The Art of Coaching on Game Day: What to Say, When to Say It
For games, having a plan is again the best recommendation. Plan out lineups, when to make substitutions, who will substitute for whom, etc. This will help guarantee players all get good playing time in every game. As far as coaching during the game, try to keep coaching points to what was worked on in practice.
Allow players the opportunity to play the game without instruction. As they need instruction or reminders, then speak up to help the player or team. Yelling the full duration of the game to dictate all players’ actions only hinders the players’ experience. Allowing them the freedom to play without being told what to do will provide them with the best experience possible.
At halftime of the game, try to come up with 1 or 2 things you want to see improvement on for the second half. If a coach tries to address five different things at halftime, players will not remember any of them. If a player can focus on 1 or 2 simple tasks, they are much more likely to put coaching into action during the second half.
When the game ends, keep the post-game talk brief. Similar to the halftime talk, address 1-2 things from the game. Players have played the game, and a play-by-play from the game will not be beneficial.
Lastly, at the end of the game, each player should be able to walk away with something positive from the game. Most often, it is the role of the coach to put the game in a positive light so players leave the field already excited for the next time they get to step back on it.
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Youth Soccer Development: Tailoring Your Coaching to Every Age Group
- U6-U8: At this age level, players have games playing 4v4 (4 field players and no goalies). This may change from area to area, but the US Soccer recommendation is to play 4v4. The emphasis of this age group is individual development. Exercises should have a 1:1 player and ball ratio as much as possible. Build their confidence as young soccer players with the ball at their feet.
- U9-10: For U9-10, players will play games 7v7 (6 field players and 1 goalie). At this age range the emphasis on individual development is still high. Players will work on their technical abilities with a ball often. Now the introduction of teammates and passing the ball to those teammates becomes more important. In this age group, players begin to learn positions. Players should play multiple positions to best learn the game.
- U11-12: In continuation of player growth and development, U11-U12 teams play games 9v9 (8 field players and 1 goalie). At this age group, players’ understanding of positions and how to work together is the focus. Players still need technical development of their skills, but more emphasis is put on technical skills like passing and working as a team. Players should still be playing multiple positions to learn the game best.
- U13+: This is the start of 11v11 soccer (10 field players and 1 goalie). At this stage of development, there is now a blend of working on all facets of the game: Individual technical development skills such as dribbling and passing, team development working on positions, and learning how to play as a team. Players may now begin to play more consistently at 1 position. However, if players want to rotate positions, that is undoubtedly still fine.
The Game Summary
Speaking from my experience, I played soccer at various levels, from grassroots soccer to collegiate, and have been a coach since my playing days ended. I do not remember the scores of all the games I played in. I do not remember all of the exercises my coaches did.
What I remember most is how my coach made me feel. If you know you can create a positive and enjoyable environment for young athletes, then you can and will be a great coach!
