Welcome to the Coaches  Club!
Our coaches are parent volunteers with a vast background in soccer and team sports. Each fall the club has 100+ first time or returning parent coach volunteers. Its a great way to support the kids, community and club in contributing to a fun youth sports activity.

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Magnolia Coaching Manual

Coaches Code of Conduct

Parent/Player Code of Conduct

Medical Release Forms
Every player must have a signed medical release form on file with the coach before they participate in any team activities. Coaches must keep these with them at all team events, in case of emergency. Each family will be emailed a form to sign, or you can print blank forms

Parent Meeting Example

Small-Sided Guidelines

MOD Games Format
U6 & U7 is 3v3
3 players from each team on the field – no goalie
2 games played at the same time
2×20 minute halves

U8 is 3v3 plus a goalkeeper
4 players from each team on the field
2×25 minute halves

U9 is 5v5 plus a goalkeeper
6 players from each team on the field
2×25 minute halves

Association Games Format
U10 is 5v5 plus goalkeeper
6 players from each team on the field
2×25 minute halves

U11 and U12 is 8v8 plus a goalkeeper
9 players from each team on the field
2×30 minute halves

U13 and up – visit SYSA site for more details

Coaching clinics for new and returning coaches!
MSC encourages our coaches to get educated and we will pay for any courses you take through WYSA or SYSA.

Get your U6, U8, U10 or U12 coaching certificate online!
https://wayouthsoccer.digitalchalk.com/dc/customer/login.dc

Byte Size Coaching Resource – gives you the tool you need to succeed (a free resource from SYSA)
http://www2.bytesizecoaching.com/index.php
(User ID=sysa, Password = district1)


Field Information

Magnolia South (lit) field Layout
Magnolia North field Layout

Additional Field Resources:
SYSA Field Task Force – http://www.sysa.org/home.php?layout=32092
SYSA Field List – http://www.sysa.org/home.php?layout=31222
GSSL Field List – http://www.gssl.org/field_directions.htm
District 2 Fields – http://www.northshoresoccer.org/ipf.php
Seattle Parks Fields – http://www.seattle.gov/parks/athletics/facilities.htm
Seattle Parks Find Park by Location – http://web5.seattle.gov/mnm/
Seattle School Fields – http://www.seattleschools.org/area/athletics/location.xml
Friends of Athletic Fields – http://friendsofathleticfields.com/


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Here are session plans and concepts that you can use as an MSC coach.
Similar to the Byte Size program, these sessions are geared towards the targeted age groups.

U6 – U7 age-group:

· Balance and physical control are not fully developed
· Super-energetic in brief spurts followed by a crash and then ready to go again!
· Self-centered – ‘it’s all about me,’ ‘it’s my ball’ ‘let me play’
· Looks to have one ‘best friend,’ ‘team concept’ somewhat alien
· Concepts of ‘rules’ in play are a mystery, they are all imagination and creativity in the moment
· Verbal instructions are a distraction – demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate!
Majority of coach-able moments are when the player does a great job, tries something new or has something fun to tell you. When they get frustrated occasionally explain a solution to a problem, e.g., losing the ball.

Balancing the Four Key Elements of Coaching

Technical – 80%
Emphasis is on technical skills of dribbling, both for possession and to beat an opponent, and passing. Little bit of shooting towards the end of the season. Each player with a ball as much as possible, some introduction of opponents but generally let the players work against themselves, set challenges by progressions. Learning is largely by observation and experimentation.

Tactical – 20%
Key tactical shape for passing and support is triangle as there are only three players (no goalies!) per team at U6 and U7. This is the fundamental shape of soccer so have them learn use it early and they’ll never look back! Concepts of re-starts – throw-ins, corner kicks, goal-kicks, free-kicks (almost always for handball) can be introduced as they happen in small sided games but don’t worry about the technicalities of the Laws of the Game for these re-starts. Just let them try out stuff and keep playing.

Physical – no emphasis
The format of practices used in the sessions ensures that the kids will be working as hard as possible physically. The main danger is over-exertion so use the fact that these kids are super-energetic in brief spurts followed by a crash and then ready to go again to allow them rest breaks. Be ready for the ups and downs. They will be all over the map from practice to practice and game to game so it is tricky to judge.

Psychological – no emphasis
Coping and managing with game day is your main focus at this age. Making the effort to see game-day as an extension of practice will help the players to focus on having fun. Under no circumstances tie the concepts of ‘fun’ and ‘winning’ together!

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U8 – U9 age-group:

· Balance and physical control are still not fully developed but the spread is wide
· Super-energetic in progressively more prolonged bursts followed by a crash and then ready to go again!
· Self-centered but likes to share – ‘it’s all about you and me,’ ‘it’s our ball’ ‘let us play’
· Looks to have a ‘best friend’ but the ‘team concept’ is appealing – it’s more friends right?
· Concepts of ‘rules’ in play can be grasped, but they are not followed to any degree
· Verbal instructions are OK in small doses related to a single task
· ‘A picture paints a thousand words’ – demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate!
Majority of coach-able moments are when the player does a great job, tries something new or has something fun to tell you. When they get frustrated occasionally explain a solution to a problem, e.g., losing the ball.

Technical – 50%
Emphasis is on technical skills of dribbling, both for possession and to beat an opponent, and passing. Little bit of shooting towards the end of the season. Some practicalities such as throw-ins can be addressed. Each player with a ball as much as possible, progressive introduction of opponents but still let the players work against themselves whilst managing the ‘sloping line’ by setting challenges by progressions. Learning is largely by observation and experimentation.

Tactical – 50%
Key tactical shape for passing and support is triangle but as there are four players per team at U8 (a goalie is introduced) practices can start to integrate the ‘diamond’ or ‘fourth man running’ tactical concepts. These build upon the triangle which remains the fundamental shape of soccer so have them learn use it early and they’ll never look back!

Physical – no emphasis
Super-energetic in brief spurts followed by a crash and then ready to go again! Be ready for the ups and downs. All over the map from practice to practice and game to game. Heat up and cool down very fast

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U10 – U11 Age Coaching Sessions
At U11 there is a marked migration of well developed soccer players to more competitive play and this changes the dynamic of Mod coaching somewhat. In one sense it makes it easier because there is no longer such a wide range in the development levels of the group of players. On the other hand some of the players will have grown dependent on their ‘star’ player and a significant part of your coaching effort will be dedicated to growing these remaining players’ self-confidence.

General Characteristics of age-group:

· Balance and physical control are well developed but may remain a challenge during play
· Gains in strength, endurance and power are amazing at this age but interest in physical training is minimal
· Gradually more outward, likes to share opinions – ‘that’s not the way to do it’ , ‘I know that’
· Very sensitive to being called out or made the center of attention
· Turns to ‘best friend’ but the ‘team concept’ is central now, ‘it’s us against them’
· Concepts of ‘rules’ for play are now firm, most are conformists, transgressions are 99% accidental
· Verbal instructions are OK in small doses and may now relate to connected tasks
· ‘A picture paints a thousand words’ – demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate!
· Will mirror every aspect of your behavior towards game officials
Majority of coach-able moments are still when the player does a great job, tries something new or has something fun to tell you. When they get frustrated provide an explanation for the problem, e.g., losing the ball and let them figure out the solution. Instructions can be absorbed on a small number of connected tasks.

Technical – 50%
Emphasis is on technical skills of shooting and passing for penetration and possession. Keep dribbling in the mix because ball control never stops being critical. Plus winning the ball back when possession is lost is critical and this requires tackling and control skills. Some practicalities on goal-kicks and corner kicks can be addressed. Use of throw-ins can start to be tactical (‘behind the defense’ or ‘down-the-line’). For U11 they get to play in ‘City Tournament’ where the dreaded ‘kicks from the mark’ (penalty kicks) can decide tied games so a session or two on penalty kick taking is a good move! Players in threes and fours with a ball as much as possible, all games include opponents but still look for ways to let the players continue to work against themselves, set challenges by progressions. Learning is largely by observation and experimentation but verbal and pictorial explanations at a simple level start to gel..

Tactical – 50%
Key tactical shape for passing and support is triangle but as there are six and nine players per team at U10 and U11 including the goalie practices should consistently integrate the ‘diamond’ or ‘fourth man running’ tactical concepts. This extension of the triangle may look basic to you but the players are dealing with the whole thing in motion so go slow! For some players the concepts of functional roles (defender ./ attacker) are becoming familiar but Recreational players are still a log ways off from putting them into practice.

Physical – some potential for building agility and stamina
Some players start to mature early and can work on agility productively. Additionally they can last longer in games and by doing so will gradually build stamina and to a lesser extent strength and power. They key thing for me is to recognize that the games they players play in at practice can be made very physical via the use of progressions. There is never any need to run a lap!!

Psychological – no emphasis
It’s good to teach Recreational level players that being the best they can be is more important than winning. Competition can be totally dominated by an early developing skilled player and this can be demoralizing for the less developed athletes.

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