Making The Ball Roll: A Complete Guide to Youth Football for the

Aspiring Soccer Coach

Ray Power

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Chapter 1: Understanding the Argument for Development Over
Results
Chapter 2: Understanding the Modern Youth Development Coach
Chapter 3: Understanding Teaching and Learning in Soccer
Chapter 4: Understanding Psychology in Soccer
Chapter 5: Understanding Communication in Soccer
 Technique
Tell the player something
that you will both agree on
“Pacing”
Tell the player two things
that you will both agree on
Smile!
“Most people…”
“Everybody knows…”
“Everybody says…”
“Well, you know how…”
“There is an old saying…”
“What would you like to
know first?”
Pay them a compliment, and
then ask them a question.
Meaning
People agree with people
who they are similar to,
and who share similar
beliefs
People need to be spoken to
in a way they understand and
at a speed that reflects the
way they think and operate
This reinforces that you
have similarities in
thought
Human instinct tells us to
trust people who smile as
they offer us no threat
Another aspect of human
instinct is to be part of a
group – it is a method of
survival. These phrases help
align people to your way of
thinking
Using these phrases makes
us think “if I already know
this, or there is an old saying
about it, then it must be
true”
This is a way of allowing the
player to control the
conversation, and allow him
to focus on himself.
Paying someone a sincere
compliment, rather than an
Soccer Example
“We both know the type of
player you want to be – a
quarter-back-type midfield
player”
“A quarter-back midfielder
is one who takes the ball
from the defenders and tries
to start attacks”
“Your current position does
not get the best out of you.
We both want you in the
team every week.
Smile!
“Most people understand
that this position requires
discipline and bravery on the
ball”
“Everybody knows that this
type of player is coveted by
top level teams”
“Everybody says that you
have the attributes to play in
this position successfully”
“Well, you know how we have
been working towards
perfecting you in this
position”
“There is an old saying that the
deepest midfield player is the
most important in the team”
“So we want to get you
training for this position.
What would you like to
know first?”
“You have an excellent way
of receiving the ball across

Get your player to do the
talking
Avoid a question beginning
with ‘why’ that your player
has to defend
overly obvious one, shows your body to allow you to
that you are looking deeper play forward”
at them.
“Where did you learn that?”
Follow it with a question to
take any embarrassment
away.
Getting the player to do the “So tell me about your
talking is an effective way of background and the
getting them to share their positions you have
ideas and feel comfortable previously played”
with you
Choose how to use ‘why’ “Why did you turn into the
questions carefully. This type opposition striker when
of question, asked there were better options?”
negatively, puts the prospect
on the defensive and forces
them to justify their
decisions
Chapter 6: Understanding Leadership and the Team
Chapter 7: Understanding Age-Specific Development Needs
Chapter 8: Developing a Coaching Philosophy and Syllabus
 Sample Curriculum – U19 Soccer Academy

Week Topic Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday

Session Session Session Session

1 Basic Possession Technical Tactical Cool-down Episodic

Analysis Position-

specific

Physical

2 Playing Out Technical Tactical Cool-down Episodic

From the Back Analysis Position-

specific

Physical

3 Defending Technical Tactical Cool-down Episodic

Individual – Analysis Position-

small group specific

Physical
4 Pressing Technical Tactical Cool-down Episodic

Analysis Position-

specific

Physical

5 Position-Specific Technical Tactical Cool-down Episodic

DEFENDING Analysis Position-

specific

Physical

6 Mop-up week Episodic Episodic Cool-down Episodic

Analysis Position-

specific

Physical
Chapter 9: Understanding Technical Development and Skill
Acquisition
 Activity / Possible Compromise or ‘Deliberate’
Practice / Time Justification? ‘trade-off’ with Alternatives
real game
Exercise
Warm-up with 5 – 10 Players are No ball involved Use a warm-up
2 or 3 laps of minutes adequately No soccer player game that involves
the training area warmed-up a ball, changing
has ever run at
direction, and
the same speed
which involves
over the same
multidirectional
distance for
movements that
several hundred
are sometimes
meters
slow, fast and
medium
Static stretches 5 Players need Dynamic Within the warm-
with players in a minutes to stretch stretches are up game,
circle before activity required to disperse dynamic
replicate soccer stretches
movements throughout (and
static stretches if
required
individually –
some players feel
they need certain
static stretches to
feel good).
A series of 10 – 15 Sprints are an Sprinting in The warm-up
straight line minutes integral part of soccer is not just game can easily
sprints over soccer done in straight include some
anything from lines. It involves sharp,
It gets players
five to 30 changing multidirectional
‘fit’
meters direction and sprints at the end
over varying
distances.
Sprinting is only
a small
percentage of
the movements
completed by
players in games
A constant 15 Players are Constant drills Use a variable or
‘line-drill’ minutes organized and involve little random exercise
practice with can learn, decision-making, that involves
players waiting refine, or without the decision-making,
their turn in practice randomness problem-solving
queues technique involved in and which is
soccer more game
relevant
A shooting 10 Coach can Players shoot A shooting game
exercise minutes pinpoint from the same that involves
involving a long specific angle, distance, opposition, an
line of players, technical and without overload of
taking their turn errors pressure defenders,
to shoot, then Players Distance is often shooting from
rejoining the various distances,
practice too far for
back of the shooting younger players angles and under
queue differing
Players love it! Players in reality pressures
have very few
attempts
The coach has
more touches
than all the
players
combined!
A conditioned What- Two touches Soccer involves Use an
game, normally ever time make players using as many unrestricted
restricting remains! pass and move touches as are game. Change
players to 2 the ball quickly needed. It might the shape, size or
touches to two, it might emphasis of
be one or multi- game if necessary
touch
Chapter 10: Understanding the Tactical Development of Soccer
Players
Chapter 11: Understanding Physical Development in Youth Soccer
Chapter 12: Understanding the Modern Goalkeeper
Chapter 13: Understanding Talent Identification and Assessment
of Players
Chapter 14: Understanding Parents
Chapter 15: Look in the Mirror First
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