"The Perils of Overcoaching Youth Soccer"

But soccer is different. In soccer, the involvement of the coach is secondary to the performance of the players. Soccer is fairly uninterrupted. Players must be allowed to make decisions on their own and learn to receive and process information to solve problems during the game.

Soccer coaches must do most of their game preparation work during the week. By game time on the weekend, it is up to the participants to act, make decisions and play!

Answer these questions honestly to determine if you are over-coaching. If you answer "yes" to very many you are over-coaching.

• Do you find that your voice is strained following a game?
• Is the information that you give your players during half time emotional but non-specific? Does it help them solve problems?
• Do you use catch phrases such as "suck it up, boys" or "no pain, no gain"" in attempting to motivate youngsters?
• Do you find that you are sweating and running just as much during the game as the players?
• Are you pre-game, half-time or post-game speeches similar to the president's state of the union address?
• When addressing the players, do you ramble and cause confusion among the players as to the point you are trying to make?
• Are your remarks and instruction made during the game and to players repetitive and redundant? Is this information general, non-specific jargon and cheerleading and is it altering the player's performance?
• Are you reluctant to allow players to make their own decisions during a game?
• Are you constantly barraging players with instructions during the game?
• Do you coach in absolutes such as "always" or "never"?
• Do you choreograph and arrange players into strict starting positions with instructions such as "never go out of your zone" or "defenders should never cross the midline?"
• Have you instructed players to refrain from passing the ball to certain teammates because their present level of ability is, from your adult perspective, inadequate?
• Do you spend an excessive amount of practice time on throw-ins, kick-offs, corner kicks or penalty kicks?
• Are you utilizing methods of training that do not allow players to acquire and improve technical skills, tactical decision-making, physical stamina and confidence (i.e., dribbling through cones, sending in lines awaiting a turn)?
• Are you attempting to improve the team's level of fitness by minimizing the time the players have contact with the ball? Do you view the game as a contest based only on fitness that leads to a preoccupation with running?
• Are you openly emotional or upset when addressing the players to the point that they stare at you and think, "What are you so disturbed about?"
• Do you have difficulty accepting a realistic approach to winning and losing? Do you believe that winning is synonymous with player development?
• Are you constantly aggravated and apprehensive about coaching?

If you answer "no" to the following questions, you may be over-coaching.

• Do your practices produce nearly the same degree of movement as a soccer game?
• Do you enjoy and have fun coaching youngsters?
• Do the players seem to enjoy playing because of your input and involvement as coach?

Young players are a product of their experiences. They learn more from their experiences (games, activities, the environment) than they do from the coach. The role of the coach is to organize and set up games and activities that allow the players to learn and enjoy the sport.