Another soccer practice, lessons learned

This season I've started applying some tactics that I think will make me a happier and improved soccer coach of 14 7 to 9-years-old children.  First of all, take all of the help you can get.  If any of the parents are willing to help, welcome it.  Even if it's really a grandpa and another guy with B.O., take it.  This allows me to apply the divide and conquer tactic and get the kids more repetitions in smaller groups.  Second I'm sweating some of the details that I'd normally gloss over.  I am insisting that the players learn right from left.  If we're stretching to one side, they have to get it right.  I taught them the trick of holding up their left hand to form an L with the thumb and index finger.  They also need to know where to line up.  Finally, I am doing regular huddles where we do a 'ready, break'.  I use that occasion to give them their next set of instructions before the break.  It seems to be working.  One of the knuckleheads was better today.  I have a few more to work on.

Our first game is Saturday morning.  I am expecting the kids to be engaged in the game and to go after the ball.  There is some individual talent on the team.  I really think kids of this age respond well to physical activity and some structure.  I find that most of the people, including myself , that lament the days of children playing outdoors until the street lights came on are not investing the time and effort to create a habit or show them it's better to be outdoors playing sports or goofing off than settling for indoor electronic activities.  This is another example of when I need to take the medicine even though it doesn't always taste good.

all's well that ends well

Tonight was the last game for the 5th grade basketball team I have coached for the last three months. We were able to pull out a 17-12 victory in a hard-fought game. I really enjoyed coaching this group. They are seven carefree, happy-go-lucky kids that had fun learning how to play. As if that wasn't enough the parents were supportive and encouraging, too.

When people learn of me coaching a team the questions are almost always, "Did you win?" or "What's your record?" as if the only thing that matters is winning or losing. I wouldn't have traded these kids for seven all-stars,and I like to win as much as anyone. We only won 3 out of 10 games but who really cares. We were competitive in all but two of our losses and nobody cried or got hurt the whole season. Besides that, they got involved in youth sports.

I strongly believe that youth sports are important for two reasons. 1) it gives them a chance to play a sport they can hopefully enjoy their whole lives, and 2)they learn what it's like to be part of a team and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with it.

Please support school athletics! There's more to growing up than what you learn in the classroom.