soccer moves & soccer skills

Coerver Coaching is based on the belief that a team is only as good as the players that form it. The essence of the Coerver® method is ball mastery. All other aspects of the game - from receiving and passing to group play - flow from this basic building block.

The Coerver® Coaching Pyramid of Player Development Approach will let you Learn Faster, Easier and with more confidence then ever before.

Click on pyramid for free videos

BALL MASTERY - each player works alone with a ball using both feet.
RECEIVING & PASSING - improve a player's first touch, accurate and creative passing.
MOVES (1 V 1) - Exercises and games that teach individual moves creating space.
SPEED - improve acceleration, running with and without the ball and change of pace.
FINISHING - teaching technique and encourage instinctive play.
GROUP ATTACK - Exercises and games that improve combination play.

more info ....

soccer in bad weather

Hot and Humid Conditions

First and foremost, keep your body hydrated by drinking regular small amounts of water or pure fruit juice. Use sunscreen, preferably the ones for sports, they won't run in your eyes and irritate them. Wear a hat when not playing. If there is no shade on the side-lines, bring an umbrella. If you feel dizzy or get headaches, you may have suffered from sunstroke. Get edical attention immediately. Make sure you bring your own water bottle with plenty of ice cubes and have it close to the field for the quick water break. Do not share water bottles with others if you can avoid it. Never jump into cold water immediately after strenuous exercise.

Cold and Wet Conditions

Put on the shin pads. Over the shin pads, put a thin sock. Over the sock put a plastic bag (no holes-blow air in to test). Over the plastic bag put your regular soccer socks. Put on a T-shirt. Put a very thin rain jacket over the T-shirt and put your regular uniform on top. When practicing or on the sideline, put the hood on. Bring an umbrella and a change of dry clothes in your sports bag. Protect the sports bag by placing it inside a big plastic garbage bag and keep it on the bench or on a chair to keep contents dry.

Soccer Parents: Friends or Foes?

One of the greatest challenges of coaching a youth soccer team can be the management of parents, particularly for a volunteer coach. So let's examine the issue from the parents' and the coach's perspective.

Parents Perspective

Parents sign up their kids for soccer for various reasons:

• to get exercise
• to meet friends and develop social interactions
• to play the sport they themselves played or still play
• to live their dreams of soccer success through their kids
• to develop the competitive nature of the child

Most reasons are focussed on the child or the parent, hardly do parents have their kids join a team with the goal of doing what's best for the team. In a way, a team with 16 players is composed of 16 self interest groups. There is nothing wrong with it, it's human nature to want the best for one's children. It's an extraordinary human trait to subordinate what's best for oneself to the greater good, i.e. the team.

Unfortunately, the various interests of the parents express themselves in behaviour such as complaining about the child's playing time, criticizing the coach for his practice content, her game strategy, substitution plans. Quite often like minded parents join ranks and grumble together about the coach.

Fortunately. there are parents who understand the team concept. They volunteer for team jobs such as refreshments, host team parties and help the coach during practices.

Coach's Perspective

Most coaches are volunteers, with or without a child on the team. The coach's major concern is the development and success of the team as a whole, not the happiness of each individual family. Good coaches make plans for team development and individual development, but at game time, the goal is to win the game. The exception to that would be recreational leagues where game scores and standings are not kept.

Coaches start the season with great intentions and are not always well equipped to deal with the self interest groups described above. Just like parents, there is diversity within coavhes. Unfortunately, there are coaches who consider themselves mini-dictators and are abrasive towards parents and kids, particularly in the heat of the moment of an important game.

Fortunately, there are coaches who are skilled and trained in dealing with the people side of running a team.

The Grid

One of the following situations is bound to occur in every team:

Good Coach/Good Parents: a good experience for all

Good Coach/Bad Parents: frustrating for coach, may lose interest

Bad Coach/Good Parents: frustrated parents who may not come back

Bad Coach/Bad Parents: war

The Solution

We recommend that every coach writes down his goals for the team and each player. The coach also needs to be clear and write down his coaching style and philosophy. A pre-season meeting between coach and all parents is recommended for the coach to set the expectations for the parents, the kids, the team and the season. A pre-season meeting between coach and each individual player with parent(s) is also recommended. The coach then needs to follow up as the season progresses in communicating frequently on how he/she views the season unfolding and any changes being made to the coaching style and philosophy. Feedback on the development of each player is important. Honesty in the communication is key. If you're a dictator-coach, be open about it. If you are a parent whose key concern is playing time for the child, tell the coach.

It is really important to keep lines of communication open, even if it is difficult.

The overriding concern ultimately must be to provide the kids with the opportunity to learn, grow, develop and have fun. Some of these lessons may mean learning how to serve the team by being a great substitute. No harm for the kids - most of the ball contact should be in practice anyways.

It is a challenge to maintain harmony, not just between players, but also between coach and parents.

Good luck!