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First Year as Head Coach

Posted by Bonnie Harper on August 28, 2009 at 7:30pm

Well, I went from "Team Mom/Equipment Manager" to impromptu Assistant Coach for my daughter's indoor/Futsal team, to Head Coach of a Girls U-12 team in three years.I've never played soccer on a team - just helped my daughter with her skills and really paid attention during practices with select teams and professional coaches (we played up last year when she was 9 to a U-13 league).Before this, I coached cheerleading and softball. Kids are pretty much the same wherever you are, and I've made it a point to really do my homework on the game. I think I've also managed to recruit a young man to the position of volunteer assistant coach - and he HAS played before. We'll see if a 22-year-old can withstand 10 & 11 year old girls :) So far, he seems to be having a good time and the girls like him.

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Comments

Aleh Prospel May 19, 2012 at 4:42am

how do u do, hope every thing is fine over there.I was just passing through the site and saw your name and some one asked me to write to you that u may help me. I am a young Cameroonain aged 26 who plays football .For so far l have been in the Brassaries school for 3 years .also have played in 2 3rd division and 2 2nd Division teams in my country and our team almost qualified for the first Division but we loss in the semi finals.So if in case the is a means for me to play over there please help me.i will send you some of my pictures were i was playing for you to see them for your self.I am counting on you and hope to here from you soon. this is my number 23775811068.this is my e-mail:leefoxe@gmail.com
zarko djalovic December 30, 2011 at 8:51pm

hello bonnie ... you must on the first place learn that girls haw to find a space on the court and use it .... first step ...
Tom McGuinness January 20, 2011 at 9:20pm

Check out Pill's Drills...is run by Jeff Pill, a USSF Instructor, really good stuff on there. Been a year since you posted, hope all has worked out well.

If you have a college in the area, see if they run clinics, etc and ask the coach if there are any players interested as well. Lot more former players going into coaching than ever before...not sure if they heard about the pay being low(but I do get to do what I love)
Bonnie Harper January 2, 2010 at 1:40pm

We had a losing season =( I think part of the problem was certainly my inexperience. However, the league we're playing in merged two age brackets. During the Fall season, we played teams that were a year older (most if not all of them) and bigger. We also played against the "Recreational" teams of a couple soccer clubs here. But there were teams we had very close matches with - they were our age and size. Those games were much more fun for the girls.

We'll be running a lot more this Spring - conditioning and speed were big issues for us.

My midfielders also seem lost. I've been encouraging the forwards and midfielders to run in "triangles" with eachother so they have options if they're met with a defender they can't get past and that the forwards can pass back - not just side-to-side. However, the midfielders aren't in good position to receive and redirect.

Any ideas?
Bonnie Harper August 31, 2009 at 8:04pm

Hey Dave!
I'm using him to help run the drills I set up. My daughter played with a team that went on to "elite" status and they had a professional coach on board. I always stayed for practices and ran drills with my daughter at home. I'm also well-acquainted with the head coach for a local select team and I sit in on some of his practices.

There are a ton of sites that have good drills, but my favorite is this one: www.jes-soccer.com

If you have time, see if there are local select or elite teams whose coaches don't mind if you come watch (contact them first to see if it's OK. Parents and coaches are rightfully protective of their kids).

Good luck!
Dave Fisher August 31, 2009 at 6:34pm

Are you using him for the drills. Where are you getting your practice ideas from.
I'm first year Head for U12 Boys. Same boat never played
Dave