 2 losses were the first 2 games they played and I was not coaching at the time. I have never played soccer in my life, didnt know crap about it either. I coached this team (my sons team) about 8 months ago and since then I have joined a pick up league and play Thursdays and Sundays. My best advice is to buy the book "Youth Soccer Drills" there is ALOT of different things in there, this is how I am learning. :)

[lewiville]

I only coached one year 8-2-1 record, those 2 losses were the first 2 games they played and I was not coaching at the time. I have never played soccer in my life, didnt know crap about it either. I coached this team (my sons team) about 8 months ago and since then I have joined a pick up league and play Thursdays and Sundays. My best advice is to buy the book "Youth Soccer Drills" there is ALOT of different things in there, this is how I am learning. :)
thanks,
i will have to go get it.

[Ziggy]

Pixilated(Geza) does a lot of coaching and probably would have good tips for you.
Basic ball handling/control is where I'd start so you can evaluate players.
Have fun with it....I'm sorta helping out another coach for my daughters team if worktiming allows it...
.
Whatever you do just try to make it fun for the kids so they stay involved.

[Partycattin]

Always looking to get new practice idea's.
There are a lot of drills on the web and they vary by age group.
I have been coaching or helping with my daughters team for 6 seasons now. Lot's of fun, even if you don't know much about soccer. She is in the Under 8 division where it's not all that competitive and we focus a lot on basic stuff like correct throw ins and stuff. Probably start teaching more about "off sides" this season.
Some of the basic things I've learned is to get all the kids involved. The more touches they have on the ball, the better.
If you line up all the members of the team and have them do a drill one at a time, they get distracted and bored. Split them up into 2-3 groups so they are more involved. Have another parent lead one of the other groups.
We usually do a lot of running during practice. I have them jog and dribble the balls. They get exercise and learn ball control. It seems that if you work them pretty hard in practice, they don't tend to get tired by half time during the game.
Most of all.....Have fun!

[lucky]

yea - i did the deed for a year - 8/9 yo girls - - told them to kick the ball like they would their brothers asses -- - didn't work as effectivly as i would have thought :)

[Boomhowers]

I just started Coaching this year... AYSO U8 Girls. I went on the web and found many drills and games.. Here is the master list of drills lots of good info on this site too...
http://www.decatursports.com/drills/MattsPlans.htm
I have an Excelent Assistant Coach and we have pretty much went away from Games and got them into Shooting on goal lots of 2v2 action and some 3v4 to help them pass the ball.. I like doing it just wished that AYSO was more organized than they are... but I guess it could just be that I am not used to the way they do things yet.. Good luck and have Fun!

[lewiville]

I just started Coaching this year... AYSO U8 Girls. I went on the web and found many drills and games.. Here is the master list of drills lots of good info on this site too...
http://www.decatursports.com/drills/MattsPlans.htm
I have an Excelent Assistant Coach and we have pretty much went away from Games and got them into Shooting on goal lots of 2v2 action and some 3v4 to help them pass the ball.. I like doing it just wished that AYSO was more organized than they are... but I guess it could just be that I am not used to the way they do things yet.. Good luck and have Fun!
I am in my 8th year of coaching. I always learn new stuff from other coaches. The biggest part for me coaching is to see the kids come back next year. At that point I know I have done a good job. This season has just started and we had our first game this last weekend and I had four of my players from this last spring team come up to me and say hi and show me that they are playing this year. Now thats cool :rollside:

[Boomhowers]

Yeah I bet that is pretty cool.. I will see how it goes this year looks like I may be in this for a long time my daughter loves soccer..

[core attitude]

Hey Commissioner, what happened to our U18 Friendship Tournament???????? Oooops, sorry wrong divison....... :boxed: I'm sure glad they finally posted our schedule.......several of my kids have jobs and can't take the whole day off and the parents were starting to get restless also trying to plan around their schedules. It's hard enough getting the parents to stick around at this age....let's not give them any more reason to bail.
I have to say, U18 sure is interesting.....we have first year thru varsity MVHS and everything in between all on one team. All in all we have a great group of girls so it should be a fun season. Good luck out there.

[NoCal NoBoat]

Lewiville -
I did AYSO for 10 seasons with my daughter, U10 through U16/19.
I had no previous experience, but I was a very good (positive, instructional, encouraging) AYSO coach.
Players of all ages love to scrimmage/free play. I would always begin my practice and end my practice with free play. Depending on the number of players, make the squads small (i.e. 4v4, 5v5, 6v6) and make the playing field smaller. Make the goal area for the playing field, play side to side, and use cones at each end for goals. Let each player get as many touches on the ball as possible.
Practice penalty kicks. Emphasize good technique on the instep drive kick.
Someday, you'll be playing tournaments, and you will end up in a shootout.
Your girls will be a little more confident from doing it in practice, your goalkeepers will be less anxious about it, and you'll know which 5 girls you want to shoot first.
Practice corner kicks. You'll find out who can put the ball into the penalty area - some are better from the right side, some from the left side. You'll also find the players that you want inside the penalty area - the ones that can elevate and want the ball.
Have fun out there !

[lewiville]

Hey Commissioner, what happened to our U18 Friendship Tournament???????? Oooops, sorry wrong divison....... :boxed: I'm sure glad they finally posted our schedule.......several of my kids have jobs and can't take the whole day off and the parents were starting to get restless also trying to plan around their schedules. It's hard enough getting the parents to stick around at this age....let's not give them any more reason to bail.
I have to say, U18 sure is interesting.....we have first year thru varsity MVHS and everything in between all on one team. All in all we have a great group of girls so it should be a fun season. Good luck out there.
Core,
Do I know you?
This league is built with some of the best directors there is. They work on this orgonization long and hard to make things smooth ( except the u18 LOL ). U18 should be able to make things happen on there owne anyways, damn teenagers.
My kids have played here for 4 seasons and are lovin it.
We try to get everything perfect for the parents and kids and I know that u18 was kind of up in the air. I hope we got things straightened out for you thou.

[pixilatedpussy]

Always looking to get new practice idea's.
My husband has coached for over 12 years...go to Cal South Training website & you should get many ideas! :p

[core attitude]

Core,Do I know you?
Only through PMs......check them and it will refresh your memory.
This league is built with some of the best directors there is. They work on this orgonization long and hard to make things smooth ( except the u18 LOL ). U18 should be able to make things happen on there owne anyways, damn teenagers.
I have no complaints what so ever with the league. I realize how difficult it is and little is put back in by players, parents and community. Someone is always going to bitch about something, that's just the way it is. This season though, they were almost given a legitimate reason. I know for myself, the lack of a timely schedule kept me from attending a 12 week weekend class I really wanted to take so I can feel the parents pain. In the long run, when the season is over.......most won't even remember the glitchs in the first few weeks.
My kids have played here for 4 seasons and are lovin it.
We try to get everything perfect for the parents and kids and I know that u18 was kind of up in the air. I hope we got things straightened out for you thou.
We are going on our 7th (?) season, if we weren't happy we would have AYSO'd along time ago. We've made some great friend, had some great times, and will be MYSL until the end......to much time invested to turn back now.
Now if we can just get those lights to come on so we aren't finishing pratice in the dark. :)

[pixrthis]

Cal South has a great classes, check out there website for info.

[Party Cat]

Anyone make it to the Section 11 Playoffs in Downey Feb 17th-18th ??

[rmarion]

take the AYSO coaching clinc's. Very informative.

[jrgaudettes]

My son play's for U13 Arsenal here in Alta Loma, CA. He has been to ODP (Olympic Development Program), Volgelsinger, Soccer Academy, Cal Poly, UC Riverside Camp's. Some over night some daily. All the drills are pretty much the same.
Depending on the kid's age is how technical you want to get. Good ball skills, shooting and possession drills seem to be the main focus in most practices I have watched. My sons coach is the head men's coach at UC Riverside (JR Gonzales) and my son's trainer is JR's assistant at UCR. They both coach for Arsenal and have improved my kid's level of play. I think it ultimately is how much the kids work with a ball and practice.
As far as individual training. My son has worked with speed ladders, parachutes, step over’s, working with the ball at his feet. As far as position drills he has worked on checking away and to the ball. Showing for the ball, making diagonal run's to the goal, switching the field of play and good ole fashioned conditioning.....
My second point is, I did not know squat about soccer until my son started playing and I still don't, just sharing my experience. I grew up playing hockey in NH. LOL:D

[yopengo]

Anyone make it to the Section 11 Playoffs in Downey Feb 17th-18th ??
I love to coach, ref and am on the AYSO board. My oldest started with AYSO at age 5 and plays U19 now. She also played Club for a few seasons. My youngest plays GU8. Our Regions boys BU10 took the area 11L championship.
Like others have stated the upper divisions (older 16-19) suck. The Area and not the Regions usually control them.
Both Cal South and AYSO have great training tips.
Pengo

[Party Cat]

Our Regions boys BU10 took the area 11L championship.
I'll be there with my daughters Region 54 GU10 team...we took Area 11E over the weekend...we also have our GU14 team going too... :)

[pixilatedpussy]

Anyone else? Bu11
~We just took 2nd in the UCI Winter Classic this weekend.:D

[jrgaudettes]

Anyone in the Cal Cup tournment in San Bernardino Feb 3,4,10,11?

[scooooter7]

Lots of drills, lots of drills, lots of drills...
Good one I know is line up 2 players side by side. Toss the ball and have them sprint to it. First one there is offense and the other defense. Try to bring the ball back to the starting point and shoot to score or get off a good pass. A lot of soccer is played one on one.