When you are learning how to coach soccer, you need to keep in mind that one thing that is guaranteed during a soccer match is pressure. Whether your players are on offense or defense, they will experience pressure from the other team. Part of what you need to figure out when learning how to coach soccer is learning how to teach your players to handle that pressure.

Pressure on the Ball Handler

How many times have you seen a young player blindly kick the ball away whenever a defender gets within five feet of them. They become so panicked when pressure comes that they lose confidence in their own ability, and make a poor decision with the ball. You will see this scenario played out time and again on soccer fields across the country, even on older teams. Soccer clubs that consistently field winning teams have learned how to prepare their players to handle pressure on the ball.

To learn how to coach soccer players to handle the defense, you have to start with making sure they are comfortable with basic ball handling skills. Can your players dribble the ball at various speeds without losing control, or allowing the ball to get too far in front of them? Can they change directions to the right and the left using the inside and the outside of both feet? Most importantly, can they control the ball without watching their own feet?

Skilled ball handlers dribble with their head up. They are constantly looking at what options are available. They can see any defenders in front of them, and they know where their teammates are. When the time comes for them to make a pass, they already know who the pass is going to. There are no last minute, panicked decisions that cause your team to lose the ball.

Once your players become comfortable handling the ball you can begin to practice putting pressure on the ball. At that point your players should begin to get comfortable shielding the ball. To shield the ball your players simply maneuvers their body so that it is between the defender and the ball. By holding their arms away from their body it makes it harder for the defender to reach around to poke the ball away. When the defender starts to get too close, the ball handler can lean back and use their body to force the defender to back off. Just like dribbling, the ball handler must learn to do this with their head up. That way they are able to see an opportunity to dribble to the open field, or to make a good pass to an open teammate.

Pressure on the Defender

Just like a ball handler, your defenders need to get comfortable facing pressure. It is not unusual for a good offensive team to come with multiple attackers as they try to position themselves for a score. An inexperienced defense can sometimes fall apart when there are more attackers than there are defenders.

When running drills to train your defenders, make sure to include drills that create mismatches and where the offense out numbers the defense. This will give your defenders experience in knowing who they need to cover, and who will have to be the keepers responsibility. Most of all, work on patience with your defenders. When they are outnumbered, they cannot afford to make silly mistakes. Make sure they square up, and that they do not lunge for the ball, and get themselves out of position.

A basic concept to remember when you learn how to coach soccer is that game play is much different than running controlled drills. The more you can create situations in practice that your players are likely to see in a game, the better prepared they will be on game day. There is a lot of information available to teach you how to coach soccer. Take advantage of as many resources as you can.

About the Author:
Jim Smoot writes the “Learn Youth Soccer” website at http://learnyouthsoccer.com Sign up for the free 7-day mini-course that teaches you the basics of how to coach soccer.