Soccer coaching tips to help your team bond
If the sight of a snow-covered soccer pitch has ever prompted you to cancel your soccer training session, you might want to consider my experience. I decided to make the most of our pure white soccer (football) field for a fun soccer workout that helped boost team bonding, too.
Using a bright orange ball, the youngsters in my team had a fantastic time trying to play on the soft snow surface, most of them ending up flat on their backs.
The game was followed by a snowball fight, and the players ended up back in the club house with hot chocolate drinks and bags of crisps.
This unorthodox training session was fun, but also a timely reminder that sometimes your players, coach, and assistants just have to do something together which isn’t strictly soccer. Something that involves all the team, something where it doesn’t matter whether you are a good player or bad player.
I say a timely reminder because I shouldn’t have to wait for a snow-covered pitch to give my players a bit of a bonding session. Nor should I wait until the summer break before we play something that isn’t soccer.
I usually get my players together in the summer on training nights and we play cricket or rounders and have a barbecue. But this was way better.
It was also good that a few of the parents got involved at the end and joined in the snowball fight fun.
So, no matter what point in your season it is, or whether it’s hot or cold, turn up at training and do something different this week - your players will appreciate the change from the usual routine.
To get more articles such as this one in my Touchline Tales series or The Art of Coaching Children check out Soccer Coach Weekly, the best place for advice on how to be a better soccer coach.
Click here for more tips on how to make your soccer (football) coaching sessions appeal to young players.
Soccer coaching tips
Improve your soccer training skills. Sign up for a FREE weekly email, full of simple proven tips, advice and drills.
"I look forward to every issue because it is concise and filled with great information. In times like this, with very busy schedules, it is invaluable. I highly recommend it."
Victor Gascon, Coach, USA
|