Striking The Ball While It’s In The Air
Goalkeepers are often taken by surprise by a first-time shot. When an attacking player stops the ball, it not only gives a 
defending player a chance to close him down but it also gives the keeper a chance to prepare himself for the shot. Many goal scoring opportunities have been lost because of a player’s hesitance to shoot first-time. A large proportion of first-time shooting will involve striking the ball when it’s off the ground.
Many young players, especially pee wee age, kindergarten, or under 10’s don’t like to attempt things that might make them look silly or won’t be successful. Volleying for shots is a skill that even older players don’t spend time developing because they believe it to be a low “return on investment” when in a scoring opportunity. This is a skill you can introduce to your players of any age and if some take a liking to it then you might have more range to your attack.
Here are some soccer drills that you can show your players to get them started…
1) Begin your practice with a ball on a string. Hold the string so that the ball is about 12 inches from the ground. Make contact with the ball by using the full instep, keeping the ankle firm and the toes pointed down. Practice kicking with different parts of the foot and at different angles.
2) Most of the volley chances at goal will come from balls being centered from the wings. This means that the ball will approach you on a different course from the one you are going to send it on. This is more difficult and you must concentrate on keeping your eye on the ball and holding your head steady. Pivot on the standing leg as you strike the ball, and make your kicking leg swing on an arc that brings it in a horizontal line on to the ball or even downwards on to it. If you aren’t careful, the ball will almost always fly high and over the bar.
To practice this, allow the ball on the string to swing just a shade higher, about knee high. As you direct the ball downwards, swing your foot almost parallel with the ground and follow through downwards towards the ground. Some players favor contact with the outside of the instep.
3) Then, lengthen the string and suspend the ball from high overhead. Your body is now free and the use of your arms will naturally help you to balance your movements. Set the ball hanging about 12 to 14 inches from the ground and stand about 18 to 20 inches behind the ball. Make contact that’s not too hard, but hard enough to get a feel for the ball. As the ball swings back to you, kick it again as this will help cultivate the timing of the kick. It’s also a good idea here to try to kick the ball with a short back-swing of the leg because often you will not have time for a long swing. Gradually increase the power of your shot. Keep your toes well down and visualize an actual shot in a game being taken.
4) On your own, throw the ball about ten feet in the air, allow it to bounce once, and then volley the ball at a target before it bounces a second time. Next, stand side-on to the target and, before the ball bounces a second time, make a firm contact as you pivot on-the non-kicking foot.
5) A fun game to help improve volleying is volley tennis. The rules are the same as for lawn tennis and can be played on a tennis court with a net. The ball must be volleyed over so that it bounces in the opponents’ court. Your opponent can either volley it back first time or control it with his body so that it does not bounce a second time before he volleys it back.
There are many variations to volleying drills, but whatever you do remember to have your players get into the line of flight and to meet the ball quickly. Aim to hit the ball cleanly, and try to crack the ball down on to the target. Volleying is a skill that requires practice, but the effort will be worthwhile when the ball will be in the back of the net in the time it takes others to control it before they shoot.
Coaching The Defensive Responsibilities of Fullback Play
Part of the thrill of soccer is watching fullbacks flying down the wings to get into a good forward position or cross the 
ball. When executed at the right time this can prove very successful, but a fullback must never forget his primary role, which is defense. The fullback is first and foremost a defender. His chief responsibility is to defend his own goal. The fullback who attacks as a flank striker should be considered a bonus and he should only be allowed to go forward when the situation is right.
The fullback is basically a marker, a ball winner, and a supporter in defense and attack. He must be experienced in the art of positioning. A good fullback always finds himself adjusting his position. To become a great, a fullback must concentrate on the game so that he can recognize dangerous situations quickly. Distribution to forward players is also an important aspect of this position.
As a coach, it’s your job to learn the skillset of the opposition. This might be difficult in pee- wee or under-10 leagues, but the older the player the more publicity he or she gets and it’s easier to find out strengths and weaknesses so you can use them to your advantage. For example, a skilled opponent should be pressured and hustled with aggression as quickly as possible, so he should be marked close when the ball comes over into your fullback’s vicinity. You should also discover how the winger intends to attack you, find out which is his best foot, whether he is going to attempt to take your fullback on the inside or outside, or whether he intends to use another player for help. You’ll also have to consider the effects of ground conditions on the ball. Solving these problems will help your fullbacks in two of their main functions which are marking and winning the ball.
Design aggressive soccer drills to develop the techniques of winning the ball. It won’t be long before your players develop a feel for all situations and conditions. The timing of tackles, for example, must be adjusted to changing weather conditions. Also, a sense of vision must be developed because some of the best attacking play can come from a fullback’s distribution and he should know what’s going on in the attacking end.
Practice games of attack versus defense should give opportunities for you to show your players their main responsibilities. During these coaching sessions it’s best to work on one thing at a time. For marking, ensure that the ball is played out to wingers as much as possible. For cover, ask the attackers to switch the ball from wing to wing so that fullbacks experience the function of moving in to cover the middle after doing a marking job.
For immediate support, encourage the attack to break through the middle often with the aid of an extra man. When the fullback gains possession, he must be given a target player or players to find. This will help to cultivate the skill for dropping the ball into space for the target man when he gets into position
.
The fullback’s role is a varied one and the key must be to put the priorities in the right place. Never forget that a fullback is primarily a goal defender.
Teaching How To Kill The Ball With Your Feet
No matter what a player’s position during a game, command of the ball is very important. The ability to control an 
erratic ball quickly and efficiently gives great personal satisfaction, is fun to watch, and can be the difference between success and failure in any situation in the course of play.
Soccer demands speed so there is a big requirement for first-time passing. This, however, can’t always be put into practice. The ball must be trapped or stopped, or the player may have to dribble with it because no teammate is in a position to receive a first-time pass. Time and space are like gold in soccer.
The less time a player takes to do something, the more time he’ll have to take advantage of situations. A player will do one of three things after taking control of a ball:
1) He’ll screen the ball by positioning his body between the ball and his immediate opponent.
2) He’ll pass the ball or shoot.
3) He’ll dribble the ball.
The space and time he’s given to do these things will depend on how good he is at receiving the ball in the first place.
Let’s go over a couple of soccer drills that will help develop foot-trapping skills.
Teach your players to try to cultivate a feel for the ball. Feel means a fine tenderness with the ball. Good trapping is like an art. Tell your team to pass a ball with a friend or find a wall so that the ball rebounds. As the ball is coming to you make sure your body is in the line of flight. As it arrives the controlling foot should be slightly in front of the standing foot. At the moment contact is made the controlling leg should immediately start moving backwards from the hip. The controlling surface should relax and the movement should be gauged to be almost as fast as the speed of the ball. This allows the contact with the inside of the foot to last as long as possible. In this way the foot can take the pace off the ball so that it comes to a stop at a point just in front of the foot.
In words, this sounds difficult but it’s really not. You’ll have young players on your team that are naturally good at trapping the ball. Most players don’t get really good at this skill until they’re over 10 years old. If you’re a coach of kindergarten to pee wee age players, now is the time to start teaching this skill because they’ll need it in the future.
Now get your friend to play the ball at you while another player is marking you. Not only must you concentrate on trapping the ball cleanly but you must make sure you move to meet it or the marking player will get it first. Having taken possession, screen it for a few seconds before playing it back to your friend. After a little practice, try taking the ball to one side either by using the inside or outside of your foot. The object here is to move onto the ball played by your friend and as the ball arrives to take it quickly to the left or right. Again, touch is vital. If you do not play the ball hard enough, you’re likely to fall over it. If you play it too hard, you’ll lose control.
The ability to control the ball with the feet is basic to soccer. It is a skill that is totally instinctive to some, but that’s harder for others. But at whatever level you play, your control can always benefit from practice.
Vary Your Team’s Free-Kicks By Going Over The Wall
Although many young players haven’t developed the coordination to make difficult kicks, occasionally you’ll find you 
have a player who sees that it’s possible to dip and swerve a ball directly from the ground and over the defensive wall accurately enough to beat a goalkeeper. This requires a great deal of skill and feel for the ball and few players of Under-14 have yet developed this feel, but sometimes one of your players, maybe not even your best all-around player, has the unique skillset to pull off a kick like this.
As a coach, you need to maximize the time given to you for practices. Young players learning the game probably shouldn’t have their time utilized by learning over-the-wall kicks. This is more or less something one or two of your players might pick up on their own and you’ll find you can use their skill in a game and possibly develop these specialized kickers for just this purpose.
This kick is performed by striking the ball firmly with the inside of the toe with the foot pointing forward. When the ball is struck on one side rather than dead center it gives a big spin which will make the ball swerve. If the ball is struck with the inside of the right toe, the ball will spin anti-clockwise and swerve to the left. It’s possible, with a great follow through, after a much angled approach, to create some top spin as well which will cause the ball to dip in flight. This means that you are able to play a ball firmly into the top corner of the goal, over the top of the wall and away from the goalkeeper.
Before you go rushing off to practice, you must realize that it will take a long time before you are proficient enough to attempt this in a game. If you are unsuccessful in a match and the percentages are against you, you may have wasted a situation which could have been utilized more reliably with another method. So, an over-the-wall kick can be a great tool but remember to only use it when you have the best possible chance of being successful.
This is a good method for players to practice on their own. Hang a t-shirt from the crossbar up in a corner and see if they can get the required movement in the air and hit the target. Try it against the wind and they’ll see it move a lot more. Keep this one up your sleeve until you are reasonably sure of success.
Apart from the direct shot, it can also be useful to lift the ball over the wall to a teammate. Some teams afford cover to this area behind the wall but often they do it at the expense of covering another area. It’s well worth organizing methods of getting into this vital space.
This can be done in several ways, but it all depends on the player who is chipping or lifting the ball over the top. Place a player on the end of the opponents’ wall and as the ball is flicked over all he has to do is turn and he is on to it ready to volley it home.
Your team may prefer to work your free-kicks wide of the wall or even find a way through it, but if you have a few routines for going over the wall you are widening the scope of your attack. Even though the percentages are against you succeeding if you strike directly at goal, this chip into the top corner over the wall may well catch unwary opponents by surprise.
Improve Your Speed On The Turn & Sharpen Your Game
Speed in soccer is much more than just the ability to sprint. The simple talent to run quickly is an excellent weapon 
to have, but alone it’s not enough to get the job done. There are a lot of players who can cover ground very rapidly but who have problems starting, stopping, and changing direction. Good scoring situations are often lost through the inability to turn quickly. On the flip side, slow-turning defenders are often exploited by fast forwards. Most young players, such as under-10 down to kindergarten and pee wee age, don’t have speed but can start to develop good turning skills.
Being quicker on the turn can be improved through constant practice. Even players that aren’t naturally fast can become very good at being good turners. Here are some aggressive soccer drills to show your players how to become more skilled at turning both defensively and offensively.
Defensive Turning
1) Begin by standing with your back to a line 6 to 8 yards behind you. On a signal turn, get to the line as quickly as possible. Practice turning both ways because in a game you’ll never know which way you’ll have to turn.
2) Now enlist the aid of a teammate. He runs towards you and when he is about two yards away from you he makes a break. The object here is for you to turn to whichever side he has gone past you and try to catch him. Change roles after every sprint. You will quickly learn that by approaching the oncoming player at an angle you can be on the half-turn before he makes his break.
This type of practice will put you in a good position when you are approached by an attacker in possession of the ball. You can guide him into an area away from the goal so that you are on the half-turn ready to make a tackle if he makes an error or to turn quickly to challenge should he go by. Remember, you must be very careful here not to commit yourself unnecessarily and make it easy for him to go past.
Offensive Turning
Attackers must also be quick to turn. There are 2 ways to do it – one involving turning the back towards a defender and the other involving going right at him.
1) As a forward you are always attempting to lose your marker. This is a vital part of offensive play, to turn defenders. They do not like to be turned around and made to run back towards their own goal. Speed and surprise are the elements of success. Turning on offense is a little different and might require the skills of faking but it can be done. Go right at a defender and when close turn your back to him. At this point you can curl the ball around you or pass it back to mid-field help.
2) The technique of turning is important here. Many players turn away from the opponent taking the long way around. This can lead to a lot of wasted time. Try to cultivate the turn into the defender. This means that you are really attacking him and also that you are not turning your back on the opponent or the ball.
Unpredictability in play is essential in soccer. If you lay the ball back every time you get it, your play will become predictable. Learn to vary your play so that you keep opponents guessing. Turning on the ball means taking a chance of losing it. Give your players that ok that it’s fine to try and be creative in the right place and time. Make sure that your techniques and that the odds favor you. Be quick and you may well take your opponent by surprise.
Learn How To Train For Stamina And Outlast Your Opponents
Stamina is one of the most important aspects of fitness. However skillful or quick a player may be, he won’t be able to 
help his team during a hard game unless he has good endurance.
It’s best to avoid stamina-regimens for pee-wee, kindergarten, or even under 10 year-old-players as they don’t have a developed cardiovascular system for sustained exercise and they don’t have the attention span or interest either. All very young players should always or almost always be working with a ball. As players age you can begin to add stamina-building and exercise workouts into their routines.
When it comes to building endurance for soccer, there’s usually a step-wise way to do it. Soccer is not like cross-country in that there are more starts and stops rather than sustained running. Keep this in mind when planning training regimens. Follow basic rules for building stamina and your players will even amaze themselves with their fitness. Here are some ways to build stamina in your team.
1) Most teams concentrate on stamina building at the start of pre-season training. Almost any exercise is suitable when it’s performed over a prolonged period. Walking, running, games like handball or basketball are all ideal activities performed for about an hour or so. Slow distance work will help build a general stamina foundation.
2) From a general foundation you can graduate to quicker, interval work. You can begin by running 2,000 yards, broken down into ten 200-yard stints, resting for 3 minutes between each stint at first, then gradually increasing the distance and cutting down the rest time until you are covering about 4,000 yards in 400 yard stints with a two-minute rest period. During the rest periods, you can practice various skills with a ball such as continuous heading or juggling.
3) Now that your team has good general stamina, another type of stamina will need work. This type of stamina is designed more specifically for soccer. Shuttle runs will condition your team for the sort of sprints they must make in games. From a starting line, objects are placed at intervals of 5 yards up to 25 yards. Players must sprint to each object in turn, returning to the starting line after each visit. 150 yards is covered on each stint. Start with six or eight stints, allowing 45 seconds for the running with a resting period of 45 seconds in between.
4) Other routines can involve a ball. A particularly effective one involves two players standing at markers, 25 yards apart. One dribbles the ball towards the other who runs in to meet him. As they come close, A passes to B and both continue on their way to the posts. There they turn and repeat the exercise. Do this eight times before resting.
Variation in training routines helps to keep away staleness, so introduce variety where possible. Most kids dread running for the sake of running in soccer practice. If you can find a way to make it fun and competitive, you’ll get better results when it comes to building a strong cardiovascular foundation. If a player isn’t thinking about the work but rather focusing on winning a game he’ll have stronger stamina over time. Remember, you’re a coach and not a drill sergeant. It’s easy to fall into the trap of having players run for the sake of running. As long as you keep stamina building as a small part of your drill session you should be fine.
Learn to Carry the Ball and Attack Defenders
One of the most thrilling sights in soccer is that of a player sprinting towards the net with the ball under total control,
twisting by a string of opponents and unleashing an unstoppable shot at goal. You’ll notice these players always know where they’re going and they have the ability to work with the ball effortlessly. They’ve developed the art of manipulating the ball while moving at high speed.
Great soccer players always seem to never be without a ball. They simply like to juggle and entertain themselves and it’s as if the ball becomes a part of them. This helps cultivate feel and helps a player to learn to lift his head from time to time so that he can look around instead of staring at his feet.
Not all players will want to have a ball with them at all times and that’s fine. Simply instruct your players to practice with both feet, using both the inside and outside as well as the full instep, pushing the ball directly in front of them. Begin by walking with it, then go on to jogging, then to running fast. Tell them that the position of your upper body is important as it must be inclining slightly forward. It’s much harder to run with the ball than without it so in a game only run with the ball when you have something in mind and you think something positive can be accomplished. There are a lot of soccer drills that can help young players of all ages to develop a feel for the ball.
When dribbling you must concentrate on keeping the ball close to you and away from opponents. Keep your eyes on the ball when you’re making contact, but in between touches look up for a split second to see what’s going on around you. Not looking up is common among many young players. Remember not to hold your ankle too stiff on contact or your touch will be too firm and you will push the ball too far in front of you. If a pee-wee or kindergarten-aged player can understand the importance of moving the ball down the field without looking at his feet then he’s well on his way to soccer greatness!
Having worked at keeping the ball under control without breaking the rhythm and swing of your stride, work with a dozen teammates in the center circle. Everyone has a ball, and the idea is to move about without running into each other or losing your ball. Try to develop a change of pace. You can play a game where the idea is to kick everybody else’s ball out of the circle while keeping control of your own. After a specified period, the player who has lost his ball the least number of times is the winner. The center-circle is an ideal area to use for all kinds of dribbling activities.
Your players should now be ready for the real thing and that is to take on an opponent and get a shot in at goal. With one of your players, demonstrate the following. Stand on the halfway line while your partner stands just outside the penalty area with a ball. He plays the ball to you, then acts as a defender. You should have enough confidence to move on to the ball, control it in your stride and go at speed at the defender just at the right moment. Try changing direction with a sudden burst of speed past him and hit the ball hard at goal. Retrieve the ball and switch roles.
Move on to playing a six-a-side game in which each player must take on an opponent before passing or else his side forfeits possession. One final practice is to play a game where no passing is allowed, and you must dribble the ball until you lose it. These games will bring out the qualities you need which are balance, control, and acceleration. Then, when in a game and you have a definite purpose in mind, you’ll be able to run full tilt at a defense and set up the chance for a great goal.
Improve Your Team’s Speed and Quicken the Pace of Play
The ability to run fast is important for any player. Starting, stopping, turning, changing direction, jumping and 
running are all actions that must be performed with as much speed as possible.
Many coaches believe that a child’s natural speed can’t be improved. This is to some extent true, but by putting effort into good speed-training drills the strengthening of the muscles and joints may be improved and the player will get faster. Most U-14 and younger players are not fully physically developed so they still have a lot of time to build strength and speed.
It’s not recommended for young players to spend long periods of time on aerobic and strength training that doesn’t involve a ball. The key is to introduce them to a few fun drills and they’ll begin to understand in time that working on and caring for their bodies will make them better players.
If you’re going to do it at all, speed training should be initiated at the start of your practice session after a good warm-up period. It’s not a good idea to work on speed development after a strenuous training session. The body must be thoroughly prepared and very willing for these kinds of activities and after a long practice kids are mentally and physically tired.
To get started, here are a few fun drills that target speed training:
1) The first few yards in soccer are important, so an explosive start can often give the edge on an opponent. Here’s something to try and this can be turned into something fun. It’s probably best to demonstrate this to your players. Work from the goal-line to the edge of the penalty area. Sprint as fast as you can across this area to the line, then come to a stop gradually over another 15 yards before walking back to the goal-line. Work from different starting positions, lying on your back, your front, legs in the air, sitting, squatting, and any position that requires quick body movements before getting under way. To condition your body for stopping and starting, turn sharply on the penalty area line and sprint back to the goal-line. If you have a lot of players you can have a competition to see who is the first one back in the original starting position.
2) Shuttle sprints for four to eight players will help improve starting and turning. These players should stand in two groups 15 yards apart. One player starts by sprinting across to the other group and releasing a player by touching him, as in a relay, but immediately after he has touched him he sprints back after him, and returns to his original group waiting to be released and chased by a member from the other group. This is a continuous practice which,
because of its physical demands, can’t be sustained for a long period.
3) In a small group of players, pair off and stand or sit them so they are about one yard from a partner and so that the group is in two teams forming two straight lines. Each team is given a name or color, such as reds and blues, etc. The idea is to call the name or color and for each member of that team to sprint to a line about 20 yards away without being touched by his partner. Again, if a player gets caught he must give the other player a lift back!
These are just a few of the exercises that one can work at to develop speed of thought and action. Talk and experiment to find others that will help you build a variation of exercises to keep things interesting. Remember to use speed training as a “spice” in your drill-work rather than the main course! Make sure your kids are having fun at all times!
Learn To Start Attacks From The Goalie Position
Once the goalkeeper has taken possession of the ball, he should attempt to set up an attack as soon as possible. He 
must give any pass the same way as if he was a fullback or midfielder trying to move the ball forward. This means that the ball must be thrown or kicked so that it can easily be controlled when passed over short distances or gives his team an advantage when it’s played over long distances.
The way the keeper distributes the ball will depend upon the ability of his own players and the tactics that are used by the team. For example, it’s a waste of time kicking long balls down the middle unless the forwards are capable of controlling such clearances and it’s dangerous rolling short balls out to defenders who are not sharp enough to take advantage of passes like these.
Typically a keeper will be distributing the ball over short distances or long distances. The goalkeeper who has limited methods of distribution is like a one-footed player who can only pass the ball over short distances. Opponents can position themselves to close down his passing possibilities. Show your keepers methods of both short and long distance clearing.
Short Distance Distribution
When passing the ball over very short distances, such as to a fullback just outside the box, the ball can be rolled along the ground. This technique is useful in starting attacks quickly. It gives maximum speed and accuracy and it reaches the teammate on the ground, making control that much easier. It’s similar to bowling. The ball is held in both hands in front of the body at hip height. The palm of the throwing arm supports the ball from underneath and the other supports it from the top and inside. The fingers are well spread to give maximum control.
Tell your keeper to start the movement by taking a step forward with the leg opposite the hand which will roll the ball. As you take this step, move your arms slightly behind the body to the throwing side to gather swing. Take the top hand off the ball, straighten your elbow in the throwing arm, leaving your body well forward. As your throwing hand starts to swing forward, transfer your weight gradually on to the front leg. The swinging arm gathers speed quickly, the ball leaves the hand as it is at right angles to the ground, and the hand follows through giving a final thrust and direction. Short distance distribution is probably the method your goalkeeper will use if you’re coaching any age under 10.
Long Distance Distribution
If you want to pass the ball over a slightly longer distance, it should be thrown from the shoulder. The starting position is the same for rolling the ball. Instead the ball is taken back over the shoulder with a bent arm. The opposite leg and shoulder move forward in preparation for the throw. The throwing arm is brought forward from the shoulder simultaneously with the forearm being flung forwards and downwards. Throw it direct from the shoulder to the target so that it reaches it in the least amount of time possible. For throwing further, the ball will have to be thrown with a cricket overarm bowling action. The power will come from a straight arm used as a lever against the body. Because long distance distribution requires more physical strength, it’s likely that it’s best used for teams of ages such as under 14 or under 16.
Work on these techniques in practice. There are a variety of drills that can be used to test a goalkeeper’s distribution method and fine tune his abilities before a game. Most young goalkeepers believe that they should simply kick the ball as far as possible. This couldn’t be more incorrect. The goalkeeper must be brought into the general team offensive tactics and must be encouraged to use the ball to help set up a scoring chance, not just kick it as far as he can. When he gains possession of the ball, he should see himself as an offensive player.
Learn How To Make The Best Use Of Your Substitute
As a coach, make sure all of your players know they play a role in the team’s success and there simply isn’t room enough on the field for them all to start.
The first substitute should be considered and should consider himself as important as any other member of the team. His selection should be calculated as a major part of the strategy used to win a particular game. The use of a sub gives your team a chance to introduce a possible change of attack if needed or the opportunity to reinforce a defense. Therefore a strong substitute should be given careful consideration to cover the eventualities of a change in strategy or replacement for an injury.
Most coaches select a team which they think is the strongest and best suited for the particular match they’re playing in. Basically they select a substitute hoping not to have to use him. When a change is forced by circumstances, it should involve as few positional alterations as possible. Some players, because of their versatility, make ideal substitutes and are able to adapt themselves easily to play a variety of roles. It’s a good idea during practices to allow top sub players freedom to express themselves in positions other than the ones they normally play on game days. Experience of this kind can prove invaluable in emergencies.
How to choose a substitute
1) The venue of a match can have a strong bearing on the selection. Playing away in a very important match can mean that a defender as substitute will be more beneficial than an attacker, whereas an attacker might be selected for a home tie when the advantage of familiar surroundings can be taken into account. Playing away, a team is apt to be more cautious than when playing at home.
2) Knowing your opponents’ weaknesses may influence your choice of substitute. The opposition may be known to be poor in the air, slow on the turn, weak physically or tactically unsound and a player suited to take advantage of these weaknesses should be selected. Strengths and tactics used by opponents can have a bearing on the tactics you employ and consequently the selection of the substitute to give maximum cover.
One of the most difficult positions to cover is that of goalkeeper. A considerable amount of time should be spent in finding a replacement from within the team for the keeper position. Throughout the season, the substitute keeper should be given as much practice time during training sessions as the regular goalie. Use the substitute goalie as well as your other subs in all soccer drills during practice time.
Dealing with Subs on Game day
1) Once you have a sub in mind, keep an eye on him while the game is going on. Sitting or standing for a long period in all types of weather can affect his efficiency and mood. He must have the right clothing to keep him warm and dry in poor conditions which means plenty of thick sweaters under a warm suit. His shoes should not be tied too tight because it can affect the flow of blood causing the feet to become cold. He should never be allowed to become cold on the bench.
2) The substitute should sit with the coach and discuss the events of the game. He’s in a very good position to see what’s going on and what’s required should he be used. With this in mind, his concentration on the game must be 100 percent so that he is fully prepared and in the right attitude of mind to go on at any moment in the game.
3) Finally, the coach should try to give the substitute as much warning as possible that he’ll be entering the game so that he can adjust his footwear and get his body physically prepared by doing a few stretching exercises.
When it comes to young players, pee wee age up to under ten years old, a sub will often see himself as “not good enough” to be a starter. As a coach, make sure all of your players know they play a role in the team’s success and there simply isn’t room enough on the field for them all to start. If you’re in a league that’s fairly non-competitive, let your players rotate starting duties throughout the season. It will give them confidence and also the realization that their participation is helping their team.
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