Coaching Tips

  • Know Your Players:  Who are they, what are their expectations, and why are they on your team?  Are your players in it for similar reasons?  Do the players fit in with your system or does your system need to adjust to fit your players?  Be prepared to be flexible!  Read More!
  • Set Goals:  Set short term and long term goals for yourself, your players and the team.  Every goal should be realistic and within reach!  Read More!
  • Empower Your Players:  Teach your players to communicate on the field, don't constantly yell instructions from the sidelines.  Allow the players to do their own thinking, you may be pleasantly surprised!  Read More!
  • Sideline Guidelines:  Do not allow parents to coach from the sidelines during games.  Players should be allowed to think on their own and not worry about disappointing their parents or being embarrassed by a parent!  Read More!
  • Be Professional:  Everyone associated with your team should always conduct themselves in a professional manner.  Do not allow anyone to question the referee, referees have enough to concentrate on.  Instruct parents and spectators to be fans of the team and of the sport, not bickering whiners who have to point out every questionable call or missed call by the referees.  Character, respect and integrity are more important than a goal, a missed call, or a win!  Read More!
  • Don't Over Coach:  Keep it simple during games, emphasize just one or two goals for the players to focus on.  Give clear and concise instructions before the game and during halftime.  Save the coaching for practice!  Read More!
  • Integrity First:  Never encourage your players to cheat or break rules.  Discuss this matter with your players in advance, before any problem arises.  Don't allow your players to take dives in an effort to get the referee to make a call.  Don't encourage your players to chase a ball out of bounds in an effort to get the referee to award your team the ball, unless possession truly is yours.  Players', coaches', and teams' behaviors and actions either builds character, trust and integrity throughout the community or it ruins character, trust, and integrity throughout the community.  Cheating ruins the integrity of our sport.  Integrity of the sport is more important than any call or game result!  Read More!
  • Name Your Drills:  Naming your drills saves transition time in practice.  The players will automatically know how to set up the drill and what is expected from them!  Read More!
  • Develop A Vocabulary:  Develop and use vocabulary "buzz words" while coaching to communicate quickly and efficiently.  Save time in practice and send a quick and meaningful message during games.  One "buzz word" can send an entire message filled with meaning!  Read More!
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  • Incorporate Competitions:  Incorporate competitions into your practices to keep the players sharp under pressure. Challenges involving dribbling, passing, possession, and shooting can easily be done as team or individual competitions, keeping the players sharp, challenged, and fit.  Everything can be made a competition!  Read More!
  • Don't Be A Master Of The Obvious:  Too many times I've seen coaches shouting across the field immediately after a player has made an obvious mistake.  We've all heard parents and coaches yelling immediately after the mistake "don't dive in," "don't play the ball in front of your own goal," or "what are you doing?"  Instead, offer a positive suggestion or solution to help them get back on track or save the comments for halftime or practice.  Nobody appreciates a master of the obvious!  Read More!
  • Don't Confuse Fitness With Running:  Teams can get fit through challenging drills in practice where players increase their fitness level while competing in game related drills.  Incorporate fitness in drills involving a variety of skills in high pressure situations to increase physical and mental fitness!  Read More!
  • Improvise:  A great coach is prepared for anything.  Game and practice situations can change quickly due to a variety of reasons, so it's important for coaches to be able to adjust to any condition with poise, purpose, and confidence.  Failing to plan is planning to fail!  Read More!
  • Prepare For Emergencies: Maintain an emergency kit with basic first aid supplies.  Keep emergency phone numbers, contact phone numbers, and a working cell phone with you while coaching.  Know if the cell phone has coverage in the area and if not, know where the nearest telephone is.  Every second counts!
  • Teach Tactics That Work: One tactic that works is "Baiting" the opponent.  Many coaches prematurely encourage their players to play the ball out of the back, long before they're ready to take on such a technical style of play.  In situations such as this, your players should be prepared to bait their opponent into passing into trouble.  Baiting the opponent to passing into trouble is quite effective and easy to do.  For example, during an opponent's goal kick, your forwards can move into an area of the field (toward the middle) making the opponents think it would be safe to play a short pass out of the back to an outside defender.  A moment before the goal kick is played, your forward should begin a full sprint into the path of the pass, either to intercept the pass or pressure the defender into giving up possession.  Mark them tight where you don't want them to pass the ball, and bait them (leave slightly open) where you do want them to pass the ball!
coaching tips for football