What is good coaching?

[Anonymous]

Specifically, for the U-12 - U-14 ages. Although I’m happy to see what that would be for other ages. Assume player is a top player in one of the area’s top teams.

[Anonymous]

This should be good…

[Anonymous]

There are very few coaches in this world. Even the “best” coaches are slightly psychotic.

Instead of asking for a “good coach” teach your kids how to deal with a psycho coach because that’s what they’re probably gonna get for the rest of their lives if they’re gonna play top level sports.

And then, eventually they’ll get a psycho boss and I’ll know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Someone with a big yet fragile ego? Just spitballing

[Anonymous]

At U12 DC1 had a top team coach who was focused a lot on competition, technical skills, conditioning and strategy. Little down time, little emphasis on teamwork. Some players sat on the bench the whole season.

At U12 DC2 had a coach really focused on development of core technical skills and softer skills like sportsmanship and was just a really nice coach and a good person to be around with. Everyone played although some much more than others but no one sat out whole games.

Which one is "good"? I think you'd get a lot of different answers from different people.

[Anonymous]

Yes it is a matter of what you want. There are very few "good" coaches IMO- and IMO those are the coaches who are patient, develop the person, not just the player, and winning is not their sole focus.

This landscape is full of psychos who just want to win, willing to bench a 10 year old for a whole game if they make one mistake. This coach may win more games but does that make them a good coach?

[Anonymous]

Someone who would be honest about your kid and communicate what they need to work on effectively to both players and parents and aren't afraid to tell crazy parents to take a seat and shut up.

[Anonymous]

For me it was as simple as finding the right coach who believed in my DD

[Anonymous]

Good coaching is finding the coach that believes in your player and who won’t be afraid to be open and honest with communication to them.

[Anonymous]

A good coach is someone who inspires your DC to love the game and to want to become the best player and teammate they can be. It's also someone who understands the immense impact (both from as positive and negative perspective) that a coach can have on a young athlete. It's someone who's honest yet firm, believes in your player and communicates respectfully on and off the field.

I'm often reminded of that NCAA commercial that touts the number of student athletes who play sports in college yet such a tiny percentage who go on to play their chosen sport professionally. That is, of course, very true. There is life after your soccer career comes to an end, whenever that is. The lessons/habits that a good coach can help teach or reinforce in their players will carry on in those people far after they hang up their cleats for the last time.

In my 12 years as a soccer parent, I've seen more bad coaches than good. I realize that everyone's experience in that respect will be different but from where I sit, if you find a "good" coach, you should definitely consider yourself fortunate because there are plenty of people "coaching" youth soccer that don't have any business doing so, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I think what a player needs at each stage is their soccer development is going to be different. Kids develop at different paces and have different abilities.

A good coach is not only someone who believes in your child’s abilities and pushes them out of their comfort zone.

For top players, a good coach is someone who can provide constructive/effective criticism and feedback while pushing the player to their physical and mental limits, without breaking them. It seems most ppl think SYC coaches go overboard but I don’t think I’ve seen a coach of top players who didn’t push their players as hard. SYC maybe just do it so openly at games.

[Anonymous]

a good coach doesn't listen to the parents, doesn't take their calls and has the kids relaxed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:a good coach doesn't listen to the parents, doesn't take their calls and has the kids relaxed.

+100

[Anonymous]

A good coach won’t have all the subs quit. Subs quitting is a sign of a bad environment where players think they will never get to start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good coach won’t have all the subs quit. Subs quitting is a sign of a bad environment where players think they will never get to start.

And where starters become entitled.