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Kids Soccer-The Benefits Of Soccer

February 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

There are a number of benefits associated with kids soccer. Those children who take part in team sports are strong, both physically and mentally. These benefits help them in the long run and make them better people. It teaches them how to deal with anxiety, how to compete and how to reach their potential.

That being said, kids soccer also allows children to understand that the world does not revolve around them. A majority of children grow up in a sheltered environment where they are the youngest and learn to get their way. For the, team sports are very important because it helps them see a side of life which is completely different. They are made to understand that he must wait for his turn just like the other children. Over time, the child will learn to play within the team and encourage the rest of the team.

Kids soccer helps children to experience the importance of dependability. He will realize that his team’s performance depends on him and that the rest of the players are counting on him. He will understand that he has to go for practice even when he wants to stay home and watch television. Soccer coaches make it clear in the beginning of every session that every player should be read to give his 100% and play for the team.

Kids will also learn there all their actions will have consequences. If he decides to stay home and watch television, he will not be allowed to play as much during the next game. Similarly, those kids who show up without fail should be given more importance and therefore, be rewarded.

During kid’s soccer, parents should refrain from interfering during such situations. If their child has been told to sit out, they should not create a scene with the coach.

There are social benefits involved with kids soccer as well. If you are new to the city and your child is finding it difficult to make friends, sign up with the local youth soccer league. Once your child becomes a part of the sport, he will soon have more friends than he can handle!

Similarly, if your child gets into a lot of trouble, head over to the kids soccer league and sign him up. By playing all day and getting rid of all the pent-up energy, he will not have time to get into trouble and your problem will be solved.

The physical benefits of kid’s soccer cannot be ignored. If a child is made to understand the importance of a healthy body from an early age, health problems like obesity can be avoided. It is an excellent form of exercise as it will not only keep your child fit but it is also fun.

Children will also understand how to carry on despite added pressures and anxiety. They will learn how to work under stress and excel no matter what. This will make them stronger mentally and help them in the future.

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Soccer For Kids – Have Fun And Get Healthy At The Same Time

February 4, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

All parents want their children to learn the social skills required to survive in today’s society. Discipline, respect, determination and confidence are just some of the attributes that they want their children to have. Every parent also wants his or her children to grow up healthy and fit.

Playing sports, in particular soccer, is a great way for children to achieve all of this. Soccer allows children and teenagers to develop social skills, have fun and stay fit, all at the same time.

Despite it being the most played game in the world though, many people, especially those in the U.S. are unsure how to play it. Don’t worry though, you can quickly learn the basics of it.

Soccer is a game of two forty-five minute halves. Kicking the ball into the goal of the opposing team as many times as possible within this time limit is the objective of both teams.

The team with the most goals as the end of the match is declared the winner. Should the teams have scored no goals or an equal amount of goals then the match is a draw; if this is the case, then there may be a penalty shot to find a winner, whereby each team has 5 shots at goal and the team who scores the most wins.

Each team consists of eleven players, with one of those being designated as a goalkeeper, whose job it is to protect the goal of his team.

The keeper is the only player that can use his hands to stop the ball. The other ten players are designated positions depending on the coach’s style.

These ten players may be assigned as either defenders, midfielders or strikers. Defenders tend to stay in around their own teams goal – their purpose being to prevent the opposing team from being able to shoot at it.

The midfielders are the link between the defenders and the strikers. They operate in the middle of the park and conduct the pace and tempo of the game. They offer support to the defenders while supplying the service to the strikers.

The forwards also known as the strikers are given the job of scoring goals. These players make up the offensive side of the field. Though they aren’t the only players that are allowed to score, they tend to score the vast majority of the goals for their team. This is the most sought after position and lots of soccer parents want their child to be a striker because of the increased amount of attention and recognition that they receive.

There’s no need to worry about the cost of soccer either as the only thing that is needed to play is a ball. The question shouldn’t be whether you can afford to play soccer, but rather can you afford not to play.

Soccer is fast becoming a mass phenomenon with the soccer community growing exponentially with no end in sight. Will you be a part of the ride? Who knows, your child could be the next David Beckham?

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Coaching Soccer-Time To Pass On The Torch

February 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Coaching soccer is considered to be rewarding because it allows former players to ‘pass on the torch’ and help players improve and develop their game. It will also help you to become a better coach in the long run. There are a number of methods that you can follow to improve your coaching techniques.

Carrying out a regular regime that focuses on soccer drills is an excellent way to help players reach their potential. This method has been carried out for a number of years and its results have been observed during the game.

Soccer coaches should focus on creating situations that may occur during the course of the game. Regular practice will help players understand how to tackle problems and therefore, win the game. They will know which pass they should make and how they should use it to their advantage.

While coaching soccer and forming drills, it is very important to keep the age group of the players in mind. If you are coaching children below 10, you should not only know how to deal with them and calm them down, but also understand that they are highly enthusiastic.

Soccer coaches in this situation tend to overwork the children and have high expectations from them. However, this can prove to be very frustrating. They should instead focus on how to make the training process fun and ensure that they are motivated and ever ready to work hard. It is unfair on these kids if you expect them to play with the endurance of professional soccer players for 90 minutes straight. If they do not understand certain rules, do not get angry at them and imagine that they have the same grasping power as your players that belong to an older age group.

Another important aspect of coaching soccer is to know how to deal with internal as well as external conflicts that are hampering the performance of the team. External problems may include a troubled home life, general unhappiness or a bad mood whereas internal problems include clashes between players and every-day arguments. The coach should know what signs to look out for so that a problem is solved before it has a chance to become unpleasant.

There are several methods that can be used to help your players learn rules during the training sessions. While some players learn by reading, others learn by doing. Coaches should take players out for games and point out different styles that they can incorporate into their game. Videos are available on the internet as well and by rewinding, pausing and forwarding, players can learn different tricks.

When coaching soccer for kids, every coach should know how to deal with the soccer parents as well. This is because younger children depend on their parents for advice and if there are problems between the coach and the parents on a regular basis, they will be ill-motivated and find it difficult to enjoy the game.

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Kids Soccer- The Beauty Of Soccer

February 2, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

It goes without saying that every sport offers its own social, emotional and physical benefits. However, soccer is considered to be the most demanding sport and helps children develop balanced personalities, help them interact with people their own age and show them that exercise can be fun and does not have to be a task.

The best part about soccer is that it is not difficult to learn and any child can perfect the moves in a short period of time. All the child needs to know is how to run and once a soccer ball is added, they have learnt how to play! Basic skills like passing, shooting and dribbling do not take time to learn and the effort required is minimal.

There are no pre-requisites and no qualifications that a child must have in order to join a team. Soccer is all about team work and if the team wins, it’s because of the effort put in by all the players. Because of the various positions on the soccer field, every child gets a chance to contribute to the game and kick the ball several times irrespective of how well he can play.

These elements contribute greatly towards building a child’s self esteem because his coach gives him the confidence. If a child prevents the opposing team from making a goal, he will feel good which will motivate him to perform better.

Parents who want their kids to get out of their shells sign them up with local soccer leagues because it helps them to make friends and get rid of their inhibitions. They see their shy sons and daughters transform into confident and assertive players within a short period of time.

Soccer parents are considered to be an important part of kid’s soccer. They stand on the sidelines during the game and encourage their kids. They help them with their drills at home and help them reach their potential. However, it is important for soccer coaches and soccer parents to have harmonious relationship so that the child does not get stuck in the middle of conflict and find it difficult to concentrate on his game.

When coaching a kid’s soccer team, the coach should know to motivate the kids and understand that being harsh or overtly critical will only hamper performance. Kids need to be told gently if they are doing something wrong and the punishments need to be fair and just.

Soccer is on its way to becoming the best sport in the United States of America as well as the world. Every parent should encourage their children to join a soccer team because it not only keeps them fit; it also keeps them out of trouble. It helps them to understand that they will be held responsible for their actions and that they will get respect only if they are respectful. Last but not the least, their aggressiveness and pent-up energy will be channelized in a positive manner.

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Kids Soccer-What Age Should My Child Play Competitive Soccer?

February 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Many soccer parents contemplate and wonder when is the right age for their children to start playing competitive soccer. To be honest, this question cannot be answered and is too generic. When will you as the parent be ready for your kids to play competitive soccer is a better question.

Your son has just been injured on the field by a bigger and stronger player. How do you react? Do you run on the field protesting or do you start to yell abuse at the player. The question is this; your child will be ready to play soccer when you are ready to cope with all the ups and downs. Can it be simpler than this?

Young kids play soccer because it’s fun. They have no intentions of hurting another player or injuring them. Unfortunately that’s the nature of the sport and injuries are bound to happen. Can you handle this?

I’ve seen children as young as 5 participate in soccer and love every minute. The parents are very supporting and expect at times that their kids might get hurt. On the other hand, I’ve witnessed 10 year olds that cannot cope with the pressures of the game. Pressure from the over demanding coaches and parents make the sport unbearable even on the best of days.

The right age to play competitive soccer can be any age as long as you understand the variables that usually effect the enjoyment of the game. For starters, parents must accept that their children are going to get hurt and must learn to deal with it in a civilized manner. They must understand that soccer is a team sport and that there children are not going to be the center of attention.

If you as the parent can get this right, your child is free to play at any age, no problems. But make sure you’re ready to stand in the stands when your child needs you the most. Otherwise your child could be 20 years old and still not be ready for competitive soccer.

Think about it; are you ready for your child to play competitive soccer? I’m guessing your child was born ready to have fun, what’s the hold up.

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Kids Soccer- Working With Soccer Parents

January 30, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Soccer for kids should be all about fun and learning. In order for a team to be successful it must be able to control the parents on the sidelines. Most parents involved in Kids soccer are very supportive and caring and want only the best for their children. Every once in a while you come across a parent who causes a season of trouble and irritation.

For a team or club to be successful it is important to have teamwork. This teamwork shouldn’t be limited to just the players and should involve the coach and the parents. The most important relationship is often overlooked and neglected. Can you guess which one it is? It’s the relationship between the coach and the parents.

If the coach and parents have a good relationship, the team and children benefit significantly. If the parents continue to clash with the coach, the children lose the sense of fun and enjoyment because they continue to witness their parents fighting.

The best way to deal with these parents is to prevent it from happening in the first place. At the beginning of every season lay down the law. Give them a brief description of your plans for the year and your coaching methods. Establish playing time, position rotations and the levels of parent participation that will be required. If they don’t agree with you in the beginning before the season starts, the best option might be for them to find a new club.

Once the parents have agreed on your coaching plans, the next best option is to get them involved. Don’t let parents be a taxi service for their kids, get them involved in training. Get them to help around the club and get them to participate during the training drills.

Last but not least, communicate with the parents. Give the parents feedback during the season and let them know how their children are improving and developing. Discuss their child’s progress, strengths and weaknesses and offer constructive feedback. Let them know you actually care about their children and your coaching them because you want them to succeed and reach their potential.

If after your best intentions and efforts are ignored and problems still arise from certain parents, make sure to act in a professional manner. Also take control of the situation as early as possible because the problem will inevitable escalate, causing you more grief in the long run.

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Soccer-New Soccer Parents Listen Up

January 29, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

In a another article, we talked about the soccer positions that soccer parents should understand.  In this article, we will discuss the soccer field.  A regulation size field is 100 yards long, and 60 yards wide.  The same length as an American Football field, but slightly wider.  Indoor soccer fields vary greatly in size, the field areas we will discuss below remain consistent.

We will start in the center of the field.  In the middle of the field is the Center Circle.  The center circle is area where the referee will start or restart the game.  It has a ten yard radius, which players need to stay out of as the ball is started into play.  In the center of the center circle is the center spot, which is the exact location of where the center kicks occur.  There is also a line across the field at it’s center.  This is the center line, the center line is both the starting point, and also is used to determine offsides.  We’re not going to get into that penalty for now.

Then we have the sidelines, marking the side boundaries of the field, but for us soccer parents, it is technically called the touch line.  At the two ends of the field we have the end lines, also known as the goal lines.

At each end is also the penalty area, a rectangle around the goal where the goalie can use his hands.  It also in an area that provides safety to offensive players from excessive roughness from defenders.  If an excessive foul happens within this area, it results in a penalty kick.  There is also a smaller box within the penalty area called the goal area, this is the area where penalty kicks are taken.  This is the area soccer parents need to dread, many games are won and lost by penalty kicks.

A few other areas soccer parents should know about.  We have the corner arcs, which are found at the four corners of the playing field.  These arcs are the locations where corner kicks are taken.  Corner kicks happen after a team kicks the ball over the end line.  There is a penalty arc, which designates the area near the goal, where all other players except the goalkeeper and the penalty kicker, must remain out of, while a penalty kick is in progress.  Then within the penalty arc, there is the penalty spot or mark, which is the location the ball is laid for the penalty kick.

One note I’d like to mention for all of you soccer parents, indoor soccer usually results in a much smaller field, and results in shrinking the dimensions of many of the areas.  But normally all of these key areas of the soccer field remain intact.  Indoor soccer play is often quite different than outdoor soccer due to the smaller size fields.

I hope understanding a little more about the field, and all of the markings on the field, will help new soccer parents to enjoy this wonderful game.  With a clear understanding of the field, you can also help coaches in teaching your young soccer player.  Let’s hit the field, time for soccer parents to cheer our kids, and have some fun!

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Soccer-Quick Notes For A New Soccer Parent

January 28, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Congratulations!  You’ve just become a Soccer Parent.  Soccer is a great game for your child to learn about team work, to create new friendships, and to have a lot of fun.

A new soccer parent is often confused by what is happening on the field, and how they can help their young soccer player.  Let’s review a few of the terms quickly, to help you understand the game.  In this brief article we will cover soccer positions.

It’s important for a soccer parent to know the different positions, so they can understand their child’s role in the game.

We will start with our defensive unit.  The Goalie or Goalkeeper is the one we are all familiar with.  This is the player who defends the goal, our last line of defense.  The positions just in front of the goalkeeper are the Defenders.  They try to keep the ball farther away from the goal, trying to keep their bodies between the ball and the goal, making shots on the goal from our opponent more difficult.  They attempt to clear the ball to the center of the field.

The next position a soccer parent should know about is the Midfielder, they are the conductors of the game.  The flow between defense and offense, controlling the center part of the field.  They need to be great passers, and quick on their feet.  When the defenders kick the ball out, the midfielder’s job is to take over and through footwork and passing, move the ball into the offensive end of the field.  When the opposing team has control of the ball, the midfielder will attempt to intercept the ball as it is coming down the field, and will attempt to slow the progress of the player with the ball.

The primary players taking the shots, and scoring most of the goals are the forwards, also called the strikers.  These are the players on our offensive side of the field.  Ideally they are our most accurate and powerful kickers.  The midfielders and the forwards will pass the ball, looking for a weakness in the defense and an opportunity to shoot at the goal for a score.  A soccer parent usually wants their child to be a forward, since it is the position with the most recognition.

You may also encounter these positions.  The fullback, a defensive player who plays near the goalie.  The sweeper, another form of defensive player who play directly in front of the goalie, sweeping back and forth as the last defensive player before the goalie.  These two positions are types of defenders, and may not always be used.

Hopefully you, the new soccer parent, will learn to appreciate the importance and skills needed for every position.  Defense may be even more important than offense.  Since soccer games are normally very low scoring, each goal prevented is a big advantage.  I hope every soccer parent learns to cheer for every stop, every steal, and every great pass.

Knowing the soccer positions by name, will make it much easier for the soccer parent to discuss play with their youth soccer player, and the soccer coach.

Thank you for becoming a soccer parent, it will be a great time for you and your child.  Enjoy the game!

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Soccer Parents Listen Up

January 28, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

While professional soccer players are very serious about their game and have perfected their moves over the years, kids who are learning to play just want to have fun. Most soccer parents insist on staying on the field while their children play, which is okay, but in order to ensure that there are no obstacles in the way, soccer coaches should know how to deal with the parents.

A majority of soccer parents support their kids and do not go against the wishes of the coach, but every once in a while, there are such moms and dads who cannot refrain from causing trouble.

It is impossible for players to win a game unless there is teamwork. While this includes the players, it should also involve the parents as well as the coach. For a game to be successful there should be a cordial relationship between the soccer parents and the coach.

Many youth soccer leagues do not recognize this and tend to ignore it. What they don’t realize is that if harmony exists, the children will be motivated to work harder and improve their game. If the child sees that his parents are constantly arguing with the coach, he will not be able to have fun, which destroys the entire purpose of the activity.

This is why it is important to prevent unpleasant situations from taking place, which is only possible if the parents are told about certain regulations and expectations. Before the session commences, the parents should be told about the schedule for the entire year as well as the methods that the coach follows to train the kids. Playing time and parent participation levels should be made clear. If the parents give too many suggestions and there are unnecessary arguments, it is best to recommend another league or club.

On the other hand, if they agree and are happy with all the guidelines, soccer coaches should ask them to get involved in the training process as well. They should be told about how they can help and how to participate during drills. Soccer parents should be briefed about such drills that can be carried out at home so that the child is never out of practice.

Every soccer coach should carry out weekly meetings with the parents. This way, problems can be cleared out. The coach should make sure that he gives a report to the parents that spells out important improvements and developments. Constructive feedback in the form of the child’s weaknesses and progress should also be given. The coach should ensure that the soccer parents know that he cares about the game and that he does his best to help the children succeed.

However, despite these measures, if their problems still persist between the parents and the coach,personal meetings should be carried out. The behavior of the coach should be professional and biases should not color his opinions. If the coach sees a problem approaching, he should tackle it before it escalates and leads to further difficulties.

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Soccer Parents-Are You The Best Coach In The World?

January 27, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

It is very important for a soccer coach to deal with soccer parents in the correct manner. Parents like to stay on the field and watch the game and keep giving their kids something to drink during the breaks.

Soccer coaches should speak to the parents and the kids before the session commences so that certain rules, regulations are expectations are made clear. Certain youth soccer leagues ask the parents to go through these rules in writing and leave their signature at the end of the document.

The coach himself should read out the content so that doubts are cleared then and there. By doing so, soccer parents will be made aware of the standards of the soccer coach as well as acceptable behavior during the game. This helps to avoid unpleasant situations in the future as the document can be presented at any given time.

Soccer parents should ensure that they encourage their children from the sidelines and refrain from negative comments against the other players. They should do so without coaching their children because that is the job of the soccer coach. They should not interfere with the game by telling the referee what to do.

The soccer coach should also tell the parents how they could deal with problems that may crop up. They should be instructed not to carry out detailed conversations with the coach before the game because anxiety levels are high during this time period. Similarly, soccer parents should not approach the coach during as well as immediately after the game.

However, if it is very important, they should first consult the manager and try to solve the problem. If this does not work, they should email the coach. In case a personal meeting is to be arranged, soccer parents should call and fix and appointment beforehand. This delay can cause the problem to solve itself as logic and rationality kicks in.

The soccer coach should know how to deal with soccer parents and remain calm and polite during meetings. He should listen to the problem carefully and stay unbiased. The solution should be objective as this is the only way to get rid of any problem. Arguments tend to get very heated if the coach is critical of the child.

Coaches should be careful about this and add a positive remark at the end of your statement. For example- young players tend to make mistakes but they learn from them, which helps them in the future.

In case a soccer parent does not refrain from coaching his child from the sidelines, the soccer coach should call for a meeting and ask all the parents to attend. This way, that particular parent will not feel cornered. The coach should then explain why it is necessary to follow this rule. Tell them that their children will get confused if they hear different sets of instructions during the game. They will also find it difficult to make individual decisions in the future.

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