How to Coach Competitive Soccer

Coaching competitive soccer is a rewarding and exciting experience. If you currently coach peewee soccer or run an informal team, coaching competitive soccer is the natural progression. You must have a blend of skills and qualifications to successfully teach competitive soccer. Your players will rely on you for guidance, information and encouragement. As well as utilize technical drills, you must research the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents to give your team the best chance at success.

Things You'll Need

  • U.S Soccer license "E" certificate
  • Cone markers
  • Balls
  • Whistle
  • Chalkboard
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get a U.S Soccer license "E" certificate. This is the entry-level qualification that permits you to coach competitively at state level. Contact your State Association and arrange to attend the 18-hour course. Once you have completed the course you can progress through the U.S Soccer licensing process. The top qualification is the Level 3 National "A" License. This permits you to coach professional teams.

    • 2

      Develop technical skills. Run drills during each training session that improve ball control. For example, mark out a 4-feet by 4-feet square and have your players take turns standing in it. Have the five players surround the square, standing five feet away. Each player takes a turn passing the ball into the square. The player inside the square must control the ball with one touch and pass it to another player without leaving the square. This drill improves ball retention and balance.

    • 3

      Improve tactical awareness. While soccer is a fun way to exercise, competitive soccer relies on tactics and game plans. Use visual aides such as diagrams to demonstrate to your team the various tactics you want them to carry out. For example, if you have particularly speedy wide players it's smart for central midfielders to get the ball to them quickly to start an attack. Instruct defenders to push up to the halfway line when your team is attacking. This compresses the active zone of play and makes it harder for the opposition to break up the attack.

    • 4

      Perform fitness drills. Spend at least one training session per week focusing on fitness and strength. Ladder runs improve leg strength and stamina; endurance running improves aerobic capacity; and piggyback races build upper-body strength.

    • 5

      Perform a pre-match analysis. In advance of each game, watch your next opponent play. Make a note of their strengths and weaknesses, and plan your tactics accordingly. For example, if they have a particularly tall attacker with good heading skills, instruct your fullbacks to close down the wingers quickly to prevent them from lofting in high balls. If their central defenders lack pace, encourage your midfielders to play high balls over the back line so your attackers can use their pace to outrun the defense.

    • 6
      Make a note of which players carried out instructions well.

      Perform a post-match analysis. After each game, spend an hour with the team and analyze the game. Prepare two lists: one for needed improvements and one for things that went well.