The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching 6-and-Under Soccer

Introduction

About This Book

1. Coaching Young Players Is Different

Steep Learning Curve

Your Critical Role

Keeping Fun Foremost

The Sport of Choice

2. Fun-Focused Practices and Games

Controlled Touching

Simplicity Itself

Too Easy?

Competition

Creativity and Positive Reinforcement

Coed or Not Coed?

3. The Game of Soccer for Young Players

Soccer for Young Players

Academy Coaching

Squad Assignments

Continuing to Limit Player Numbers

A 6-and-Under Soccer Primer

Other Rules

Fighting for Your Players

4. Off the Field

Managing Parents' Expectations

Delegating Parental Duties

Recruiting a Parent Helper

The End-of-Season Celebration

Trophies

5. On the Field

Your Players' Equipment Needs

Your Equipment for Practices

Your Equipment for Games

Choosing a Team Name

6. Behavioral Challenges of Young Players

Discipline

7. Game Day

Gone in an Instant

Little Learning

Winning and Losing

Game-Day Responsibilities

Refereeing

Who Won?

8. Basic Ball-Control Skills and the Red Light/Green Light Drill

Why Red Light/Green Light?

Mastering Several Basic Skills through One Drill

Drill 1: Red Light/Green Light

Basic Ball-Control Skills

Skill 1: Dribbling with the Inside of the Foot and Stopping the Ball by Stepping on It

Skill 2: Dribbling with Speed

Skill 3: Changing Direction with the Inside of the Foot, or "Cutting" the Ball

Skill 4: The Pull Turn

Skill 5: Receiving the Ball

Skill 6: Juggling the Ball

9. Eleven More Drills and Four More Skills

Drill 2: Bulldozers and Builders

Drill 3: Follow the Leader

Drill 4: Switch

Drill 5: Alligator Pit

Drill 6: Trash Day

Skill 7: Kicking with the Instep, or Shooting

Drill 7: Elmer Fudd

Drill 8: Star Wars

Skill 8: Passing with the Inside of the Foot

Drill 9: Crab Soccer

Drill 10: Sharks and Minnows

Drill 11: Steal the Bacon

Skill 9: Receiving the Ball on the Ground

Drill 12: Freeze Tag

Skill 10: Shielding the Ball

10. Your First Six Practices

Highly Structured

Before Practice

During Practice

After Practice

4- and 5-Year-Old Practice Sessions

First Six Practices for 4- and 5-Year-Olds

Specifics for 5- and 6-Year-Old Practice Sessions

First Six Practices for 5- and 6-Year-Olds

After Your First Six Practices

Parent/Player Scrimmages

The End of the Season

Appendix

Skills Troubleshooting Chart

Resources

Index

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

"Scott and David have done a fantastic job getting into the psyche of these very young players. What I really love is their emphasis on FUN, and that kids learn by DOING. This book will make a great extra assistant as you prepare for your season."—Bobby Clark, Head Soccer Coach, University of Notre Dame; author of the best-selling Coaching Youth Soccer: The Baffled Parent's Guide

Coach. You're the new coach of your child's soccer team, and you're not sure how to teach your players the fundamentals of soccer while also ensuring they have fun. Don't panic—Coaching 6-and-Under Soccer is here to help.

Coaching 6-and-Under Soccer offers straightforward advice, tips, and techniques, including reward-based games and drills; your first six practices in an easy-to-photocopy format; and how to teach soccer basics to 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds in ways that are fun for you and your players. This complete tool kit for a new coach includes:

• The twelve easy-to-run drills that work best with young soccer players
• How to keep your young players happy and active while they learn
• How to make parents your best assistants and supporters
• How to keep the focus where it belongs—not on winning or losing, but on having fun
• How to have a terrific time coaching young players

"Coaching 6-and-Under Soccer shows you how to teach your young players the right way—through lively games that encourage kids to use their creativity and self-expression when playing."—Brandi Chastain, Olympic and World Cup Soccer Champion; author of It's Not About the Bra: Play Hard, Play Fair, and Put the Fun Back into Competitive Sports

"I have no doubt that young players will come to love the game of soccer if their coaches follow the simple, straightforward advice in this book."—Anson Dorrance, Head Women's Soccer Coach, University of North Carolina; author of The Vision of a Champion: Advice and Inspiration from the World's Most Successful Women's Soccer Coach

"I highly recommend this terrific book to coaches who want to instill good sportsmanship and the love of the game in their young players while building a solid foundation in basic soccer skills and teamwork."—Jeremy Gunn, Head Men's Soccer Coach, Fort Lewis College