http://soccertrainingforkids.com/ Page 1

Do This If You Want To Lose Your Junior

Soccer Players

I know this goes on but, I can't believe that any youth soccer coach who is

worth the name uses physical exercise as a punishment for bad behavior or a

poor performance.

At a time when we want to encourage our children to be more active the use

of this type of 'punishment' sends out completely the wrong signals to the

developing minds of the kids.

There is a good chance that they will see exercise not as something to be

enjoyed and that will improve their health, but as something that you are

made to do if you've been bad. The chances are that they will just come to see

soccer as part of their punishment and give up the game. After all, who wants

to turn up to something that makes you feel like you are being punished?

As a youth soccer coach the first thing to remember is that you are dealing

with children and not adults. Secondly, you are not there to replace their

parents, but there to teach and coach them soccer.

Children, and most adults, respond better to positive strokes. Telling a child

that they have done well encourages them to do that thing again and push on

to try something harder next time. Just pointing out what they did wrong, and

perhaps getting them to do laps of the field, will stop them from trying to do

anything for fear of recriminations.

Of course they will get things wrong and maybe they won't understand the

point you are trying to make but you must look for the positives. Tell them

what they did correctly and say something like "next time you will be able to

complete the move if you just do..." and they will respond. They may get it

http://soccertrainingforkids.com/ Page 2

wrong again but you need to appreciate that they will be giving it their best

shot. You will need patience but always encourage and do not discourage.

Criticism will only get them to go into their shell and hamper their

development.

If you have misbehaving children at your coaching sessions I suggest you look

at the schedule. Bad behavior can occur because of a lack of stimulation for

the players. Consider are the drills too repetitive? Do they stretch the players?

Are you spending too much time on drills and not enough time on game

simulations? Are there long periods spent just standing around?

The easiest way to find out if the coaching sessions are working to ask your

players and/or their parents what they like and dislike. You may find that with

just a little modification the disruption soon goes.

Now you may find that have a disruptive child in your team who doesn't

respond to your coaching. I suggest you speak to the child and find out why

they come to soccer training. It could be because they are made to by their

parents.

Whatever the reason, if their presence causes disruption then you must speak

to the parents and make it clear what has been going on and that it needs to

stop. Ultimately, you need to consider what is the best for your team and if it

means removing the child from the club then that has to be the course you

take. Failure to halt the misbehaving could have knock on effects on your

other players so do not ignore the disruptive child.

Remember that punishment has no place on the junior soccer training field

and you are there just to help your players fulfil their soccer potential.

My website http://soccertrainingforkids.com is full of hints, tips, drills and

techniques to improve your team's performance and increase your knowledge

http://soccertrainingforkids.com/ Page 3

as a coach. Why not take the opportunity to sign up for my free five day mini

course specifically designed for people like you, the brand new soccer coach.