Having the correct coaching in any sport is vital for personal development and achievement.
However, in the sport of soccer, it is much more important than that.
A soccer coach has to get things right from the start.
To be a good soccer coach, you have to structure your training sessions in a way that develops your players.
That is after all the purpose of practice, to make you better.
When judging the merits of a soccer coach, you need to look at how you have been, or are developing as a player.
Have you improved in any area of your game? What are the training sessions like? do you practice the same thing every session? Are you bored during training? If these things go through your head, then perhaps, you do not have a very good soccer coach.
If your coach is all about running, you have a bad coach, if your practice sessions are like this; warm up,running, then a game, you have a bad coach.
If your sessions involve running drills passing drills, and then a practice game, you have a bad coach.
As we said earlier, being a good coach, and this is at all levels, youth coach, high school coach, college coach, through to professional, you really must have a structured coaching plan in place.
Although soccer is a team sport, training is not all about the team.
Game tactics and pattern of play should come along later.
In fact it's best not to play full practice matches at all, this will stunt development.
If you must have practice games, make them small sided and on small pitches.
Remember the purpose of training is to get better.
You can't get better if you're not spending enough time on improving your skills.
You can't train a striker like you train a defender, and you can't coach either if they have not received the foundation, the core skills.
Preparation is an important detail in being a good coach, training should stay focused and tailored towards personal enhancement, even in a team environment.
At first, your coach must focus on your core skills.
These are, your touch, control over the ball, how you pass, volley, and head the ball.
These are the areas that are important.
Making you fit and strong comes second, and so does playing games.
Team play is less important than skill and technique, a good soccer coach will know this.
He or she will make certain that the scheduled training program reflects the priorities the squad of players need.