Tag: Youth Sports

Progressive Possession (9v9)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, World Football

There's a common saying in football: If you don't shoot, you don't score. Well if you don't keep possession of the ball, you'll have a lot more difficulty scoring. Many players that I've worked with over the years have had the common bad habit of simply just kicking the ball the second they get it. Sometimes even older players have this issue. The assumption for these players is if I can get the ball closer to the net then we as a team will have a better chance of scoring. But more often than not, all this does is present the other team with an opportunity to pick up the ball and go on the attack themselves. Players need to learn how to keep possession of the ball, particularly under pressure, and how to turn that possession into a goal scoring chance. Tiki taka football is nice and all, but possession needs to have a purpose and that is exactly what we are going to explore in this article about coaching Progressive Possession at the young ages.

Communication in Youth Soccer

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Education, Sport Psychology, World Football

Communication is one of the most important skills for young players learning their trade in the beautiful game to develop. Communication is not just all about players shouting at each other and calling for the ball. It goes far beyond that to non-verbal communication, body language, and even knowing when not to communicate. Here are some of the key words and phrases that young players can communicate to their teammates during games.

Attacking Transitions (9v9)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, World Football

Transitional moments are an aspect of the game that most coaches neglect to focus on as much as they should. Transitions both from attack to defense and from defense to attack, are essential and can be a source of both goals and goals conceded. Attacking transitions can be defined as the moment of time between … Continue reading Attacking Transitions (9v9)

Defensive Transitions (9v9)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, World Football

INTRODUCTION Transitional moments are an aspect of the game that most coaches neglect to focus on as much as they should. Transitions both from attack to defense and from defense to attack, are essential and can be a source of both goals and goals conceded. Defensive transitions can be defined as the moment of time … Continue reading Defensive Transitions (9v9)

Best Formations for 6v6

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, World Football

Once upon a time 6v6 was a popular game format in the United States at the youth level, but in recent years has been phased out in favour of 7v7. However, many leagues and tournaments, particularly indoors, still use 6v6 as their game format. We've examined the best formations to play for 5v5, 7v7, 8v8, … Continue reading Best Formations for 6v6

Best Formations for 5v5

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, World Football

Formations shouldn't really come into play too much in the 5v5 game format, nor should they ever really be emphasized for players young enough to be playing 5v5. However, 5v5 is not only a popular format for younger players, but Futsal and Indoor soccer games around the world. In order to develop a certain style … Continue reading Best Formations for 5v5

Managing Different Personalities on a Sports Team

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Sport Psychology

Every athlete is different. Every athlete has a unique set of characteristics, behaviours, dispositions and traits that make them who they are and can directly affect their ability to perform. Managing these different personalities can be a daunting task for any sport manager, coach or leader, particularly in a team setting where twelve to eighteen conflicting personalities may require managing.