The Fundamentals of Coaching Soccer Articles | Soccer

By: Tine Hidalgo

Thanks to the thousands of volunteering youth soccer coaches, huge number of children across the United States are enjoying this marvelous game. Else, they would probably be deprived of the organized form of this sport.

Thus, the volunteer coaches are the base of this sport. The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) gives a pivotal importance to educating all the coaches on the rules of the play, safety and other important aspects of this game. Hence apart from National coaching commission of the youth soccer, AYSO also offers a national coaching program.

A Youth soccer coach enjoys holding a unique job. He has to make sure that all those under him not only learn how to play the game, but also to ensure that they leave the team learning teamwork skills and had fun during the course of learning the game. For this to happen, there is a need for training and certifications to be given to these volunteer coaches.
 
The AYSO training programs are varied ranging from U-6 through National level.   The U-6 through U-12 training classes do not have any prerequisites. They are usually either offered to all coaches at a nearby school and are sometimes also combined with other areas as a single day regional level course.  The time needed to complete the standard AYSO coaching training is also differ from level to level. Where U-6 and U-8 has 2 hours of training, the Advanced and National levels require 18 to 56 hours respectively.

Several important for play topics are covered under these training sessions. They include the following: 

1. Correct play.
2. Appropriate drills.
3. Discipline.
4. Team procedures.
5. Safety measures.
6. Equipment usage etc.

Apart from AYSO's training, there are several local leagues that have their own training modules. These leagues may also require CPR and first aid certification, before assigning a coach a team. As a common precaution measure, almost all the youth athletic association requires its coaches to pass criminal background check, sex-abuse clearance check and even a credit check in order to work with children in the capacity of the coach. This is very important for the safety and well being of the students.

So we see that any man or woman, who is over the age of 18, has successfully completed the required training and certification and has passed criminal and other checks may register as a volunteer coach. Usually, there is no other formal training or experience that is needed for becoming a soccer coach.

If you really desire to become a soccer coach, you may approach your local youth soccer league and gather the information that you need. Alternatively you may also contact the American Youth Soccer Organization at 1-800-872-2976. They may help with the information that you need.