[tag-tec]Coaching youth soccer[/tag-tec] is not difficult, except when you are having trouble winning a soccer game!  Do you find yourself standing on the sideline watching the opposition score one, two, maybe three goals against you in a short period of time and your thinking to yourself – How am I going to fix this? Well, firstly, you should be focusing on these 7 things while you’re coaching. 

Soccer coaching at the junior level is about teaching the kids the basic [tag-tec]soccer skills[/tag-tec] and ensuring they are developing and learning the game.  When you progress to [tag-tec]coaching youth soccer[/tag-tec], it becomes more competitive and you soon realize that opposition teams are more technically sound and as a [tag-tec]soccer coach[/tag-tec] you need to be more tactically aware.

From the kick off, your role as a [tag-tec]soccer coach[/tag-tec] is to start observing, not just your own players but the opposition’s players as well.  I have listed the 7 things you should be looking for during a [tag-tec]soccer game[/tag-tec]:

1. Opposition – Their system of play.  What formation are they using?  Is it 4-4-2 or is it 3-5-2 or something else? Are they attacking down the sides or are they playing long balls in?

2. Who are the danger players for the opposition?  Have they a ‘go to’ player.  In other words, are they focusing their general play mainly through one player?

3. Who are the weaker players in the opposition and where are they playing.  Are their weaker players being hidden on the sides of play or are they in the middle of the park where you could possibly aim your attack through?

NB. The first three points above should be observed within the first ten minutes of the  game.  As a [tag-tec]soccer coach[/tag-tec], you can then decide if there are any changes required to your tactics.

4. How are your own players performing?  Are there any players struggling or having difficulty against an opposition player?  If so, are changes necessary, maybe swapping a player to another position or bringing on a substitute?

5. What mistakes are being made by your players?  Write them down and make notes.

6. Half Time – Change tactics if necessary.  Talk to individual players about problems and how to address them. Talk to the team about the game and about any problems.  If tactics have been changed, go over the tactics again with the team ensuring that all players are aware of any changes.  Highlight the positives that occurred in the first half.

7. Second half – Continue to observe the opposition and note any change in their system of play or formation.   Adjust your style  and tactics as necessary.  Continue to take notes as these notes will be valuable coaching points for the following weeks training sessions.

The great thing about coaching youth soccer is that no game is the same and there are always new problems to solve and tactics to devise.  As a soccer coach, you are always learning and it is important that we use this knowledge to further develop the skills of our youth players.