Developing your skills as a coach is an on-going process. Even today's greatest coaches are still learning. But while it would be impossible to share all my thoughts on "what makes a good coach" on just this one web page, I do want to highlight what I feel are the three most important points to consider as you get started:

I. Keep the Focus on Having Fun - one way of looking at it is that if your players want to come back next season, then you've done a good job as their coach. If the kids have fun and view soccer as a positive experience, they will want to come back. So be sure to keep everything you do positive and fun. Always speak with a positive attitude full of encouragement and praise. Keep your practices full of exciting, creative activities instead of boring drills (see the huge library of game ideas in the Practice Games! Not Drills section).

Further, don't talk too much! Let the game teach itself! At its foundation there really is no simpler game out there, so let your kids discover its joy without ruining it by unnecessarily complicating it or turning it into a negative experience. When you do talk, do so with a strong, enthusiastic voice. Move around with energy. These traits will rub off on your players. For some kids you will be the first coach they have ever had, and how you act and feel on the soccer field will set the tone for how they feel they should act. If you're having fun they will too. Laugh a lot, and tell plenty of silly jokes!

II. Develop Soccer Skills Without Concern for Scoring, Wins or Losses - with youth players there is no need to be too concerned with "winning", as these years are only the first steps in a very long soccer career. In many cases even keeping score is unnecessary. Development and fun need to be the focus, and not wins and losses. Spend your practices concentrating on developing critical skills such as dribbling, passing, trapping, shooting, etc., and give all players equal attention. A term you might hear out there is "ball touches", which represents each time a player touches the ball with any part of their body (mostly feet). The more ball touches you accomplish in your practices, the more your players' skills will develop. Hundreds or even a thousand ball touches during one practice is very possible and should be your goal.

During games, give everyone an equal playing opportunity, and don't always play your best players in the scoring positions. This is not the best way to develop their skills. What's more important: winning a game with two stars on your team scoring 6 goals each, or losing a game with seven or eight of your players each scoring (and everyone improving their skills)?

III. Be Prepared - finally, my last bit of advice is to prepare your season, your practices, and your game day, in advance. You can't just show up and try to "wing it". The more prepared you are, the easier it will be to relax and enjoy yourself. Believe me it will all go by faster than you expect, and you'll be sad when it's over. So read the further links on these topics, and go out and have a great season!