strategies for coaching a rec team with a massive skill differential between the top and bottom half
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Anonymous
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I coach a team of 11-year-old girls that consists of 5 excellent players, all of whom have some travel experience; 5 players who are mediocre, and 5 players who have almost no skill at all.
The bottom players need to be taught basic skills. Is it acceptable to single these players out on coach them separately, while the other players work on more advanced skills? I hesitate to do this because I don't want the bottom-five to feel embarrassed, but it seems like the best way to accelerate their progress. Curious for your thoughts. As a coach, how would you approach this situation? |
Anonymous
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Coached challenge/rec soccer for a bit. I'd have the assistant pull specific groups to the side and have them focus on specific weaknesses for a small portion of the practice while the bigger collective is doing a larger activity.
The goal isn't to isolate, but to spread the knowledge. I'd mix between pulling advanced kids to work on something particular, and the less developed kids who needed basics. I'd explain it to the kids upfront that I'd have the assistant pulling a group to work on specific skills randomly throughout practice, and then they'd rejoin later. Parents figured it out quickly, and everyone learned something or gained a new skill. The hardest part is ensuring you spread the minutes between all the players, so no parents felt like their kid was left out of small group instruction (write down who you're pulling and timebox the small group). This assumes you have an assistant who is hands on as well. |
Anonymous
| Also ask the club for help - they probably have skilled coaches on staff that can give you the support you need |
Anonymous
| All players need basic skill work. Mix the groups, it will take some time, but some of the weaker players will start to rapidly improve! Keep it fun. |
Anonymous
I coach a different sport but I think it's a mix of group training/stations. Sometimes mix them and sometimes isolate the skills gaps. That way you get the best of both worlds -- kids with lesser skills watching and learning from their peers but also time together with their abilities so that drills can be focused to their needs. The problem with rec is you're practicing, what, once a week? So maybe have a practice plan that alternates like above. |
Anonymous
| If you're allowed to do extra "clinics" outside practice, try that for the lesser skilled players. Or encourage them specifically to attend any skills clinics run by your league. |
Anonymous
| Focus only on skill development. Do not focus on winning games. |
Anonymous
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I coached many years of rec, and had all sorts of players, including kids that went on to play ECNL. Caveat that I never coached past U8.
How athletic are the non-former-travel players? How aggressive are the former-travel players? Do you know why they are no longer playing travel? First priority is always for the kids to have fun. Second is to improve, third is to win. One key for me was to play lots of “games”, but not to scrimmage much at practice. Scrimmages always lead to the kids focusing on winning, which invariably leads to the ball on the feet of the best players. Instead, everything was competitive (in small teams and keeping score), was a mixed of skilled and less skilled players, and the least skilled players were cycled out one at a time to work with a coach on fundamentals. We never pulled the best players into the one-on-one sessions with a coach, and no one ever complained. It was obvious to everyone what we were doing, and I think everyone appreciated it, including the families of the less-skilled players. They all improved quickly, at least to the point where they could trap and pass the ball proficiently. The last key is equal game time, and not just letting your best players play hero ball. Do that, and everyone will respect you. |
Anonymous
| It's REC. Who cares? You are a parent volunteer coming here to ask advice? |
Anonymous
| Start the 5 good ones on the bench. They should still be able to win, but coming from behind gives them a challenge |
Anonymous
The kids care. Both the strong ones and the not so strong. |
Anonymous
| work on the same topic with everyone but divide them into skill level groups. Each group works on the same skill but scaled to their ability. |
Anonymous
But it's rec?! I mean on a certain level? You can't care too much beyond playing because it's fun. DD figured that out at age 8. She played Rec with friends and Travel because she wanted to actually learn how to play to not lose. I'm not suggesting Travel is the end all and be all but practically speaking, Rec is truly about playing for fun. Most kids k ok n Rec enjoy not having the pressure of winning. To win requires actual skill development. People always say winning shouldn't be everything and I agree but there's such a thing as effort and training makes you better. You can't have your cake and eat it too in life! It's why I always said even if I don't care for a particular athlete I respect them putting in the development to be at a certain level. It's not just that easy to want to win and win. |
Anonymous
Assuming the bolded is intended to say rec players enjoy not having the pressure of winning, disagree. Rec kids want to win just as much as the travel snowflakes. |
Anonymous
At rec level, they just need to know the rules of the game and be able to kick the ball. If they care, they would not be playing rec and being coached by a volunteer parent who has no coaching background.
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