Through out the game I was reminded how different I am from other coaches in our division.
It all started at the first throw in, the Orchid player threw the ball at a girl who used her hands to catch the ball. While this action isn’t uncommon among newer players, the coaches reaction was not appropriate! There was no supportive “try not to use your hands” or “a general statement of “girls remember no hands”, instead what was said had a more direct line of “come on so and so, you know better” and “what are you doing” was often said.
This being said I watch the other team cower to the coach and play in more fear or a general sense of no motivation. I did feel sad for that team, they had great potential and I think some practice on moving the ball to get the key players in scoring positions would make all the difference. That is just a tactical thing I believe they should work on, there are other blaring issues with the team.
The coach this week was a woman who be-little the girls with every moment of possible positive re-enforcement. It’s always obvious that when a goalie doesn’t get the ball! So why would anyone want to point that fact out again? Instead I yelled “great try goalie!” mind you this was the opposing teams goalie! Every great play or pass on their team was met with some positive re-enforcement on my part.
Now don’t worry, I cheered our girls every step of the way! Every pass was acknowledge, every defensive move, shot on goal or assist to a teammate, I didn’t care that we gave up 3 goals, I witness great potential at the goalie position. It’s hard with only an hour a week to practice goalie items but this week may differ.
Practice this week will cover several techniques, one of them being goalie. At the goalie position, aggressive play is needed, go get the ball, don’t back up. If I can teach that then we are golden! The next item is that I plan to move my 1st graders into the scoring attack this week. I plan to load my defense with the skill players and feed the ball up to the 1st graders to score. So I’ll work on position awareness… maybe! I also plan to work on foot skills or ball control, I noticed I have some fast girls but I need to have them work on ball control to make them truly unstoppable.
So my last words today are simple, confidence. We of the Pee Wee league division are here to enable confidence in the girls, does this mean they have to win? No, it means that we as coaches need to give positive feedback and encouragement, regardless of the situation or flaw we as coaches are here to help develop these players to young soccer stars. We will fail with every negative comment and unhappy/ sad/ tormented player!
Thats all –
Coach John
Dad the Soccer Coach 