- Love the game of soccer, but … Love kids even more!
- Understand that this is not about you, not about parents, not about other coaches. It’s about the kids.
- Ability to plan long-term – it’s all about developing players, helping them reach their potential far in the future while focusing on the moment.
- Ability to create a team environment where every player feels included and important while realizing that each player is an individual.
No two players are alike, so no two players can be treated alike!
- Know that each player is there for a different reason:
- Some love competition.
- Some love running around.
- Some love being with their friends.
- Some are there because their parents make them go.
- Desire to learn more about coaching in general and soccer specifically.
- Do things in the style that suits you the best.
- Don’t try to be someone you’re not,
- Don’t try to be Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola.
- Tactics are far less important than creating a “soccer team” environment that instills a “Love for the Game” – That Lasts a Lifetime!
Thank You – Dan Woog, for sharing your noteworthy bullet points with FUNdamental SOCCER on what your qualities/traits of the “Model Youth Coach” are.
I hope you (readers) enjoyed this article and are looking forward to reading and gleaning advice in future articles on this theme to improve yourself. And then take the time to share ‘it’ with coaches in your soccer community.
I also encourage you to join this discussion because your advice may help improve another youth soccer coach …Priceless..!
Your FUNdamental, Koach Karl (Karl Dewazien)
- Emeritus State DoC of California Youth Soccer Assoc. 1979-2012
- Author – FUNdamental SOCCER Books Series
- Producer – ‘FUNdamental SOCCER -Practice’ DVD.
- Clinician at: www.fundamentalsoccer.com
