Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Training | Tags: how to win soccer (football), losing in soccer, winning in soccer, youth soccer (football) coach
There are times as a coach you think “should I give up?”.
I went along to watch one of our under 12 teams last week. I saw how well they warmed up, how eager they were for the match to begin.
Running, passing, stretching, joking with their teammates. I was impressed. They lined up and straight from kick off they let a goal in. I don’t think any of them actually moved.
They were all looking around at each other shrugging their shoulders. “What’s going on!” “We weren’t ready!” The coach was struck dumb. It’s hard when you’ve done all the mechanical work but when the whistle blows the car doesn’t start.
They never recovered and lost the game. I spoke to the coach afterwards. He had prepared the team well, worked hard at training on a cold, rainy evening and felt very flat over what had happened on the pitch.
But the next week the team won. They didn’t let a goal in for the whole of the first half. And the difference a week made was huge in the smiles and cheers.
So even if you have had one of those days things can change… quickly.
