As a first time coach when my Daughter began her soccer “career” I recall the frustration of creating a practice strategy that included the proper youth soccer drills. Coaching for the first first time can be very frustrating, especially in the younger age groups and taking skill level of the children into mind is very important.
Practices must be well planned but not to rigid to create boredom, let the kids play and have fun and that will keep them coming to practice. The focus should be on improving skills in key areas such as dribbling/ball control, passing and shooting.
Strategies such as keeping spread out, defending and supporting teammates and the rules like proper throw ins, penalty kicks and corner/goal kick need to be incorporated into practices for the younger ages and reviewed as needed for the older kids.
One of the biggest problems of practice and forming teams is when the skill level of the children is mixed, some will be more advanced then others and this will create a challenge at practice. by the age of 9-10 players and especially parents will demand to play a favorite position , that is always a challenge. Fitness is also an important issue in soccer as in all sports- fitness training.
Working out an effective well planned out practice takes time and effort but is well worth it when you see the results as the season progresses. For more info try this site,click here, of useful tips on coaching and Youth Soccer Drills.

Soccer is the most watched and most played sport in the world. There are an estimated 200 million people that regularly play soccer throughout the world in various countries. Some professionally, while most, kids and adults alike, play the game for fun or amateur competition.
Soccer is a game of skillful control. The more control you have over the ball and the more time you control the ball, the more likely you are to win the game. Youth Soccer Drills are tasks designed to help soccer players improve on their skills through repetition and practice. Without skillful ball control it is difficult to move the ball effectively across the field.  Soccer fitness is also an important part of teaching the game of soccer to kids
One way to begin the process of learning ball control is by using an obstacle course. By learning to manipulate the ball around obstacles, a player can gain tighter control of the ball. Use small posts, or orange cones to create obstacle. The player then has to manipulate the ball around the obstacles without contact in order to successfully complete the course. Tight ball control is probably the single most important factor that makes a soccer player great.
Another very important and common skill required is ball trapping. Using different parts of the body to stop the ball and gain control. Start by having someone throw the ball at a player from different heights and practice getting the ball under control quickly. It is important to be fast because there is not much time in an actual soccer match before the other team is on you.
A good way to practice trapping for a player without a partner is to use a wall. Using a wall give the individual a chance to practice these skills at any time. Stand at about 10-15 feet away from the wall and knock the ball against it and then trap it as it rebounds. This exercise gives the chance to work on both kicking and ball control. As the player gets comfortable, they can start using both feet and incorporate speed by running to meet the oncoming ball.
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Youth soccer coaching can prove to be a challenge to the new and experienced coach alike. There are many strategies and Youth Soccer Drills that a coach can use to teach the basic skills to new young players and also to the more advanced athlete.

One of the first challenges that arises especially in the younger age groups is assessing the skill level of the players. At the younger non-competitive age groups there will be quit a mix of skills from the very beginner to the more experienced players. Organization of practices is very important to keep both groups involved and interested in what is being taught.

After a warm-up the technique portion of practice is very important. New players need to be taught the basics of First touch, passing, dribbling, shooting, throw ins, corner kicks and goal kicks. Older more experienced players need to continually practice all of the basics as well. When breaking the team into groups it is best to divide the players evenly with a mix of skill level to give the drill balance. After a 15-20 minute drills session than a scrimmage would give the players time to practice what they have learned and work on playing together. To continue on with more soccer tips click here.

Youth soccer is about learning, love of the game, scoring and having fun. Youth soccer drills should be well planned so that they are fun and meaningful for the young players so that their interest is maintained.

Planning practices is very important for a coach to keep the flow of the training going in a positive direction. warm-ups should always be first to get the blood flowing, muscles stretched and to prevent injury.

The next stage of practice should consist of skills/drills demonstrations and practice to teach new skills like dribbling, passing, defense, first touch and receiving the ball,heading and attacking the ball.

One of the most important skills to teach is the first touch. A good first touch is vital in controlling the ball and without the offensive game will suffer. They players will learn to move through the field with more control and will improve the ball movement on the field.

Drill:

A 10- by 10- yards area.

Players in groups of three with a ball to each group.Two players with the ball on one side of the square face the third player on the opposite side.

Action

The first player passes to the opposite player and sprints around him/her.

The receiving player taps the ball to the side, first touch, as the sprinting player comes around him/her. The sprinting player passes first touch to the next player facing him/her who repeats the action.

The end player changes after several sequences.

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After the teaching phase small sided games can be used to practice the techniques learned and put the new skills to use. A scrimmage can be done as a way to end the practice to give the players a chance to increase their stamina and learn to work with their teammate to build teamwork.

Coaching youth soccer can be a big challenge, but the rewards of seeing the progress of the young players over the course of a season is worth all the effort.

next: soccer fitness training

Soccer is obviously a very energetic and fast paced sport. During games,practice and youth soccer drills nutrition and hydration is very important. As a coach and parent I am always amazed at the fact that many kids often show up to practice without adequate water or looking lethargic from not eating properly. When asked if they have prepared for the practice or game by eating a good meal and hydrating the answer is often no! As a coach it is imperative to stress the importance of proper nutrition and hydration not only for performance but for safety. Without proper nutrition and hydration many complications could occur and could easily be prevented.
To insure proper hydration the young athlete should be trained to begin hydration about two hours before a practice or a game, water or water and a sports drink combination is best. Avoid sports drinks or fruit juices that have to much sugar. The liquid of choice should be close to room temperature as they are absorbed by the body and available faster than very cold water. There are many sports drinks that can be used to hydrate and add to water, these drinks provide the salts and minerals that water alone does not. Electrolyte replacement is very important when training and playing in games. potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium are all lost with heavy exercise an sweating and must be replaced to reduce the risk of muscle cramps and spasm.
Hydrating before games and practice should help to prevent dehydration, but continue to offer players breaks during youth soccer drills and practice. With frequent breaks during practice the young athlete will be taught the proper way to hydrate on their own.

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