Developing young talent can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. Ensuring you inspire your players is something that requires hard work and dedication and doesn’t happen by accident. These Top Tips can help give you focus when preparing a soccer team this season.
1. Set Goals for your team.
Is it to improve performance? Or work better as a team? Whatever your goal is as a collective can help galvanise your players and create a sense of duty to help the team reach their goals.
2. Motivate your team.
The job of a coach is to motivate their players. Instil confidence in them that can help them achieve their goals. Rewarding effort and trying hard instead of only praising goal scorers should motivate your team and help them to understand that everyone having a different set of skills on the pitch is what creates a winning side.
3. Impart your knowledge.
Become a fountain of knowledge on how to play the game. Learn your tactics and the drills that are suited to the ability and age of the players you are coaching. For young children, it should all be about getting time on the ball so they can develop the basic skills they need to get comfortable on the ball. Then as children develop attributes and skills it may become appropriate to adopt positions.
4. Develop their skills.
Touch, Control and Passing are the pillars of good skills. Your practice sessions should focus on the basics and developing those first. Once players can do the basics well without thinking about it, it becomes easier for players to think about other aspects such as tactics and positioning.
5. Keep Training Fun.
The more children enjoy playing and develop an enthusiasm for a sport the more they will improve without even realising.
Bonus Tip.
Listen to a Premier League Academy Director. Stephen has worked with Flick for over 10 years and strongly endorses the full range as excellent products to be used in any Academy or club setting.
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