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 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 SoccerTrainingForKids.com is full of hints, tips, drills and techniques to improve your team's

performance and increase your knowledge 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.

Follow me on Twitter : @SoccerT4Kids