It’s not new for you to when I say, practice makes a man perfect. It is all the more true for soccer practice sessions. Every day kids get to the field hoping to do something new and exciting. Yet, it is extremely important in soccer training that they keep practicing old techniques that you teach them regularly.
Here’s your test to ensure that kids are not bogged down by the sameness of the drills that they are made to do on a daily basis. To aid you in carrying out practice sessions in a way that’s motivating, regular, and closely controlled; following are some tips.
1. Does this need more emphasis? Kids will learn from you and hence you should be a role model. Get to the filed on time, expose them to your talent, let everyone take part in drills, and arrange the sessions properly. This way you can get the player’s attention, their respect and trust.
2. Educate the kids to carry their personal ball to the field daily. It’s compulsory for each kid to have a soccer ball. Keep some extra balls handy in case any of the kids fails to get his.
3. There are certain soccer moves that need to be practiced on a daily basis. Kicking, dribbling, passing, and throw-ins are vital elements of soccer practice. The kids are required to practice these repeatedly. Ensure that everyone participates in it even though some may show lack of enthusiasm initially.
4. When compared with soccer drills, include games more in practice sessions. The major reason is that games call for a lot more strength and judgment when compared with drills. And it is easy to keep the focus on soccer as also to test new things with games.
5. Order is very important to be successful for a team. With children, it is common to make mistakes. It is mandatory to correct all instances of indiscipline irrespective of their scale. But do it prudently and with the fact in mind that kids need special counseling.
6. Amidst the action, you will observe that some players do not take active part in the game. Make sure that this is not the case. All the young players should involve themselves in the game. Teach the players about which positions they should hold and how they can make the best use of those positions.
7. Do not encourage a lot of scrimmage. Ideally, it should not be more than 15 to 20 minutes at the end of each session. And a goalie is not required in scrimmaging. This will ensure that kids become good at defense.
8. Keep researching about the new games and drills. That is the best way to keep the interest of the kids alive in the training sessions.
Now, take these tips to your soccer practice sessions. These will raise the ability and skills of your players within a short span of few weeks. There is a mass of such youth soccer resources in our youth soccer coaching community. Join it today and you will see your team rise high soon enough.
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.