by Neal Ellis

When we see kids grow up in the game of soccer, we see a realm of coaches and parents from different backgrounds - Doctors, Lawyers, Police Officers and Teachers, to name a few.

All of you had to learn the basics before you chose your profession.  You learned to read, write, and solve math problems and other subjects that prepared you for college.  When the time was right and your skills were developed, it was time to choose a path.  The game of soccer is no different.  There is a process by which to teach the kids in order for them to develop, so that with time, they can choose the path they want to take.  The high expectations from parents, coaches and clubs use the development of the kids and puts winning above all else.  The more they win, the better the chances are that your kid will get a scholarship.  For the club, the more they win, the more they can sell their club to other prospects.

Meanwhile, the kids are missing important pieces that will help them in the future.  So when do we start, where do we start and what do we teach?

Have you ever been out to watch a game of U6s?  All you can see is a pile of dust flying and a group of kids chasing the ball everywhere on the field.  Parents and coaches screaming on the sidelines, "Pass the ball!!!  Shoot the ball!! Dribble, dribble!! You are going the wrong way!!"  You come to notice quickly that the kids do not care about what everyone is yelling - all they care about is getting hold of that toy and keeping it.  Even kicking it in the goal feels dumb to them, since that means that they have to get rid of the toy and now they have to chase it down again.

You almost wonder why you even bother separating them into teams - just throw a ball out there and let them play.  They are going to end up scoring on their own goal anyway.

Let's also not forget about the group of kids that are more interested in chasing bugs or talking to other kids on the field than playing the game; they do not care about the ball.  They will run next to a friend and talk their ear off, and if sometimes is not paying attention to them, they move onto the next friend; maybe they will have luck with them.  So, when it is all said and done, the game has no resemblance to the game of soccer, other than the ball.

Look at it from a different perspective.  Imagine your kids in a pre-kindergarten class where there is only one crayon and one piece of paper to draw with.  What do you think the kids that do not have the crayon or the paper would do?  On top of that, add the teacher and parents yelling, "Share the crayon! Pass the paper! Stop fighting over it!"  How do you think that would end up: Do you think the kids would share the crayon?  I am sure you will have some crying, some that do not care about the crayon and the ones that dominates the situation.  So why should teaching soccer be any different than the classroom?

As they become older - eight, nine and 10 - the screams on the sidelines do not change, they only get more complicated.  You start hearing words like, "Cross it! You are a defender - why are you running up the field? Forward, you have to stay high, stay in your position!"  The kids become so afraid to do anything that they look for the coaches and parents to see what they should do next.  At these ages, the impact that the coach has on the kids starts to directly affect their learning.  So what are we teaching them with all of these big words from the sidelines?  Is that the way the kids will learn to play the game?

Staying with the classroom comparison, just imagine if your teacher starts yelling at his/her second-graders, "You are a doctor, what are you doing playing with colored pencils? Stop reading, you only need to focus on math; You are an engineer!"  The positions in soccer are like professions, you have to learn the basics before you become a midfielder, forward or defender.

How would our kids learn if we did not teach what is appropriate?  Could we skip teaching the alphabet and go straight into reading Shakespeare, or teach Calculus before two plus two?  The game of soccer is no different - dribbling comes before passing and passing comes before shooting.  The understanding of how to play the game comes before learning the positions.

Understanding age-appropriate development should be one of the most important factors of coaching.  Coaches should have a lesson plan that is age-appropriate, dynamic and fun; to keep the kids engaged during the training season.  Everyone should have a ball to play with in order to maximize his or her learning by repetition.

Then, during the game on Saturday, sit back, relax and cheer them on.  With a good environment, the kids will learn to play the game and to enjoy it.  And when you are thinking of positions, think of doctors, lawyers, teachers and all the other professions out there and ask yourself - is my 10-year old ready to be a doctor?