Coaches

Online Registration required for Coaches.
Click HERE to begin the Fall 2010 Coach Registration

(Spring 2010 coaches, please use your existing login once you open this
registration page.  New Coaches, you will be able to establish a
username and login for your coach account.)

Once you complete your Coach Registration, please review and return to us
a signed copy of the
Coaches Code of Ethics.  And the Parents Code of Ethics.
You can scan and upload those documents right into your online Coach account,
or you can mail them to BYSO, PO Box 1544, Bastrop, TX  78602.
                                         

*     *     *     *     *     *   
ARTICLE:

 

“Are you CRAZY? You can’t see that foul!!!”

It’s the start of the season and this phrase can be heard around the soccer field too often. I would like to take a moment to remind everyone about what is really important on game days… sportsmanship. We often make sure the players exhibit good sportsmanship; playing fair, following the rules and being polite to our opponents. But the real job of good sportsmanship belongs to our coaches and parents watching the game. How many times have you been to a soccer game and heard the yelling and outrageous comments coming from the folks on the sidelines. Very often these comments are aimed at a referee, that even though they are getting paid (not really very much money), whose job it is to make sure the game is played following the laws of the game. These referees have to attend certification each year and pass a test of 100 questions. Now, you have parents yelling about a situation that they really have no idea how the rules should be enforced. On top of all this, stop and think what type of image the parents are projecting to not only the visiting team but to their own child. As the old saying goes; the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The child sees this behavior and figures if it’s okay for their parents to acts this way then it should be all right for them too. BYSO has a code of conduct that each parent signs when they register their child to play soccer. It lays out the behavior that the organization expects everyone to follow. Simply stated I think we should all treat each other how we would like to be treated ourselves. I’m a bit of a movie buff and one of my favorite movies is Lonesome Dove. There is a scene in the move where Captain Call, played by Tommy Lee Jones, beats a soldier up for attacking his son. After the fight, Captain Call mounts his horse and tell the town folks watching the fight, “ I won’t tolerate rude behavior in a man”. BYSO will not tolerate rude behavior from any spectators. Please be a good example to your child and represent our community proudly. 

*   *   *   *   *   *

Coaches...for informational links with training practice suggestions & ideas for drills for different age levels, please visit our 'Coaches Corner' on the homepage of website.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Our Recreational League, both Lower and Upper Division is comprised of Volunteer Coaches who have a love of the sport and many of them parents of players in the league themselves.  Our coaches complete a training at the start of every Fall Season, and have access to training videos and training tips at anytime from our Director of Training, Ron Grigsby or from the websites of www.CAYSA.org or www.STXSOCCER.org .  Our Recreational League players typically practice 1 or 2 weekdays then have a game on Saturdays between 8:30am and 10:30am time slots.  Some of the youngest teams may only practice one weekday.  Each coach determines their practice schedules based on their own personal obligations first, then according to field and parent/player availability.

Parents, please show your appreciation to your coach for their dedication and hard work by making sure your children show up on-time for practice and games, making sure they come prepared with their shin guards, soccer shoes, soccer ball and water.  Be there at practices and games to support your child by cheering them on and being positive about their efforts.  But make sure you let your coach do the coaching.  Be aware of all General Rules and Game Play Rules during Saturday games.

Ball Size Needed:
U4 - U8          Size 3
U9 - U12        Size 4
U13 & Up       Size 5

Our Mission:  To provide kids in the surrounding Bastrop area the opportunity to have fun playing soccer at a competitive level while providing the highest quality/training coaching.

             *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Our Academy and Select Soccer Programs feature a higher level of training and development compared to a Recreational League.  It involves skill instruction by professional, licensed coaches.  We are proud to have the following experienced coaches heading our Academy and Select Soccer Programs...

RON GRIGSBY
BYSO Director of Training

Ron has over 14 years of soccer experience with BYSO teams at all levels, including recreation, Academy and Inferno Select soccer.  He currently serves as the Director of Training and Coaching for BYSO, and has served as Director of Coaching for Bastrop Arsenal and as Upper Division Commissioner for BYSO.  He is currently head Coach for the 96 and 98 Boys Select Inferno teams.  He holds a National D Coaching license and a Master of Arts degree.


Robyn Heller
ROBYN HELLER

Robyn has over 30 years of soccer experience beginning in Seattle, Washington.  Robyn played many years of premier Select soccer and was voted to the Washington State All-State team three consecutive years in high school.   Robyn played collegiately for Pacific Lutheran University where she became a three time National Champion.  Robyn began coaching youth soccer in 1995 and holds a class D license.  She is currently the head coach for the 96 Girls Select and Academy 99 Girls Green.

David Spalding
DAVID SPALDING


David has over 35 years of soccer experience beginning in Bolivia, South America.  David played collegiate soccer at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. David began his coaching career in 1990 at Elsik High School in Houston and has coached numerous youth teams, including Bastrop High School, since moving to Bastrop in 1996.  David holds a NHSSCA Level C National License.  David currently coaches the Academy Boys Team.


JAMES RAMON
BYSO Academy Commissioner

James currently serves as a BYSO Commissioner for the Academy teams, and he is currently coaching the new Academy Girls Team, just formed to start Spring 2010. 

*     *     *     *     *     *

Don't be a ''Joystick "Coach

By Alex Kos

 I first heard the term "Joystick Coaching" a few years back. What a wonderfully descriptive term. As with video games, joystick coaches want to dictate and control the movement of all players on the field. Hence the term "joystick."

However, there is very little joy to be had by players when they are coached in this manner. 

 Joystick coaching has reached epidemic proportions (and parents are just as guilty). Why is this happening? 

* Look at other popular youth sports such as football, baseball and basketball. Football and baseball coaches are joystick experts. Even in basketball where the game is more fluid (like soccer) and, therefore, more difficult to control and manipulate, coaches still try their best to dictate the action. Since many soccer coaches come from these backgrounds, it is only natural that joystick coaching carries over into soccer.

* We are a sports nation hung up on X’s and O’s. Joysticking is a natural by-product of this fascination. How many times do you see defenders standing in one spot because that is where the defenders were positioned on the dry-erase board?

* Soccer is not an easy sport to learn. No matter how many times coaches tell young players to spread out and not play bunch-ball, they still do. As such, coaches feel compelled to ‘help’ position and move their players about.

 Besides early player retirements, there are other consequences of this "helping" behavior.

 * In a sport that is very fluid where the action happens so quickly, players must be able to think on their feet and solve or address problems immediately. However, the more players are told what to do, the less they will be able to think for themselves.

* Players lose their sense of purpose. They are out there to play a game and try their best yet are constantly being told how to play.

* Once one adult starts maneuvering players on the field, other adults feel empowered to do the same. Soon, players are being told how to play and where to stand by coaches, parents, and complete strangers. And often, the three groups are giving three completely different instructions. What is a player to do?

 These are some simple tips that will help coaches curb the joystick epidemic and truly help players.

 * Lead by example. Limited joystick coaching during games as much as possible.

* Set ground rules for your assistant coaches and parents. Explain the drawback of joystick coaching and having multiple adults "help" players with conflicting instructions.

* Rather than telling players what to do and where to play, ask them how and where they should be playing. Let them think of the answer and assist only if they don’t know the answer.

 Coaches (and parents), leave your joysticks hooked up to your game consoles at home for use with FIFA 10. If you don’t, you’ll be using the actual joystick much more since Saturday mornings will soon be free.

*     *     *     *     *     * 
Ron Grigsby                                                                                                                                                          
Director of Training and Coaching BYSO