Kirkwood Soccer Club
Coaches Handbook
Ages u10-13
US Soccer Hierarchy
United States Soccer Federation
USSF
National and Olympic Teams
American Youth Soccer
Organization
(AYSO)
Soccer Association for Youth
(SAY)
United States Youth Soccer
Association (USYSA)
55 State Associations, 4 Regions
5 Million Registered Players
Kirkwood Soccer Club
KSC
- Registration
- Insurance (player, league, tournament)
- Top Soccer
- State run Tournaments
- Coaches Association
- Coaches Education
- Olympic Development
- Risk Management
US Club Soccer
-Super Y
Why Coach?
1- Former Player
2- Parent getting Involved
3- Passion for Soccer
4- Default
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
Purpose of Handbook
Player Development Philosophy
Resource for Coaching Education
Motivate YOU to continue your coaching education
Empower YOU with resources for future self-education
KSC Coaching Principles
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Respect the Sport
Respect the Club
Respect the Player, the
individual
Encourage individual
responsibility
Create an challenging
environment
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Promote Fair Play
Follow a code of
player/coach conduct
Ensure safety at all times
Provide constant
communication with both
player and parent in terms of
education and development
Always seek to learn from
and within the game of
SOCCER
Role of the Coach

Positive Role Model
 Treat all players with respect
 Treat each player as a unique
individual
 Encourage players to ask
questions and express feelings
 Have patience and
understanding
 Demonstrate responsibility to
the game, opponents, officials
etc
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Empathy & Understanding
 Players participate for different
reasons
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Age/Maturity differences
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Serve as a Facilitator
 Control conditions and
environment for learning
 Enthusiastic, demanding,
motivating, and positive!
 Sandwich technique = PRAISE /
CRITICISM / PRAISE
 Appropriate activities –
challenging and exciting/fun
 Objective – passes, spacing, goals,
movement etc
The 4 Pillars of the Game
Technical Ability to consistently
manipulate the ball successfully.
What the player is able to do with
the ball.
Physical
a) Speed.
b) Endurance.
c) Strength.
d) Flexibility.
e) Agility.
f) Aerobic – with oxygen.
g) Anaerobic – with oxygen.
Tactical Game Insight or Game
Instinct. Decision-making.
a) Individual (1 v 1).
b) Group (2 v 2 ) or (7 v 7).
c) Team (8 v 8) or (11 v 11).
Psychological
a) Age specific.
b) Sex.
c) Training rhythm.
d) Motivation, enthusiasm,
determination, ability to deal with
set-back, etc.
e) Individual vs. team.
How Do Players Learn?
They receive information and process it in order of importance.
(LISTEN)
They block out unnecessary cues – attend to the most important.
(FOCUS)
They concentrate on the execution of decisions they have made.
(DECIDE)
They initiate the execution of mechanics from that decision.
(DO IT)
Coaches should talk to players in a language that players will
understand.
INSTRUCTING
The communication of knowledge is the
sole purpose of education.
Our method of translating knowledge
needs to be effective and attuned to the
PLAYER and the TEAM.
INSTRUCTING
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Provide clearly defined goals (objectives, targets, rules,
etc.).
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Provide information in a logical progression.
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Overriding – Generalized or total application, i.e., the transition to a
positive mentality towards shooting.
Specific – Play of pressuring defender. When you win the ball can you
play it forward immediately?
Correct sequence – simple to complex – general to specific.
Feedback about performance.
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Should be specific and address what is happening in game and in practice.
Corrections – addressing the group as well as the individual.
Training Progression
1. Warm-up - Lack of pressure from opponent. Pressure from ball and imposed
demands.
2. Small Sided Activity - Introduce pressure / some elements may not be
realistic. Does not have to be directional.
3. Expanded Small Sided Activity – close to the “big picture.” Directional.
4. Match Conditions – Game, with all rules (5v5 includes GK’s).
Economical Training and SAID
Principle
Economical Training:
combining as many of the
pillars of soccer in one
activity as possible.
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All training should be
specific to the technical,
tactical, physical and
psychological demands of
the game and the
principles of the game.
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Soccer training must
replicate the game – what
is done in training must be
what happens in the game.
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To be fit to play soccer,
training must be specific
to the needs and demands
of actual competition.
Specificity of Training
S – Specific
A – Adaptations
I – Imposed
D – Demands
Methods
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Preview
 What are you going to
coach?
 Why? Purpose?
Time
 When? Frequency?
Weekly/Seasonal?
Explanation
 Explain why
 Explain
rules/organization
 Paint a Picture = “Show it
– Talk it – Do it”
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Elements of Practice
 Organization – size,
space, numbers,
equipment, realistic to
game?
 Create a “Transition
Zone” – blocks
distractions, fun, creates a
positive tone for practice
The Freeze Method
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A technical freeze
 allows the coach to correct
incorrect technique and is
coach directed.
 demonstrate proper technique
and have the player rehearse
the technique.
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A tactical freeze
 is often coach directed, but can
benefit from guided questions
as well. e.g., “we are giving the
ball away coming out of the
back, how can we prevent that
from happening?”
 The tactical freeze should be
reserved for “big picture”
situations involving several
players. Optimally, the play
should be “frozen” just as the
situation presents itself. e.g., as
the defenders should be
“stepping” to the ball.
 Technique should still be
addressed when appropriate.
Phase Coaching
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First Phase
 Identify coaching moment
 Address technical breakdown
or positive execution
 Demonstrate proper technique
and have the player rehearse
the technique
 Rehearse technique with player
 Re-Start
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Second Phase Coaching
 The second phase is reserved
for “big picture” situations
involving several players
 Address First Phase Element
 Address Decision of individual
player
 Demonstrate options, eg
switch fields, overlaps et al.
 Rehearse “big picture”
 Re-Start
Are today’s coaches empowering our
players, or are they encouraging a
coaching dependency?
Over-coaching is when
your players look at
you for every move.
Under-coaching is when
your players can’t find
you.
Dr. Ron Quinn
Training Format
In an effort to improve our Technical Speed, it is imperative WE
begin to teach our players how to handle the ball under pressure.
Begin with teaching technique in a dynamic fashion.
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Dynamic Technical Training is defined by learning the aspects/
intricacies of passing/receiving/dribbling while in motion. NO
static standing!!!
Training Format
ANALYSIS
TRAINING
GAME
Fundamentals of Coaching
Preparation
Organization- Pre-planned.
What is the topic/ theme of the
session?
How players are active?
How many balls, cones, vests, &
field space?
What is the player setup?
What are the dimensions of the
field?
Where is the best coaching position?
What are the rules of the exercise?
What are the coaching points of the
session?
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Fundamentals of Coaching
Preparation
When coaching we must:
Plan
Prepare
Organize
Coach
Evaluate
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This process needs to occur with long-term development as our
goal. Two questions we need to ask ourselves, where are they
now? Where do we want to take them?
Training Format
Individual/ Group Technical
Warm-up
This is the first stage of the training
session:
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It should carry some common
thread to the overall theme of
training. The idea behind this stage
is to get the body warm and the
mind prepared to perform the
desired techniques necessary for
the session. It is imperative to
include functional technical
exercises into the warm-up. Look
to develop the technical speed of your
players.
What is Technical Speed can
be defined in two ways:
 Speed of mental acquisition
– choosing the surface of
reception/ pass before the
ball arrives based upon the
surroundings
 Speed of technical
execution – the application
of mental acquisition. The
speed by which a player can
execute his/her thoughts.
Training Format
In an effort to improve our Technical
Speed, it is imperative WE begin to
teach our players how to handle
the ball under pressure.
Begin with teaching technique in a
dynamic fashion.
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Dynamic Technical Training is
defined by learning the aspects/
intricacies of
passing/receiving/dribbling while
in motion. NO static standing!!!
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Small/ Large Group Functional
Exercise(s)
This is the middle of the session, the
“meat”, the “substance”. The
theme of the session is expressed
and instructed.
The format can be two forms:
1. Small to Large Group functional
exercises- defined as groups of 4-6
players then to 8 or more.
2. Large Group functional exercisesdefined as 8 or more players.
Training Format
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Keys to Functional Exercises
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The exercises should include some
form of opposition (players, time,
touches)
The exercises should be specific to
functions/roles of players as well
as areas of the field, ie attacking
wide areas (wide defenders/ wide
midfielders).
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There is an element of
technical functional training,
ie attacking wide areas
(crossing/serving balls).
An element of scenario
training is necessary.
Scenario Training is a
concept by which the Coach
creates a problem for the
players to re-solve, ie
attacking wide areas (must
score off a cross; switch
fields with a diagonal).
Principles of Coaching
Keep in mind, “words”.
Some terms to remember and use:
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Shape: The positioning of fellow
players in relation to each other,
the goal, and the ball. Good shape
relates to good soccer. Look for
angles that involve triangles.
Technical Speed: The speed by
which an individual player can
perform the technique under
pressure.
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Speed of execution/ Decisions:
The speed and quality of decisions
to maintain possession or score.
Speed of Play: The overall speed
of the team to perform the
technical and tactical requirements
necessary to maintain possession or
score.
Compress: When defending, make
the field smaller by moving players
in positions to deny penetration.
Principles of Coaching
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Transition: Gain control
immediately and apply the
attacking principles necessary. If
control is not gained, quickly apply
the defending principles. The key
to transition is field sense.
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Field Sense is knowing where you
are on the field, where is your help,
where is your opposition, how
much time is left and of courses
where is the ball in relation to your
goal versus the opposing goal.
Principles of Play
The game of soccer can be broken down into two (2)
basic concepts:
 SPACE
 TIME
When in possession of the ball, WE want to create more
space and time on the ball.
When not in possession, WE want to deny space and time
on the ball for the opposition.
Principles of Play
When in Possession: Create more
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space and time!
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Look to score. Utilize
combination plays to maintain
possession. Player movement is
crucial. Be creative.
Attacking principles for an attackoriented style:
Attack with Pace.
Immediately after winning the ball,
look forward first.
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Utilize possession to probe with
quick accurate passing.
Create 2 versus 1 situations,
numbers up.
Transition from defense to attack
needs to be quick.
Define player roles and objectives
when in possession.
Principles of Play
When NOT in Possession:
Deny space and time for the
opposition.
 Pressure the ball. Apply cover and
balance according to the goal,
opposition, and the ball.
 Defensive Principles in an attackoriented style:
 Transition from attacking to
defending needs to be quick.
 Pressurize opponent immediately.
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Defend up field.
Deny space by keeping the field
compact.
Define the player roles and
objectives when defending.
Principles of Play
Roles of Attackers:
 1st Attacker: Player with the ball.
Look to score first, then penetrate
with a pass or dribble. Look to
maintain possession.
 2nd Attacker: Player(s) in
immediate support of the 1st
Attacker. Look to combine with
the 1st Attacker to help maintain
possession.
 3rd Attacker: Player(s) whom
provide length and width. Their
runs create space and opportunities
for penetration.
Roles of Defenders:
 1st Defender: Player whom applies
immediate pressure on the ball,
closest to the ball.
 2nd Defender: Player(s) whom
provide cover and depth for the 1st
defender. Position self at an
appropriate angle to deny
penetration on the dribble and by a
forward pass.
 3rd Defender: Player(s) who are
providing balance across the field
to deny penetration from long
balls. Look to track players away
from the ball.
Principles of Play
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SAFETY v RISK- Thirds of the
field
 Safety – decisions to insure safety
is maintained (no chances)
 Risk – decisions allow for a degree
of risk to gain an advantage
 Attacking 1/3 (More Risk – Less
Safety)
Move Receive
Finish
 Middle 1/3 (Even Risk &
Safety)
Build
Connect
Support
 Defensive 1/3 (More Safety –
Little Risk)
Deny Destroy
Develop
Simple
Is the exercise game related?
Is the exercise soccer specific?
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Instruction
Brief
Simple
Soccer specific
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Demands
Demands/ Goals/ Objectives
It is imperative that the Coach
sets the tone for the season,
session, and game.
Coaches are expected to create a
learning environment that is
challenging. This requires
certain expectations:
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Shirts tucked in, socks pulled
up
NO foul language
NO talking when the coach
is talking
 Coaches must look
PROFESSIONAL
 Demand Quality and you will
get QUALITY
 Mistakes will happen, STOP,
REPLAY, RESTART
 DO NOT let the
STANDARD DROP!!!
Use tone and inflection to
maintain the standard.
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Game Management
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What is Game Management?
 risk management, first aid
 coach presence: appearance, voice, tone
 analysis
Pre-Game
 warm-up
 review goals/ objectives
motivate