Physical exercise is supposed to be fun for children but some coaches can turn kids off sports. Read here how to maintain control and keep soccer as a fun activity.

1. Do This If You Want To Lose
Your Junior Soccer Players

2. I know this goes on but, I can't believe that any youth
soccer coach who is worth the name uses physical
exercise as a punishment for bad behavior or a poor
performance.

3. At a time when we want to encourage our children to
be more active the use of this type of 'punishment'
sends out completely the wrong signals to the
developing minds of the kids.

4. There is a good chance that they will see exercise not as
something to be enjoyed and that will improve their
health, but as something that you are made to do if
you've been bad.
The chances are that they will just come to see soccer
as part of their punishment and give up the game.
After all, who wants to turn up to something that
makes you feel like you are being punished?

5. As a youth soccer coach the first thing to remember is
that you are dealing with children and not adults.
Secondly, you are not there to replace their parents,
but there to teach and coach them soccer.

6. Children, and most adults, respond better to positive
strokes. Telling a child that they have done well
encourages them to do that thing again and push on to
try something harder next time.
Just pointing out what they did wrong, and perhaps
getting them to do laps of the field, will stop them from
trying to do anything for fear of recriminations.

7. Of course they will get things wrong and maybe they
won't understand the point you are trying to make but
you must look for the positives.
Tell them what they did correctly and say something
like "next time you will be able to complete the move if
you just do..." and they will respond.
They may get it wrong again but you need to appreciate
that they will be giving it their best shot.

8. You will need patience but always encourage and do
not discourage.
Criticism will only get them to go into their shell and
hamper their development.

9. If you have misbehaving children at your coaching
sessions I suggest you look at the schedule.
Bad behavior can occur because of a lack of stimulation
for the players. Consider are the drills too repetitive?
Do they stretch the players?
Are you spending too much time on drills and not
enough time on game simulations? Are there long
periods spent just standing around?

10. The easiest way to find out if the coaching sessions are
working to ask your players and/or their parents what
they like and dislike.
You may find that with just a little modification the
disruption soon goes.

11. Now you may find that have a disruptive child in your
team who doesn't respond to your coaching.
I suggest you speak to the child and find out why they
come to soccer training. It could be because they are
made to by their parents.

12. Whatever the reason, if their presence causes
disruption then you must speak to the parents and
make it clear what has been going on and that it needs
to stop.
Ultimately, you need to consider what is the best for
your team and if it means removing the child from the
club then that has to be the course you take.
Failure to halt the misbehaving could have knock on
effects on your other players so do not ignore the
disruptive child.

13. Remember that punishment has no place on the
junior soccer training field and you are there just to
help your players fulfil their soccer potential.

14. My website SoccerTrainingForKids.com is full of hints,
tips, drills and techniques to improve your team's
performance and increase your knowledge as a coach.
Why not take the opportunity to sign up for my free
five day mini course specifically designed for people like
you, the brand new soccer coach.

15. Follow me on Twitter : @SoccerT4Kids