If you had a magic wand, what significant changes would you make to improve youth soccer in the USA?
Make the pathway to top-level affordable and accessible to those in lower-income brackets—i.e., refugee families…and Hispanic players.
What methods have you found to be successful when coaching girls?
Servant leadership involves setting goals, time allocation to answer questions, film review, and appropriate boundaries for guiding interactions with staff and peers.
What methods have you found to be unsuccessful when coaching girls?
The top-down approach is not unsuccessful but harmful to their overall development as strong young women.
What can/should girls do on their own to improve themselves?
Everyone, not just girls…should study the mental aspect of both competitions and how to overcome adversity from those who have actually done it…Proven resources are easily accessible.
Do you have other ‘words of wisdom’ you would like to share?
They will be in my book
- Kids can tell when it’s not the real deal.
- Be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses, and don’t fake what you don’t know…Bring in complementary resources.
- “Love ’em hard, Coach ’em hard!” Set Realistic, Clear Expectations, Communication, and Consistent Standards is an excellent rule of thumb. You can’t do one without the other.
KOACH KARL’S NOTES:
Thank you, Coach Arsenault, for contributing these thoughtful responses.
Dear Reader: Do you have any Comments-Tips addressing these questions that you would like to share? Then, please do so because they may help improve players, coaches, and even the playing environment in soccer communities throughout this country … Priceless!
