Anonymous wrote:It's not difficult to be a coach who develops players. Have set practices which include footwork drills, possession and ball handling drills, passing, striking, etc. This should be 50% of the practice then the team breaks into smaller scrimmages. Also, enforce the kids meet goals (example juggling 10 times by X date, then 15 times, then 20 times).

This is simple, yet excellent advice. Coaches that coach travel without much of a plan don't even do this. --And this would help out a lot! Our club puts the novice coaches coming from Rec to coach at the U Little level... then, they don't do much else besides scrimmage the kids. No goal setting, no foot skills ( they don't even know names for half the moves... what is a Mathews?), very little small sided scrimmages... ugh! Tech director no where to be found... once a poor coach is set in on a team, try to keep them accountable by asking lots of questions. CC the tech director.

A good coach makes a world of difference.

Anonymous wrote:Find a good coach. There's nothing that compares to a good coach. Don't focus only on winning but don't ignore it either. You don't want your child to accept losing but you have to lose to get better.

+1

Find a good coach. There's nothing that compares to a good coach. Don't focus only on winning but don't ignore it either. You don't want your child to accept losing but you have to lose to get better.

It's not difficult to be a coach who develops players. Have set practices which include footwork drills, possession and ball handling drills, passing, striking, etc. This should be 50% of the practice then the team breaks into smaller scrimmages. Also, enforce the kids meet goals (example juggling 10 times by X date, then 15 times, then 20 times).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:absolutely for the ulittles. Exclude the kids who could be playing up, and others who shouldn't be on travel at all, and you have a bunch of kids in the 20-90 percent who sink or swim depending on the coaching. Good coaches improve soccer IQ and footskills which will mitigate speed and physicality at this lower level of play.

The odds of getting a coach that would make a difference like this at this age group is probably < 1% unless its a top team at a medium+ size club.

PP here. maybe it would help if i changed sink or swim to "develop and improve or plateau and learn bad habits"? a good coach won't make coal into diamonds, but I've seen them make travel average kids better over a season or two, while another club or teams average kids don't.

Anonymous wrote:absolutely for the ulittles. Exclude the kids who could be playing up, and others who shouldn't be on travel at all, and you have a bunch of kids in the 20-90 percent who sink or swim depending on the coaching. Good coaches improve soccer IQ and footskills which will mitigate speed and physicality at this lower level of play.

The odds of getting a coach that would make a difference like this at this age group is probably < 1% unless its a top team at a medium+ size club.

I saw a fifth grader in travel. It was #1 vs #2 in the league, and was surprised the coach wasn't trying to win. The particular player I came to watch was not playing well, upset over getting hit and not running back, and the coach still put him in for the last 5 minutes at defender with a one goal lead.

absolutely for the ulittles. Exclude the kids who could be playing up, and others who shouldn't be on travel at all, and you have a bunch of kids in the 20-90 percent who sink or swim depending on the coaching. Good coaches improve soccer IQ and footskills which will mitigate speed and physicality at this lower level of play.

Huge impact. Out team was doing great two years ago. We won about half the games and did ok with development. This past year we got a new deadbeat coach. He can't seem to make it to practices or games. Our team has lost every single game because he has not developed them at all this year and he does not coach to win. Majority of the team is breaking up because parents and kids are sick of it.

Coaches can make or break a team. I don't care that they are losing every game but their soccer iq isn't getting better and they are struggling. They aren't getting any better individually or as a team. We are playing teams we used to be very comparable to and can see how far behind the kids have gotten. The part that sucks is they are at an age where they are noticing it too.

Honestly the club matters little in the equation the coach is really the most important part. If you have a coach that is checked out, unmotivated and just there to be a warm body your year will suck.

This!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old is looking to stay with her team next fall, but was curious if anyone can share their experiences with coaching changes. For example, to what extent can a new coach impact how a team performs/turn the team around?

If there was a thread already, my apologies! Just something I've always wondered.

Coaches make or break a team.

Good coaches teach, train, and develop your kids into better soccer players. Bad coaches just stick your kids into games and want to win. Good coaches teach your kids how to be good teammates and refuse to tolerate poor behavior. Bad coaches don't hold their kids accountable for their actions or lack of development.

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old is looking to stay with her team next fall, but was curious if anyone can share their experiences with coaching changes. For example, to what extent can a new coach impact how a team performs/turn the team around?

If there was a thread already, my apologies! Just something I've always wondered.

Coaches make or break a team.

Good coaches teach, train, and develop your kids into better soccer players. Bad coaches just stick your kids into games and want to win. Good coaches teach your kids how to be good teammates and refuse to tolerate poor behavior. Bad coaches don't hold their kids accountable for their actions or lack of development.

Bumping this up as I am also curious on thoughts there. It looks like there are two opposing points of view shared

If the coach has 3 practices per week, that would help a lot. He's got to keep it fun, keep motivating the team, keep the team communication up. Solidify the defense and goalkeeper.

Keep the kids motivated and coach the kids to want the ball more than their opponents!

Have the coach sign the team up for 2 pre-season tournaments and 2 post season tournaments.

That would turn any team around!
1 coach can change a lot.

Very little. At that age team performance will depend on what talent is already on the roster.

My 9 year old is looking to stay with her team next fall, but was curious if anyone can share their experiences with coaching changes. For example, to what extent can a new coach impact how a team performs/turn the team around?

If there was a thread already, my apologies! Just something I've always wondered.