Red Wing Soccer Club Coaches Handbook 2016 (Version 2.0) by Paul McNamee, Director of Coaching Table of Contents 1. Vision 2. Practices 3. Vocabulary 4. Benchmarks 5. Resources Vision One thing that can be very helpful when coaching is using a small amount of words. U.S Soccer calls this, “Economy of Language.” Short commands are easier for kids to process and understand. This handbook is not meant to answer every question that could ever come up during a season. It is meant to be a starting point and it will intentionally be rather brief. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. We should help spread the joy in our community by being vocal, visible ambassadors of the game. If you have ever taken a class from U.S Youth Soccer, you are probably familiar with the expression, “No Lines, No Lectures.” As admirable as this concept is, you may find it a little unreasonable to actually stick to. At some point, every coach will have players participate in a drill. We can call them activities to avoid the negative connotation, but sometimes the best way to learn a skill is repetition. Do not feel bad about this, but try to limit your of use drills and lines. Small-sided games allow almost as many touches on the ball as drills but incorporate fun and allow for creativity and problem solving in an adapting environment like the one your players will face on match day. In everything you do, try to remember that your players signed up for this sport to have fun. Red Wing Soccer Club has become more competitive and more successful over the years. We want your team to have a great season, but the most important thing is that the kids enjoy their time in the sport. Practices Most teams will practice twice or three times per week. Each practice session should be between 60 and 90 minutes. The coach should arrive with ample set up time whenever possible. He or she should have a practice planned out and in written form. Make sure to begin with a warm up involving some jogging and stretching. Meet up to tell players your objectives for the day. They should know what they are striving for. Be mindful of the fact that you cannot teach everything in a single session. Focus on one or two aspects of the game per day. Try to include multiple opportunities for 1 v 1, 2 v 2, and 4 v 4. Allow a 20-30 minute scrimmage AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE as most good coaches allow the game to be the teacher. US Soccer is begging us to provide players with more opportunities to solve problems creatively. It is important to be positive but also to be honest. Let the players know when they do well but also gently inform them when they make mistakes. Even as your players get older, try your very best to continue using appropriate language. Don’t try to be cool by swearing. They will follow your example in competition and the officials will not tolerate it. Vocabulary Soccer has many specific terms. Coaches should inform parents and players so Red Wing Soccer Club members do not sound ignorant using incorrect terms like, “Center it,” “Boot it,” or, “Head Butt.” Here is a list of 40 common phrases that our players should know before they graduate high school. 5 common mistakes are noted by asterisks. Advantage- Advantage occurs when the referee witnesses a foul but does not stop play because the result is positive for the team that was fouled. An example would be a handball that is quickly recovered by the opponent. AR- The assistant referee. This person stands on the sideline using their flag to signal offside, fouls, and throw ins. Bend / Swerve- A kicked ball that moves in a curved fashion. Careless- Also referred to as, “Dangerous,” this describes a moment in which a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when challenging for the ball. Center Ref- This person makes all officiating decisions. They have the right to over-rule the AR. Chip- A shot or pass that is lobbed or lofted over defenders and / or the goalkeeper as opposed to being driven with force. Clean Sheet- A shutout. A game in which a keeper does not allow any goals. *Clear- A kick from a defender or goalkeeper in which they attempt to get the ball as far away from their own goal as they possibly can. This should not be the goal of the defender every time the ball is in the vicinity, and we should be teaching this actual term. Corner- Corner kick. The ball is placed near the corner flag and put into play. Counter- Also referred to as a, “Fast Break,” a counter attack is a play where a team wins the ball and quickly moves toward the goal they are scoring on--hoping to get there before their opponent can get back and organize a defense. Cross- A ball in the attacking third played in from the flank, or sideline area toward the center of the pitch to create a goal scoring opportunity. Some coaches call for, “Service,” or say, “Whip it in.” Avoid telling players to, “Center it.” Direct- A free kick in which the first player to touch the ball may shoot directly at goal. Fifty / Fifty- A ball in open space that could be won by either team. Flank- The wide portions of the field near the sidelines. Flat- Defensive line that chooses to play with all their players even or level with each other usually in an attempt to draw the opponent off side. Foul- Any play that breaks a rule of the game. These can result in free kicks, warnings, or yellow and red cards. Players should understand that not every foul results in a card or warning. Free Kick- A stoppage in play in which a team has the opportunity to advance a dead ball with 10 yards of space between the ball and the other team. Futbol / Footballer- Players should know that the rest of the world calls soccer football or futbol and that a person that plays the game is called a footballer. Goal Kick- A frequent error in the early ages… A Goal Kick must leave the penalty area, or box. It can be kicked to a teammate or driven far down the field as a 50 / 50. *Header- Playing the ball out of the air with your head. Often incorrectly referred to as a, “Head Butt,” or, “Head Job.” Indirect- A free kick in which the first player to touch the ball cannot shoot directly at goal. The ball must roll completely over before it is touched by a second player. It is often served aerially for team mates to attempt to score. Juggle- A skill in which a player repeatedly touches the ball with any legal part of their body (most often with the feet) to keep it in the air. Keeper- The correct term for the player with gloves that is allowed to use his or her hands within the penalty area. “Goalie,” is a hockey term. *Kickoff- An area very young players need a lot of attention on. Due to American Football, many players think the kickoff should go far and be given to the other team. In fact, the kickoff is only required to travel forward from its starting place and cannot be touched twice in a row by the person who takes the kick. The best play here is a short pass to a teammate standing VERY close by. Level- An Attacker in an on side position. He or she is perfectly in line with the second to last opponent. *Offsides- The most misunderstood rule in the game. This rule will disallow goals and cause arguments from spectators, players, and coaches in nearly every match. Make sure you fully understand this intricate rule. In it’s simplest form, the rule says that a player is in an offside position if they gain an advantage by being closer to the goal than the second to last defender WHEN THE BALL IS PLAYED FORWARD. A player is not offside if they begin running from an on side position and get to the ball before the defender. Own Goal- A goal scored in the wrong net—on your own team. Pitch- A more proper term for the field of play. PK- The shortened term for Penalty Kick. The ball is placed on the PK SPOT. Do your research about the rules for keepers, rebounds, second touches, and players entering the area. *Punt- Another term we need to teach to younger players. This kick is a favorite of keepers. It should not be called a, “Cherry Bomb,” and should not be confused with a, “Drop Kick.” Reckless- This type of challenge needs a caution. It is defined as showing complete disregard to the danger or consequences of his or her play. Set Piece- A play in which the game is stopped and a team has a crack at goal-- usually moving in a rehearsed way. Examples include Free Kicks and Corner Kicks. Shield- To use the back side of your body to keep an opponent from getting the ball. Slide Tackle- A PERFECTLY LEGAL play in which a player goes to the ground—sliding to take the ball from an opponent. Legal at age u11 and up, the player must win the ball before making contact with the other player and must not show their studs (bottom of cleats / boots).