Private Soccer Training

As youth soccer continues to grow in popularity, the competition to build better teams becomes more intense. College scholarship money is available to soccer players, both boys and girls, but there is not a lot of it to go around. Private soccer trainers provide instruction on individual skills, team play and specialized position play with the goal of improving players' understanding of the game and helping them improve.

  1. Identification

    • Soccer has not been on the scene as one of the primary sports for young people in the United States for as long as other sports such as baseball and football. With so many kids picking up up soccer, many of the coaches who work with them are handicapped because they never played the game. That has led to the growth in popularity of private soccer trainers, who work with multiple teams and players to help teach the game.

    Benefits

    • Because most private soccer trainers have experience playing the game and also have spent a lot of time learning how to teach soccer, they provide the knowledge that many team coaches lack. Private soccer training can focus on different positions on the field and help players develop their skills for playing those positions at a higher level. In particular, trainers who have been goalkeepers can teach the nuances of that position. Team coaches benefit from having the support of trainers who really know the game; they can also benefit as they watch a more knowledgeable soccer coach at work.

    Significance

    • College soccer scholarships are hard to come by, and thousands of families spend large amounts of money on club soccer teams and tournaments in order to have their kids seen by the right people. Private training has the potential to help players develop the skills that get them noticed and earn a chance to play the game at a higher level--perhaps even with some financial assistance at college.

    Types

    • Soccer training is available to individuals on a one-on-one basis, but there are other ways that trainers teach the game. Small group training can help spread the costs a bit, and it also provides the trainer with the ability to work on team skills with small group games and drills. Camps and clinics are another kind of private soccer training. Many club soccer teams will hire a trainer to work with the squad on a regular basis, providing expertise that the team's regular coach may not have.

    Warning

    • The growth in the popularity of soccer and in the use of private trainers to help teach the sport has also led to an increase in the number of people claiming to be soccer trainers. Many are highly skilled and qualified, but some are not as qualified. Parents should do their homework before spending money on private soccer training. Talk to players and their families who have worked with private instructors; they can provide the background needed to decide on the best trainer for your purposes and finances.