Coaching Introduction

Welcome, Coaches!

Coaches are guides, facilitators, and role models that reinforce each player’s passion for the game. Coaches should always put the player’s needs first, then go from there to deal with a player’s technical and tactical development as appropriate for the player’s age and ability. Coaches should teach soccer and good sportsmanship by creating a positive learning environment in a fun and exciting way.

Youth soccer players benefit from the soccer experience by developing physical and social skills, and to help them, coaches and parents should act as role models, taking care not to allow the demands and expectations of organized sports to exceed the player’s growth and readiness. The coaching area of the website will help you learn how the players in the various age groups can learn best from you!

Coaches make the soccer program work by managing their players and their parents. They let their teams know when games or practices are cancelled, when and where practices are held, and when and where games are played. They also help by observing the park and program rules and helping to pass along information about the game and its rules to their teams.

Coaching Preparation

When the season starts, the first thing a coach should do is read through the helpful information provided on this website and review the on-line rulebook. Reading the rulebook should only take about a half an hour and it explains how the recreation department soccer program works.

Now that you’ve got your roster and practice schedule from the recreation department, you should notify your players that you’re their new coach and provide all of the scheduling and other information as detailed here.

Next, you’ll need to get your team in shape to play soccer! The rulebook is helpful here, too, because it acts like a basic outline for the rules of the game that need to be taught and it also contains an outline summary of skills to be demonstrated and practiced by drills. Visit the practices page for more detailed information about conducting productive practices with your recreational soccer program team.

For first-time coaches, there’s always help available. Just call the field supervisor or the recreation department with any questions or if you would like help of any kind.