What’s Your Coaching Philosophy?

Ever recreational soccer coach has an influence on their young soccer players—mostly positive but sometimes negative. At the core of this influence is the coach’s philosophy. Don’t let the word “philosophy” turn you off like it often has done for me. Simply contemplate your answer to the question “What do I hope to teach my young athletes?”

If you ponder the question carefully, your response to the question will come pouring out. Some possible responses might be:

• To teach the fundamentals of soccer
• Make sure the kids have fun
• Teach them how to win
• Develop them as individuals
• Help them realize their potential
• Show them how to compete
• Build character
• Winning is everything

Whatever your answers might be, you have just outlined the core tenets of your coaching philosophy. These tenets reflect the values coaches hold in their personal lives.

Recently, I completed a book titled Sport Psychology for Coaches. The book motivated me to define and evaluate my soccer coaching philosophy. I found my personal perspectives were mostly positive, but there is room for improvement. This thinking process increased my level of awareness surrounding my personal values and to prioritize my competitive objectives based on those values. Sport Psychology for Coaches is a great eye-opener!

The Bible of Soccer Coaching

There are many books and articles hyping the best methods for coaching soccer. But each time you open The Soccer Coaching Bible you’ll learn something new and useful for your next practice, game, or season. Whether you coach at the club, high school, or college level, this book is an essential addition to your coaching library. With The Soccer Coaching Bible, you can draw from the expertise and experience of 30 of the game’s most successful coaches, learning new and better ways to coach the game and develop your players. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) assembled an all-star lineup of 30 coaches to tackle every important aspect to coaching the sport.

On- and off-field duties are covered in detail, and the material in each chapter is rich with the voice of experience. From Anson Dorrance’s chapter on organizing and orchestrating a winning program to Lauren Gregg’s chapter on creating the ideal training environment, this book provides the answers you’ve been looking for. Steve Sampson explains the technical and tactical nuances of controlling the ball, and Tony DiCicco encourages and informs mentoring developing players and coaches. The vast coaching expertise is divided into six sections, making it easy to choose what to implement into your program:

§ Priorities and Principles
§ Program Development and Management
§ Optimal Training for Learning and Performance
§ Technical and Tactical Insights for Competitive Success
§ Player and Team Development and Motivation
§ Growth Opportunities in the Coaching Role

Are these folks the prevailing experts when it comes to coaching soccer? What do you think? The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) is the largest coaches’ organization in the United States. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than 16,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, the NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents more than 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and weeklong courses, teaching more than 3,000 soccer coaches each year.

Coaching Girls’ Soccer

Do you want to build a winning girls’ soccer program, on the field and off? In Coaching Girls’ Soccer Successfully, one of the nation’s top high school coaches, Debra LaPrath, shares her expertise on all aspects of coaching. From establishing a coaching philosophy to making decisions during a game, this is the approach that has made her program a perennial powerhouse.

The author clearly outlines the importance of defining your coaching philosophy. It zeroes-in on your values and beliefs, the individual and team’s goals, keeps you focused on what’s best for the girls, and emphasizes being true to your own personality. At the core of her approach to coaching, is developing the character of individual players and team cohesiveness.

Developing a coaching philosophy is just the beginning. Coaching Girls’ Soccer Successfully covers many different aspects of the coach’s role including:

• Developing and perfecting skills
• Evaluating players and defining their roles
• Organizing productive practices
• Scouting and preparing for games
• Adding variety to training
• Developing leadership qualities
• Motivating the team
• Communicating on and off the field

The coaching techniques illustrated in this book will help you develop better players, more complete athletes, and more confident young women. The book features seasonal training plans, drills for developing fundamental to advanced skills, and advice for handling off-the-field challenges. Coaching Girls’ Soccer Successfully is a “must-read” if you are searching for motivational tips, coaching guidelines, and specific strategies for working with female soccer players.

Young Soccer Players’ and Shoe Laces

In a soccer match, the last thing you need to worry about is your players’ shoe laces! Imagine being able to say “Mary or Sammy put their cleats on before leaving home, their soccer shoes have a snug fit, and I know their shoe laces will stay secure until the game is over!”

eSoccer Gear.com lets you say that with an innovative and affordable product named Lock Laces. The Lock Lace system is the most comfortable athletic lacing system around. Lock Laces are a patented “elastic lacing system” featuring specially designed elastic laces combined with a spring-activated locking device.This unique design is perfect for activities such as running, walking, aerobics, gym class, biking and other sports. Wear these elastic shoe laces with all styles of running shoes, athletic shoes and casual lace-up shoes. You’ll never have to stop a soccer match to retie your kid’s shoe laces.

With Lock Laces, you can simply slip their soccer shoes on and off, no more tying and untying shoe laces or double knots! Lock Laces provide convenience, superior comfort, more flexibility and a better fit compared to cotton or nylon shoe laces. Lock Laces provide an innovative and colorful solution to messy or untied shoelaces. All there is to remember is:

• Just lace ‘em once…and never again
• Lock Laces are GREAT for young athletes
• You’ll have no more shoelaces to drag or trip over
• Our elastic shoe laces fit all types of athletic footwear.

Yes! With Lock Laces your young soccer players can now play, perform and compete without worry.

Soccer Shoes and Cleats for Youth

Many of us know our young soccer players’ feet grow quickly. This makes outfitting the family (kiddies, teens and grown-up kids) with new soccer shoes—a bit expensive. We are not just talking once a year, but it many cases every season (Fall to Indoor to Spring to Fall).

eSoccerGear.com suggests that parents refuse to buy into the brand name marketing trap—our kids must have the most expensive soccer cleats available. After all, you’re paying the extra costs of the big name companies to private label and market their brands. Do you really think they are manufacturing their own shoes? Come on, it’s a global economy and I’m telling you they are all having their soccer shoes made by sweatshops in India and China.

In addition, parents should understand they will never get the value out of an expensive soccer shoe in a single season. Don’t worry Moms and Dads; there is another alternative for your younger players. Vizari makes attractive, affordable soccer shoes for young players—these soccer cleats are just not mass marketed!!! And for $19-$22, you can buy brand new soccer shoes for your rapidly growing soccer player—without breaking the bank.

For the teen recreational/select and occasional adult players, eSoccerGear.com sells the newest styles of soccer shoes by Vizari. We are pleased to bring you the latest in teen and adult soccer cleat technology. We have the right soccer shoe for all playing surfaces.

eSoccerGear.com also sells mid-range soccer shoes by Vizari for teens and adults. These soccer cleats are designed for players at the intermediate level in adult sizes only. We also offer high-end soccer shoes for adult players. Select level players choose the “Copa Select” or “Vanguish” soccer cleats. Soccer shoes are made with soft luxurious full grain leather—for serious soccer players in adult sizes only.

Soccer enthusiasts who choose to play indoors or on synthetic surfaces also have affordable options. If you’re playing indoors, it’s a good idea to purchase a pair of indoor soccer shoes. Often, you can use molded cleats on the turf at many indoor facilities, but to prevent injuries and for the health of your feet; it’s wise to buy a pair of flat-soled soccer shoes to use when playing indoor.

eSoccerGear.com has just the right Vizari indoor soccer shoes and soccer cleats for synthetic turf–at affordable prices! You know you want–or need a pair–you’re just a click away from having the right soccer shoes for your turf.

Soccer Shin Guards for Kids

Have you gone shopping for soccer shin guards for your young player lately? It is incredible when you see the scope and depth of your options. There are numerous manufacturers claiming their shin guards offer the best protection and are the most affordable. And there are others who market the aesthetics of their products, mostly appealing to our kids—because as parents we know the sex appeal of shin guards is paramount when gauging its ability to protect our kids’ legs! Right!!

Remember soccer shin guards are made to protect the front of the lower leg from errant kicks and are regulation wear in all levels of the sport. With player safety of maximum importance in all levels of soccer, the shin guard has now become a necessity in competitive soccer—at all ages.
New coaches don’t forget, referees will not allow you to play without shin guards. If you don’t want your kids to incur serious leg injuries then carefully selected shin guards are your kids’ both best friend and most loyal protector.

There are many styles and sizes to choose based on your age and style of play. Here are some important points to consider when selecting soccer shin guards:

• When sizing shin guards, the best way to measure the leg for shin guards is to take the length of the leg from ankle to knee and take off an inch. Soccer shin guards should offer protection for legs without obstructing movement.
• Measure the shin from below where the knee bends to 1 inch above the shoe top–this is the proper length of soccer shin guards.
• High school players should look for NOCSAE Approved shin guards
• Shin guards should cover most of the area from the ankle to your knee

Look for protective shin guards that are strong and durable. On my Girls U13 team, we have selected Vizari Milanos to protect our girls—they are NOCSAE approved and affordable. Remember, they will get kicked in the shins, so choose your soccer shin guards wisely. Make sure they cover the leg from the ankle to the bottom of the knee. Do the shin guards fit comfortably? Can you kids run, jump, and kick easily with the shin guards on?

Reasonably Priced Kids’ Soccer Shoes

Many of us know our young soccer players’ feet grow quickly. This makes outfitting them with new soccer shoes every season—not just every year—a bit expensive. We are not just talking once a year, but it many cases every season (Fall to Indoor to Spring to Fall). I suggest that parents refuse to buy into the brand name marketing trap—that our kids must have Nikes or Adidas, they must be expensive, and parents should willfully accept they will never get the value out of an expensive soccer shoe in a single season.

Don’t worry Moms and Dads, there are alternatives. Other than using hand-me-downs, or buying used soccer cleats, careful research will produce affordable results. For instance, Vizari makes attractive, affordable soccer shoes for young players—they are just not mass marketed!!! And for $19-$22, you can buy brand new cleats for your rapidly growing soccer player—without breaking the bank.

I would make two suggestions to parents contemplating a soccer shoe purchase. Stay away from the stylish Velcro, lap-over tongues and zip-up shoes. These styles do not promote a secure fit. If you want to be innovative, consider a pair of elastic shoe laces for your new cleats. These laces are adjustable and will keep you away from the embarrassing moment of—the referee stopping play so you can run on the field to retie junior’s laces.