Youth Soccer and Commitment

I coach two boys teams at my club - 1999 Boys and 2003 Boys. This is my second year with both age groups. Throughout my time with these teams, I have been plagued by something that seems to occur much more frequently than it really should - players missing training or games for other activities.

These other activities include but are not limited to:

• Other sports, like basketball or baseball

• Music lessons, such as piano, guitar, or being part of an orchestra

• Unexpected family trips (by unexpected, I mean that I am given very late notice)

• School assignments, such as long term projects due the next day

• A Milwaukee Bucks basketball game

• Going out to dinner

• Family friend is visiting

• Skiing or snowboarding

• And probably some others that I have permanently blocked from my memory

Youth Soccer Clubs: Development vs Results

In my time as a youth soccer coach, I have experienced a variety of different club level philosophical approaches toward teaching young players the game of soccer. And in some form or another, it always seems to be inevitable that statements pertaining to the "development" of youth soccer players end being just that - a statement, but with little or nothing to tangible to back it up.

All of the clubs that I have worked for have touted their "development first" philosophy, whether directly on their website or verbally by the director of coaching or another coach. Below are a few excerpts from the websites of some of those clubs:

Some Thoughts on Coaching Youth Soccer

When I was just starting out as a soccer coach - fall of 2005 was my first season, I believe - I literally knew nothing about how to teach anything - let alone the game - to young players. Furthermore, my knowledge of soccer was questionable at best.

My first coaching stint, so to speak, was as an assistant to a former coach of mine with a U12 boys recreational team. I had no idea what I was doing and my former coach basically did all the coaching - I was there to demonstrate and to connect with the kids.

My lack of education and experience handling a group of young players was very intimidating, and I quickly found myself overwhelmed. I decided to assist with an older select team - one that my brother played on - and also included a couple of former teammates as this was a U19-U15 boys team.

This was equally overwhelming at times, as I found myself caught between my role as a coach and my relationships with the players who were close in age. But I persisted, and soon found myself in a head coaching role a couple of years later.

It was at this time that I began to discover a multitude of resources out there to help coaches. Reedswain was the first, then as I began to connect with other coaches in my home town, I discovered Success in Soccer. Finally, when I took my National "D" License through California Youth Soccer - North, my instructor recommended World Class Coaching.

I had an embarrassment of riches. All these books and magazines, coming to my front door every month. It was AMAZING!

BUT, looking back, I still had no idea how to coach.

American Soccer Culture: A Brief Analysis

This post is actually a combination of two separate topics I had intended to write about, but after some reflection, I realized that they both tie together under a wider umbrella topic: American Soccer Culture.

A very ambiguous title, and to some, probably a bit of a contradiction in itself.

Soccer in the United States is considered second tier to several other professional sports that I will not mention, because if you are reading this, then I'm sure you know which ones I am talking about. While the sport boasts high levels of participation at the youth level, I have a strong suspicion that these numbers include a large population of middle to upper class suburban kids who can afford the pay-to-play model that most youth soccer organizations require.

To Snob or Not...

Well, it has certainly been a while since I have been on here. I have always liked the idea of writing consistently as a cathartic way to express my thoughts, but somehow life always gets in the way.

Especially in soccer. Coaching multiple teams, attempting to plan quality sessions, and dealing with parents. You know, the things that coaches need to do.

So without further Adu, here is hopefully the first of a long line of posts...

In the week after a 1-0 loss to Colorado last week, Portland Timbers’ head coach John Spencer was fined and suspended for his comments about the officiating. During that game, Drew Moor scored a controversial goal and the Timbers were denied a penalty kick on a missed call. This culminated in Spencer being sent off at the end of the game for arguing with the fourth official.

Major League Soccer, much like many of the other leagues around the world, typically cracks down on coaches or managers who dispute refereeing decisions. Fines and touchline bans are commonplace for anyone deigning to contend some of the more dubious calls that have occurred in the past. Despite these heavy consequences, we continue to see instances in which the referee’s judgment is debated upon. The question is, should someone be punished for expressing his viewpoint in reaction to something that didn’t go his way, provided that this expression is made in a non-offensive manner?

In the opening game of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Costa Rica took on Cuba in The Dallas Cowboys’ massive stadium. The result was never really in question, as Costa Rica dominated play from the onset and was up 2-0 by the break. As I watched Costa Rica repeatedly dismantle the Cuban defense, I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how many of the Cuban players would be missing before their June 9th clash against Mexico.