this is a response to a recent letter from a fan of mine named raquel.
this may get long, but i'll try to keep it concise. i have a pretty simple method of coaching. the game is simple, and usually only needs simple drills to get great results.
basic concepts:
1) maximize each players touches on the ball
2) minimize standing around
3) keep it fun
4) teach proper technique
5) teach techniques bilaterally
6) build sound basic foundation of techniques
create a "theme" for your practice. all drills are related to the theme.
divide the practice into the following sections:
1) warm-up
2) stretch
3) long distance conditioning
4) basic drills
5) medium distance conditioning
6) advanced drills
7) short distance conditioning
8) scrimmage/game related play
9) warm-down
10) stretch
by structuring the practice sessions as above, you will maximize the learning curve for two reasons: a) the players are kept fatigued enough that they will have to concentrate harder on the drills, and spend less time messing around. b) since each drill relates to the theme, the stress on the theme will be supported by the entire practice.
these are notes on the above sections:
1) warm-up. each player with a ball. either do juggling to work on touch and get the blood flowing, or do dribbling inside a grid. dribbling can be done in a 10 yard x ten yard grid, each player dribbling in and out of each other. don't let it turn into everybody dribbling in a big circle in the same direction, make the players weave in and out of each other. i have used these two drills as warm-up for all of my teams for many years at all levels.
2) stretch. static stretches. no bouncing. stretch to the point of a mild discomfort, hold for ten seconds, and relax for ten seconds. do four sets on each part of the body and try to stretch a little further each set. stretch the quads. hamstrings, calves, groins, ankles, trunk, and neck. ask an athletic trainer for specific stretches if you don't know them.
3) long distance conditioning. a long run, or circuit-training that is done at about 50% speed for about 5-10 minutes. this gets the blood flowing, and warms up the muscles nicely. sprints done early in the session can cause unnecessary muscle strains. this run should get the players a little bit tired.
4) basic drills. base these drills on the theme. work both left and right equally. typical themes are: passing, shooting, trapping, heading, etc. i'll give some samples later, but you should buy a good book of soccer drills, and cross out all of the drills that are too complex, or involve long lines of players with only one ball.
5) medium distance conditioning. more running. maybe 75% speed. 100 yard dashes and relays are great.
6) advanced drills. you can do more basic drills here if you want. again, try to make it a natural progression from the earlier drills.
7) short distance conditioning. sprints & shuttle runs. a shuttle run is wear the players start on a line. they run five yards to a parallel line and then back to the starting line, and then to a line ten yards away, and then back to the starting line, and then to a line fifteen yards away, and back, and twenty yards away, and back, and twenty five yards away, and back. rest for about a minute and a half. repeat.
8) scrimmage/game related play. conditional scrimmages are great. make it match the theme. ie. if you are practicing heading, play a game where goals can only be scored with a header. if you are practicing passing, each team must complete 5 passes among themselves without the other team touching it to get a point. etc. make up your own.
9) warm-down. a light jog around the field is good.
10) stretch. again. this time concentrate on anything that may have become sore during the practice session.
basic drills:
1) passing: two players, one ball. pass back and forth. each player has two touches. one to trap the ball, and one to pass it. use left foot, then right foot. progress the drill to one touch. the players must keep the ball moving back and forth using only one touch each. both feet. stress perfect form. good balance. lock the ankle with the toes pointing upwards.
2) passing: keepaway/5 vs. 2: have 5 players form a circle with about five yards between each other. place two players in the middle of the circle. the players on the outside try to pass the ball between each other without the two players in the middle intercepting it. if the player in the middle touches the ball, he/she switches position with the person who last passed the ball.
i could continue, but i've run out of time. my best advice is to buy a good book on soccer drills, available at any bookstore of soccer specialty store, and find out for yourself which drills work best for you. the drills are interchangeable, but try to keep the structure the same. also, if you don't have the training or skill to properly and correctly demonstrate the techniques to the players, i highly recommend getting an assistant that has playing experience. you will be doing the children a gross injustice if you cannot instruct them with the proper techniques. as these players progress, they will have to unlearn any bad habits that they may have accumulated over the early years. if you enjoy the game and want to continue your coaching for many years, you may want to look into a coaching clinic that will be hosted by your local soccer leagues. or call u.s. youth soccer at 800-4-soccer for info on clinics and courses.
in closing. thanks for the letter raquel. keep up the enthusiasm. soccer is a great sport, and it needs energetic people like yourself to continue to instruct our young players.
ciao for now, samster
ps: watch soccer matches on television whenever you can, the best way to learn is to be a student of the sport. also, read the "ask the coach" questions answered by brian quinn on the "intl-soccernet.com" page. he is full of great advice, and is a really great guy as well. good luck!