Top 10 mistakes coaches make at 7v7 youth level!
00:00 Intro
01:11 Mistake #1 – Cones/Sticks/Lines
01:55 Mistake #2 – Speeches
02:40 Mistake #3 – Mr. Freeze
03:22 Mistake #4 – “Winning”
04:38 Mistake #5 – Parent Engagement
05:38 Mistake #6 – Not asking for help
06:40 Mistake #7 – Joysticking
08:19 Mistake #8 – Positioning of Players
10:05 Mistake #9 – Level/League Selection
11:04 Mistake #10 – Remember they’re kids
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I'm 17 and I coach U10s and there are parents who keep telling me where to put the kids (like position). For example, there is one parent who keeps telling me that I should put their kid up front because that is their favourite position but the kid is one of my best players and so it doesn't make sense for me to put them up front all the time because we also need a good defence and I like to play the smaller/"weaker" players up front because it is less risky for us and I try to give them tips (like you said with "head up" etc.) during training and I have tried to tell the parents this but they don't seem to understand. Do you have any advice on what I could say to the parents?
Also a second question. There is nobody in my team who wants to play goalie and well we need a goalie (at least when I ask them "so do you want to play without a goalie" they all say no but then nobody wants to go) so I don't know what to do or say. I've tried a lucky wheel and rock-paper-scissors or telling them we'll change after a period, but they won't budge. Do you have any advice?
My personal rule is 5-7 min of a technical drill just to show them how to do the skill, and then a 15 min game that incorporates it. Kids learn through playing. So 5 min of basic passing, then let them try to hit me with the ball 😂
Ive done most of the courses in Scotland and i totally disagree with this theory where kids just want to play.
I watch coaches turn up and just play 7 a side games for pretty much the whole session, and there are kids who barely touch the ball.
At this age there is such a huge gap between kids that they learn nothing from just playing games.
Dribbling and getting as many touches of the ball is far more useful to develop there skills
Great tips! Thanks just starting to coach because of my girls but have no experience. This video helped a lot
I know you're speaking mainly to club coaches, but I'd love it if you did a companion series focusing on AYSO
Please guide me for under 10 session
We are playing u-10 tournament and im representing ome city how i help player in the session
I’m about to start coaching 4v4 U8 for the first time. Any recommended coaching programs or pitfalls to avoid besides what’s on this video?
Good advice on not to be a joystick coach. (Keep your head up and where's your help" I like it. As far as freezing play during practice goes I believe that to be extremely beneficial to learning the game. The reason is if a child is playing the game wrong in practice and the coach is allowing them to, then the child will exert the same behavior in the game. That's what practice is for. Freezing play has always worked great for me when coaching u12 to u9
One of the things that stood out was your point about playing the weakest in the back. On our team we have a couple of young girls who just stand there. We encourage, we teach, we cheerlead, but come game time, they just stand there and, essentially, swat at the ball if it comes to them. They don't go to the ball. How would you address that? I'm one of those coaches that don't really care about wins or losses, but development. I'm also of the mindset that kids get good at home. But you can tell that these kids are not really working at home. How would you go about it?
I enjoyed your video. I agree with many of your points. However with point #1, I'm not sure what your alternative suggestion is. Are you suggesting that practice should just be a scrimmage the entire time? I'm not tracking what you are suggesting as an alternative.
When it comes to practices with cones and lines. The cones and lines are not the problem. This is an area where US Soccer could benefit from learning from US Hockey. Instead of having the entire team practicing the same drill and having players wait in line, the coaches need to have more than one station going. With each station the players are working on a different technical skill or agility. Small groups of 3-5 players. Players are at a station for 10 minutes then rotate to the next one.
As for an area that I hoped to see you cover is substitutions. I've seen some coaches keeping track of player minutes like an accountant, overly focused on equality minutes for everyone. Other techniques like a factory shift change manager, where 80% or more of the team comes in or out at every sub change. Personally I favor smaller changes, 1-2 players at once. This preserves the on field dynamics and allows the new sub to merge into the flow of the game.
Great points! I would add that coaches should include position walk throughs so that everyone knows what is expected from each field position. I.e. when the ball is here, where should everyone be? If someone gets beat, who is responsible to help, and who back fills them? etc…
Thank you for this video! I realize I joystick way to much! Now I know a better way to educate.
I also thabk you for all your videos. I played hockey all through school and my kids chose to play soccer so here I am learning soccer terms, positions, and rules as I coach them. They play both outdoor and indoor. I like indoor more as I can relate more to it. I like the challenge for my self of learning how to position and coach for outdoor.
i have been coaching youth from U6s up to U19s. These tips are excellent and universally applicable.
Someone else brought up practice planning and preparations and thats helpful. I also find that having an assistant coach for practices and games is a huge difference. As for your list, im prone to the joystick 🕹 sometimes and you make a good point of it. Ill work on improving that part of my coaching.
Wow such priceless tips thank you 🙏
I watched this right after practice today. Doh! I made a few mistakes. Guess I need to practice! Thanks for this video, it was enlightning!
This video is Excellent!! Every youth coach should be required, mandatory must watch.. every parent should watch this and email this video to all the other parents on the team.. this video is that on point!! Thanks crs
Some good points in there. The kids turn up wanting to play games. Your session should have lots of rolling ball. Last week we just played games with the kids – mixing up the teams after 10 mins, but mainly, just letting them get on with it. There is a feeling sometimes that if we aren't imparting some technical information to players, even at U9, the parents will feel they are getting short-changed. That's when we have to engage with parents.
Hey Coach, i train some Kids since this year and I like the things u say, they really help me because i did much wrong which I knew from my time as a kid playing and realize my coaches were not the Best but I hope to do it better than them
At the recreational program where we break down the 1 hour play in 4 quarters for those in Division 1 under 10 – play them as much and play them in all three positions in a game as forward, defense and midfield so they can get a flavor of all the positions.
Great tips! This is only my 2nd season coaching my daughter's rec team and every game I learn so much (mainly from my mistakes!) I must admit, I have been guilty of joysticking in the past! That really hit home. Thanks for the wisdom!
Great list! I'd add:
1. Lack of session planning which often results in less training/ball rolling time
2. Using over complicated drills/activities which results in coaching the drill rather than the players
3. No progression of activities to further challenge players
4. Not sticking to the session topic and/or using too many coaching points