| On coaching soccer, the key to motivating | | | | This is much more effective. Instead of |
| soccer players is to help them to motivate | | | | feeling frustrated that they are not getting |
| themselves. | | | | it right they will feel good about themselves |
| | | | for getting at least part of it right and |
| First, you need to set the example. This | | | | they will be eager to do it again. |
| means that you need to use the Golden Rule | | | | |
| and speak to them the way that you wish them | | | | Of course there are times when they will get |
| to speak to you and the way you hope they | | | | part of a technique right and not do |
| speak to themselves. | | | | something else in the proper way. Begin with |
| | | | pointing out the areas in which they |
| Using positive reinforcement will go a long | | | | performed well and then tell them you want to |
| way to helping players feel good enough about | | | | see it again with another part added in. |
| themselves and their soccer game to want to | | | | |
| strive for more. How? It is really very | | | | This way they will try again from the |
| simple. Focus on the positive things and do | | | | positive outlook that they can do it and they |
| not focus on the negative things. | | | | just need to adjust something. For example, |
| | | | instead of saying, "that was a good try, but |
| We live in a rat race society and we tend to | | | | when you kick the ball you need to kick |
| compare ourselves to others much of the time. | | | | through the ball. You are stopping short," |
| Children go through school constantly being | | | | try saying, "Great kick! You foot positioning |
| compared to others and then move to their | | | | was bang on. |
| post-secondary education looking to be the | | | | |
| best so they can receive scholarships and | | | | Now let me see it again and this time kick |
| awards. | | | | your foot all the way through the ball and |
| | | | see how much farther it will go." Whether you |
| They want to please their parents and they | | | | are working with kids of adults, they will |
| want to do well. They often focus on what | | | | respond to this sort of encouragement. |
| they did wrong or what they did not do. In | | | | |
| the end they can feel very frustrated, angry, | | | | It is also important to teach the players to |
| and can even feel like a failure and this | | | | positively reinforce their soccer team-mates |
| attitude can be carried onto the soccer | | | | and to encourage each other. In this way, |
| field. | | | | players will feel even better about what they |
| | | | have accomplished, especially when they are |
| Using positive reinforcement means focusing | | | | nearing adolescence and their peers begin to |
| on the positive or what went right. There is | | | | have a greater influence on them than the |
| no need to look at what a player did not do | | | | adults in their lives do. |
| properly. You may ask, how do you help a | | | | |
| player correct poor technique or improve | | | | Motivating soccer players is about helping |
| their soccer game without looking at what | | | | them feel good enough about themselves and |
| they did improperly. | | | | what they are doing that they desire to |
| | | | strive for more. They will want to improve |
| On soccer coaching, the key is to look at | | | | themselves and their game from the positive |
| what they did right and say that you want to | | | | frame of mind that they are good players who |
| see them do it again. Instead of saying, | | | | are improving all the time, instead of |
| "That was a good kick, but when you kick the | | | | feeling that they are inadequate and need to |
| ball, place your foot here," try, "Hey, on | | | | improve their game to become good enough. |
| that last penalty kick you had great follow | | | | |
| through and made the shot. Let's see that | | | | Follow these tips on coaching soccer and I'm |
| again and this time try placing your foot | | | | sure you'll motivate your players or kids to |
| here." | | | | love the game. |
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