Being asked to coach your child’s soccer team can be a very exciting experience for both you and your child. However, some parents can find it to be a very intimidating responsibility.

Fortunately, coaching a 6U – 8U team is a ton of fun, and even gives you an opportunity to get out on the field. We’ve put together 5 tips to help you get your soccer season off to a good start.

Youth Soccer Tip #1 – Have Fun!

Having fun is the most important thing for you to do as a youth soccer coach. If you are able to keep all elements of the team enjoyable for the kids, you’ll have a very successful season.

To keep things light and fun, you may need to give additional focus to certain areas of your team. Ultimately, the kids are there to learn the basics of the sport, to learn about playing as part of a team, and to interact with other children.

Youth Soccer Tip #2 – Keep a Positive Attitude

Coaching a youth soccer team, especially at the 6U – 8U level, it is very important for you as a coach to keep a positive attitude at all times. This will undoubtedly be a challenge for you at some point in the season. How you are able handle situations like these will have a lasting impact on your players. If you stay positive, even during a big loss or a missed goal, this will help to build long term skills and personalities that your players will keep with them forever.

Youth Soccer Tip #3 – Set Rules for Your Players, and Their Parents

The beginning of your season is probably the most important part of the season for you to get right as a coach. This is when you are able to lay down the ground rules for both your players and their parents. For many children, this will not only be their first experience playing soccer, but will also more than likely be their first time in any team sport. The same is true for the parents.

Some good things to communicate on the first day are:

• Practice and game schedules – Print this and give parents two copies.
• What to do if a player is going to be late or miss a game – Have your cell phone number printed on the season schedule
• How early players should arrive at practice, or a game – 15 minutes is usually good
• Appropriate behavior on the sideline – Yeah… We’re looking at you over zealous and loud moms and dads!
• Set rules for players on the bench – When the player is not playing, they should be with the coach and the team. Not over on the sideline.
• Be clear that you are the coach of the team – Make sure parents understand they are free to approach you with suggestions before or after the game.

Youth Soccer Tip #4 – Be Consistent in Enforcing the Rules

If you are consistent in enforcing your team’s rules, your players and their parents will know what to expect from you in every situation. Letting little Bobby go sit with his family when not playing, or allowing Susie to play her Nintendo DSi while sitting out will only cause confusion for the other players on your team. Managing a fun, but tight soccer team is a balancing act to say the least, but taking care of the small things will make all the difference.

Youth Soccer Tip #5 – Be Fair

As a soccer coach, it is important for you to make sure all players play for roughly the same amount of time during each game. It is also important for you to shuffle the players around. This doesn’t mean each player plays every position in a single game. Instead this could mean that each player plays two positions in a game, rotating every couple games. This shuffle could even be worked into your schedule at the beginning of the season.

Hopefully you find these tips useful as you begin your first coaching experience. For those who’ve been coaching for awhile, what else would you suggest to a first time soccer coach?

Photo courtesy of geocam20000