Coaching Education

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association 

June 25, 2025-Save the date as the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that our 5th Annual Coaching Symposium will be held on Saturday, August 23 at the Capelli Sports Complex in Chester.

The all-star line-up of clinicians includes:
• Nathan Hunt, US Soccer Technical Lead
• Max Dubane, Red Bulls Senior Manager of Coach Development
• Tom Shields, STA Academy Director
• Doug Lemov, acclaimed author and educator
• Tim Bradbury, Eastern New York Director of Coaching

The schedule:
Session 1-9:00 to 10:15 am, presentation given by Doug Lemov and Tim Bradbury
Session 2-10:30 to 11:45 am, presentation by Max Dubane
Session 3-Noon to 1:15 pm, presentation by Tom Shields
Session 4-1:30 to 2:45 pm, presentation by Nathan Hunt

The registration fee for attending the full day is a very reasonable $75 and you should click on this link.

If you attend all day and want a video too, the cost is $100.

It’s a $30 registration fee for video only for those who cannot make the symposium.

For more info, please contact Tim Bradbury.

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

I received many good ideas to my article on Preventing Lopsided Scores. Perhaps the best advice came from longtime coach Jeff Geller, who has been coaching in the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) and high school soccer for the past 25 years and is currently the coach of the Girls-Under-8 Saratoga-Wilton Gotham Girls and the Modified Boys Soccer coach in the Saratoga Springs City School District.

Jeff told me that he authored the following article a year ago after he saw high school teams consistently run up the score on weaker opponents to either demoralize them or to help their players break school records. Here are Jeff’s ideas:

Creating Value and Demonstrating Sportsmanship in Unbalanced Games by Jeff Geller

As we continue to compete and strive for victory in the games we coach, it’s essential to remember that sportsmanship should always be at the forefront of our coaching philosophy. While we are all dedicated to winning and achieving success on the field, it’s equally important that we respect our opponents and maintain the integrity of the competition. We all understand that soccer is a game that thrives on intensity and drive, but it’s equally important that we balance that drive with the responsibility we have to foster a positive, respectful environment for both our players and the teams we face. Whether in victory or defeat, let’s ensure we’re setting the right example for our athletes in how we conduct ourselves and how we approach the game.

Sometimes, it’s apparent before a game even starts that the result is going to be one-sided, while other times it only becomes clear once the game is underway. Below are a few tips and strategies for managing situations where your team is much stronger than the opposition, and ways to ensure the game remains beneficial for both teams involved.

One strategy to combat lopsided victories is to communicate and educate your players and parents before you find yourself in a one-sided game. Communicate with your team and parents early on in the season that you may be making changes to your team and/or asking certain things of them in easier contests to help create an environment where both teams will be able to take something away from the game.

Many coaches score 5, 6, or 7 goals against their opponent and only then start to make changes to the game in an attempt to keep it respectable. They put attackers on defense and defenders on attack, but the goals keep coming. They put all their subs in, but the goals keep coming. They tell their team to stop scoring, and now that’s not fun for anyone. They tell their team to make 10 passes before scoring, but now they’re playing passes without a purpose and the weaker team is doing nothing but chasing the ball around. So, what can you do? As a coach in this situation, you always want to try and tweak the game conditions by making it more difficult for your team to score without taking away the ability to score.

If you know before the game that the team you’re about to play is much weaker, possibly by their scorelines against other teams or maybe you played them earlier in the season, you can:

Sometimes you recognize soon after the whistle blows that you have the superior squad that day. Maybe you score a goal or two very quickly. Maybe you see that your team is technically and tactically superior and will control the match. As soon as you make the determination that you could easily win the game, you should be thinking about how you can tweak the game conditions to make it beneficial for both teams.  Some suggestions to make it more difficult for your team to score without taking away the ability to score include:

• Making lineup changes sooner than later. Don’t wait until you’re up 5-0. It’s too late at that point.
• Limiting the touches your players have on the ball. Make the players think and play quicker.
• Having your team play the ball back to your goalkeeper after winning possession. Whether you win the ball back in the defensive, middle, or attacking third, the ball must be worked back to the goalkeeper before the team can go to goal. This forces your team to play back and then have to go the entire length of the field to score.
• Having your team complete X number of combinations such as overlaps or give-and-gos before going to goal. Playing a weaker opponent gives us a good opportunity to rehearse some of these common patterns of play.
• Giving the team a passing pattern they must complete before going to goal. Again, playing a weaker opponent gives us a good opportunity to rehearse some common patterns of play. Maybe you want them to work on playing balls into the feet of the target player, maybe you want them to work on playing through balls in behind the defense to the weak side midfielder, maybe it’s overlapping runs by the outside back followed by a cross into the box. Identify the area of the game your team needs to improve and create on-field scenarios that allow for targeted practice.
• Only allowing attempts on goal from outside the box.
• Only allowing attempts on goal with a player’s weaker foot.
• Only allowing attempts on goal with a one-time finish.
• Playing short on all restarts.

Removing players from the field of play (playing down) should be considered a last resort, only after all other efforts to maintain a competitive scoreline have been exhausted. Playing down can be perceived as disrespectful, and our goal is to keep all players on the field while challenging them to score under tough conditions. If despite the challenges your team continues to score easily, then it may be time to consider removing a player or more from the field of play. This document highlights the balance between competing to win and maintaining sportsmanship. While it’s crucial to aim for success, we must also ensure that we keep the game respectful for all involved, no matter what the score. As coaches, we set the tone for how our athletes approach the game, and it’s important that we instill values of respect, fairness, and integrity in every match.

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

If this headline were the title of a new album by the Goo-Goo Dolls, I think we would rightly be excited and looking forward to the download date. 

Unfortunately, when it is the words that best describe the youth soccer environment that players and parents must wade through to find competitive games, all those who care about the future of the game should be concerned. 

I understand that most people want short cuts and that we live in a culture of “I want it now.” Having studied the works of Jean Piaget and read his description of the American issue, I understand that most of us are constantly searching for a way to get to number 1 by finding the best shortcut. Covid only seems to have placed an exclamation mark on the desperation to get great quick

My understanding of the issues has been extended after re-reading Bounce by Matthew Sayed. This brilliant book looks at the talent myth and presents a wonderful case using Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters, his own table tennis exploits as well as Mia Hamm and Messi to mention but a few. There has been much debate and discussion regarding the validity of the 10,000 hours rule. Through all the heated discussions, very few have doubted the fact that endless hours of intense and deliberate practice with the guidance of the right coach are required to fulfill your potential.

There should be no shortcuts, and really there are none, you must do the work and compete to play at a high level no matter what the bumper sticker on your car says.

One of the lasting issues of US Soccer’s decision to allow several governing bodies within the youth game has been the proliferation of Premier leagues. The number of coaches that have seized the chance to be able to say we are in a Premier league and we are therefore a Premier team is astounding. We need to be honest that just because it is called a Premier league does not necessarily make it one! If playing in the local league were a Division 3 team, you do not become Premier by simply moving to another league with the word Premier somewhere in the title. I hear you saying, “Tim, calm down, well what is the problem?” To make it plain and simple, as for myself the issue is clear, my problems with so many Premier leagues and the effects they are having are as follows:

1. Coaches and parents are jumping leagues simply to be able to say we are Premier. This impulsiveness misleads the players and encourages the shortcut culture. 

2. Players and parents jump from team to team looking for a real Premier team and so many of the positive social aspects of being on a team are lost.

3. By misleading our players with what is the real standard, we give them a false impression of how much real effort is needed to get to play at the highest level. 

4. By distributing the better players within each age group into so many different leagues, the overall standard is dropping. One key ingredient for high level soccer is that the most competitive players get to play together. 

5. One consequence of the confusion of what really is Premier becomes that teams play in multiple leagues. This drastic increase in the number of games played comes at the expense of less training. This hurts player development. It also lowers the standard of play in all the “Premier leagues” since the talent pool is now spread out across multiple leagues.

6. We are misleading our players. Coaching is a form of teaching, and I believe the old saying to be true that it is the most noble of professions. How can we lie to and mislead our players? I’m certain that the number of Premier leagues, select programs and academies will continue to grow, and the consequence of this expansion will continue to lower standards and disappoint players and parents.

The answer then, and the growth of the game, lies in the hands of the coaches and parents. I ask that you research and understand the issues stated above and that most importantly you stop chasing short cuts that are false.   

Tim Bradbury

Jean Piaget (French: [ʒɑ̃ pjaʒɛ]; 9 August 1896 – 16 September 1980) was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called “genetic epistemology“.

Piaget placed great importance on the education of children. As the Director of the International Bureau of Education, he declared in 1934 that “only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse, whether violent, or gradual.”

Matthew Syed (born 2 November 1970) is a British journalist and broadcaster. He used to be an English table tennis international, and was the English number one for many years. He was three times the Men’s Singles Champion at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships (in 1997, 2000 and 2001), and also competed for Great Britain in two Olympic Games. Bounce: How Champions Are Made by Matthew Syed

By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

I have written more than a few articles on the conundrum that the prevailing trend on having your kids do as much sport as possible brings to the foreground and thought it may be a good time to once again try to get all parents and coaches to look at the physical diet their players or children are participating in. Please try to read all that follows with an open mind.

Why has the multi-sport trend become so prevalent?

1. The belief that participating in as many different experiences as possible leads to a more rounded individual. 

“A well-rounded education is the pursuit of comprehensive knowledge, balanced across a wide range of subjects.” Carrie Weitz.

2. “Keeping them busy.” In a culture where more families than ever have both parents working and the hours that these parents work is on the increase, a belief that having children busy and active is a positive thing is simple to understand.
3. Obesity levels within the USA. Coupled with parents inspired by a health club culture and are rightly concerned about the physical condition of their children and search for active environments for their children to participate in.
4. Bumper sticker syndrome. Several parents seem to be driven by being able to say, “My child plays soccer, baseball, lacrosse, basketball, football and badminton” to name but a few.
5. The belief that having a full schedule is infinitely better than having “free time.” There is an understandable concern in society today that “free time” can lead to problematic screen time. Daily headlines regarding teenagers finding trouble on the internet are both undeniable and hard to ignore.
6. “Peer group applause.” Understandably, any teenage boy or girl would and do seek out environments where the applause is loud and constant. Those gifted young athletes with some pace, strength and mobility become fodder for all coaches. It is quite sad how quickly parents can be drawn in by the promise of another Elite sweatshirt.

Having considered the reasons why parents are eager for their child to be a multi-sport athlete, one should also understand the problems and associated issues that arise with multi-sport players

1. Overtraining and injury. There can be no doubt that players involved in many different sports, frequently on the same night or day, suffer from injuries caused by overtraining.

Rest – Rest periods are as important as the actual training itself. The physical processes in the body need time to adapt to exercise. Ensure rest days at regular intervals. If the player notices that their performance is no longer improving or drops and they are neither ill nor injured, then a recovery period may be needed.

Taken from: http://www.soccerperformance.org/training/overtrainingcont.htm

2. Competitive ability. Playing one high-intensity game in a day is demanding enough. If we add to this equation the amount of physical activity in the previous seven days, the temperature at which the game may take place, the level of the athlete competing against and how well the players rehydrate and replenish between games, one can begin to understand that playing 2, 3 or 4 games in two days at a competitive level is problematic at best.

3. Quality of educational environment. Parents and players need to thoughtfully evaluate those sporting situations which they place themselves in. In both the high school arena and the youth sport culture, there are coaches who place players in unhealthy and even dangerous situations. Parents and players should carefully research the coaching and educational qualifications of those responsible for leading training sessions.

4. Emotional strain. In a culture where the importance of winning is misplaced, there can be no doubt that the stress placed on our youth players by the majority of youth coaches to win whatever the cost is enormous. Perhaps more difficult to understand, yet undeniably true, is the emotional stress that this environment creates.

5. Learning to balance effort, or is it cheating? Players at young ages quickly begin to understand that it is impossible to give 100% physical and emotional effort in 2-3 games in one day or even weekend. Rather than suffer the humiliation of telling mom, dad or the next coach they are tired, they either decide not to give maximum effort or present a limited effort, so they have, “something in the tank” for the next game.

6. Coach-Player conflict. The majority of youth coaches live by the cannon that, “as long as you give your best effort and try hard, I will be okay with the outcome.” An unfortunate yet obvious issue is, therefore, presented when players seem to be making limited effort. For coaches who equate playing time with both efforts presented and impact on performance, those players seemingly do not try and quickly find themselves on the bench.

7. Conflict resolution and education. In an environment where practices are missed due to training conflicts and effort in games is subpar due to overtraining, tiredness or the desire to “save” oneself for the next game, an enormous number of conflict situations arise.

8. Handling conflict situations. Rather than educate their children as to the specific athletic demands of each game, their ability to replenish energy stores, fuel adequately, the need for a training rhythm that includes rest, a large number of parents choose to ignore the issues involved. Frequently, they seek to “battle” the first coach who questions their child’s efforts. The intensity and rage with which these battles occur can be staggering.

9. The combined result of all the above is youth players that a) are unable to provide a maximum effort in any game, b) begin to develop a behavioral pattern that 50%-70% is good enough, c) have no real understanding of what putting in 100% means, d) have no ability to self-reflect on their performance level and the effort they produced and e) are unable to deal with the ethical and social issues when they let a team down. In this environment, rather than sport building character, it seems to tear it down.

10. The true value of team sport for many is in the core values that being on a team can foster. Cooperation, resilience, honesty, self-sacrifice, discipline and reliability all get thrown away when players must constantly let one team or another down.

I believe that the majority of youth coaches are cognizant of all the above. Many have already changed their training patterns, the content of their coaching sessions or the demands they place on their players.

Although I am a firm believer in the “Good coaches adjust mentality” NSCAA journal 2009 article, I do believe that there are certain changes that coaches need to be aware of and in some cases, enthusiastic about:

1. Practice should not become a popularity contest. The “fun” in the game should be the game itself and the desire to master the skills of the game in a competitive environment. I believe it is a mistake to start producing training sessions that are focused upon being purely social and fun. In a well-taught highly economical session that caters to all five pillars of the game: technical, tactical, physical, psychological and emotional and social, the fun aspect will be the invisible thread that links all together. The fun is in the doing.

• Coaches need to avoid selling “their sport” in an untruthful manner. Youth and high school coaches promising college scholarships at any level should be treated in a cautious manner.

• Players, in the right manner, must be called to task. One of the essential lessons in playing sports must continue to be “give your best effort all the time and when things go wrong try harder still.” These lessons for life that lie hand in hand with sporting environments must be protected.

• Coaches must do their best to educate parents as to the specific athletic and psychological demands of their sport and the related training, playing and rest ratios needed for long term development.

• Youth coaches should campaign that all tournaments become one game a day events.

• In selecting a sporting menu for their children, parents must educate themselves as to the athletic demands placed on the body and the associated need for periods of rest if optimal development in any sport is going to occur. Ideally, situations where multiple competitive games are played on the same day should be avoided at all costs.

Coaches should seek to enhance their understand of the physical and psychological demands of their game and in so doing should make every attempt to educate the parents within their group. Scientific research has concluded that it takes 8-12 years of training for a talented athlete to reach elite levels (Bloom, 1985; Ericsson et al., 1993; Ericsson and Charness, 1994). This is called the ten year or 10,000-hour rule. For athletes, coaches and parents this translates as slightly more than three hours of practice daily for ten years (Salmela, 1998). Unfortunately, parents and coaches in many sports still approach training with an attitude best characterized as the “peaking by Friday” approach (Balyi and Hamilton, 1999). We now know that a long-term commitment to training is required to produce elite athletes in all sports.

A specific and well-planned training, competition and recovery regime will ensure optimum development throughout an athlete’s career. Ultimately success comes from training and performing well over the long-term rather than winning in the short term. There is no short cut to success in athletic preparation.

Sources:

1. http://www.soccerperformance.org/training/overtrainingcont.htm
2. Carrie Weitz.
3. Istavan Balyi’s, Long Term Athletic Development Manual

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

March 21, 2025-This press release is brought to you by the letter “C.” Soccer coaches will actually be delighted to get a “C” when the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) hosts the “C” Coaching Course in the Capital District.

“This is a great course that is a vital stepping stone for those that wish to move onto the B and A courses,” commented Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching for Eastern New York. “The C is the foundation of all high-level licenses and is full of vital teaching strategies and game concepts.“

This “C” course and first-class curriculum is designed for coaches working with players ages 13 and up. The course encompasses the various tasks of the coach, including training sessions, coaching games, leading players, leading the teams and managing a performance environment plus vital theory sessions on periodization and principles of play with field sessions. There is both an instruction/development period and an assessment period.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old, be currently coaching and have held a National “D” License for a minimum of one year or meet the waiver guidelines. 

In addition, candidates must have access to a team (Under-13+) in a participation environment for the duration of the course. 

Afrim’s Sports Park, 969 Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie, NY 12205

Course opening webinar: September 21, 7:00 to 8:30 pm

In-person meetings, a mix of field and classroom sessions: November 3-6

Course closing webinar: January 11, 2026

Register here. 

The fee is $1,650 and registration needs to be through the US Soccer Digital Learning Center. Any questions can be directed to Eastern New York’s Director of Coaching Tim Bradbury.

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

As we head into a new season, there are so many things we all need to consider to ensure that we are putting the idea of what is the best environment for our youth players to develop within that I thought it might be worth putting the idea under the microscope.

For Leagues and Clubs

Play a game format that is best for the developmental level of the kids. Some 11- and 12-year-olds’ needs are best met by 4v4 or 7v7. Age is not the best way to choose game format. The players’ needs must come first.

Appropriate competition level. Based on skills performed and tactics mastered, perhaps a group is ready to travel and play against other teams, and perhaps they would be better served by competing at an inter-club level.

Traveling distance. It makes absolutely no sense for a group of young players to spend more time on car ride than they do playing the game. When this equation gets to the stage where they spend four times more traveling than they do playing at 8 and 9 years of age, something is terribly wrong. We are teaching them to be better at sitting in a car and getting quizzed by mom and dad about performance than we are at playing the game.

Parent engagement programs. Clubs and leagues should have well-established parent engagement programs that help them develop a basic knowledge of the game, how players learn and how they can best support their child in the developmental process.

Be transformational and not transactional. Remember ,you work with young children and their parents. Build environments that go way beyond just kicking a ball.

For Coaches

Have a definite plan for the season for both team development and individual player development based on how best to help them become more skilled and knowledgeable about the game while having fun. This plan should be rich in individual detail.

Reconsider the place of winning and how important it is at developmental ages (5-14) to win every game. When winning becomes the most important thing of all, development gets sacrificed.

Remember that you are a role model and if you scream and shout at refs, other coaches and your players, then your parents and players are likely to do the same.

Have a personal development plan that focuses on how you intend to use the experience of the season to become a better coach to better serve the players you teach.

Work to ensure that the club you coach in is working to become a true club with a well-defined mission statement, club philosophy, club style of play and game idea. Something your players and teams can thrive within.

For parents

Remember that you have a vital role to play in your children’s development and that their soccer journey can be one that helps them develop life skills like grit, resilience, and honesty. All more important than winning a few trophies.

Work to better understand the game and how your child learns so that you can support the coach, and the learning opportunities presented.

Remember that you are a role model and if you scream and shout at refs, other coaches and other players, then your child is likely to do the same.

Work on treating all refs, coaches and other parents with respect and kindness. Imagine how great it could be if all parents worked on the same footing.

MOST of all, avoid shouting orders as your kid tries to solve the many problems of the game. You do not see what they see, have the athletic abilities they do or the soccer skills and acumen they possess, how can you possibly be giving them sensible information?

For players

Remember that your mom and dad spend a lot of time getting you to and from soccer so put your best effort in always and say thank you.

Work hard to be the player at practice who takes joy in helping other players learn and support the coach as much as you can.

Compete with a smile, enjoy the challenge of the game and teach others what fair play looks like.

Respect all referees all the time.

By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

So a few years on and as much I had hoped that things might change for the better simply not true. I now have been to basketball and lacrosse games where the culture that prevails is one in which the parents who shout the loudest and ensure their kids never get the opportunity to think now dominate the youth sports landscape. It is truly bizarre that certain sports like basketball and lax, the prevailing thought is you only coach the kid with the ball. Surely they have enough to think about as both games need the player with the ball to think and make decisions. Odd that they are never allowed to do so. I felt that before soccer season begins again I should try and get people to consider this again.

Daunting task trying to find the words that you hope will cause a tipping point. I along with hundreds of others have tried to write about this before, “The Race to the Bottom,” “The Road to Nowhere,” “How the Screaming Hurts” and I could go on and on. Social medial X, Instagram, Facebook all full of messages about the same thing. What has sports become, how did it lose its meaning and value?

I listened to a wonderful podcast some years ago, The Talent Equation: “Becoming a True Athlete – A Practical philosophy for flourishing through sport” really was a great listen. One sentence from it sums it up quite well. Sport can be an amazing tool for personal development and good.

Why then have we allowed it to become such a shallow version of what it is capable of?

I am back on the fields coaching competitive soccer again. Well let me rephrase that I have two girls who are Under-9 (yes, so they are 7 and 8) that the local league and club have decided should play in a competitive travel environment. The girls are keen to learn and display a great energy and enthusiasm to do so. They are seven and eight so may become great players one day, but it will be a journey. This last weekend, they played in a local tournament. It is considered a rite of passage and something you must do to keep up.

The tournament seemed to be well-planned and such, but it should really be renamed. “The Players Forbidden to Think Event” would perhaps be the most appropriate title. I saw game after game, coach after coach, parent after parent all determined to achieve the same mission that these children will not think for themselves!

I saw and heard some astonishing things – a few examples below:

• Just kick it out
• Boot it
• Kick it to the corner flag
• Get it out of there
• Stay back there and don’t leave that line (as their team attacked and had the ball)
• Never pass it sideways

I could go on and on but by now you get the idea. All these instructions, shouted enough to be considered an order are all designed to do the same thing, rob the young player of the ability to think and make a decision for themselves. Why do adults hate kids thinking ?

Let’s look at the moment in a game a little, as the ball rolls towards 7-year-old Tim. Little Tim needs to make a decision and in doing so, a few things he will consider are:

• The picture he scanned and what he saw as the ball arrives
• His ability to perform key skills (first touch, pass, dribble)
• His pace
• His balance
• His pace in relation to the kids from the other team next to him

What makes no sense to me at all is how any adult and that means coach or parent can magically see what Tim sees or like a Disney movie be miraculously transformed into Tim’s body to be given his athletic ability which you must have to solve the puzzle the way Tim does.

To suggest you can be insane and to rob Tim of the ability to make his own decision is criminal as it prevents Tim from learning the game. YET on field after field, game after game, I saw the process above repeated. Refs would come and talk to me telling me how bad it has gotten.

So, because I watched Simon Sinek as well, I had to think about the Why, what drives this behavior? The answer of course is simple and clear. A fear of losing and desperate desire to win, whatever the cost is at the heart of the we hate players thinking club.

I’m hoping that at least one or two people who read this understand and can reflect upon their behavior at games and decide they are ok with their kids thinking, making mistakes, learning and possibly not winning. Would that be so awful?

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

February 12, 2025-The U.S. Soccer CTL Level 1 Course for Club Technical Leaders, hosted by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), is a blended course.

The blended format combines an online experience, assignments, small group meetings, independent learning, an in-person meeting and summative assessment interviews

Eligibility Requirements

To register for the U.S. Soccer CTL Level 1 Course, individuals must meet the following prerequisites:

• At least 18 years of age
• Hold a U.S. Soccer B license 
• Have a minimum of one year experience in a club technical leadership role (DOC, Technical Director, Age Group/Gender DOC, GK DOC)

Application for a waiver of the U.S. Soccer B License may be considered based on the following:

• Club technical leader has 5 years of club technical leadership experience AND a US Soccer C License

OR

• Club technical leader has a recognized equivalent foreign license AND
• Must be currently serving in a technical leadership role within a club responsible in full or in part for:

o Club player development philosophy

o Club player development plan or age group development plan

o Club coach development plan or age group coach development plan

Course Experience

80-90 hours (virtual or blended)

Club technical leaders who register for this course can expect weekly learning opportunities that will feature a mixture of independent learning using online modules, live virtual meetings, and one (1) 4-day in-person meetings (if blended format) led by licensed US Soccer Educators. Club technical leaders will be asked to participate in discussions so each person should have access to the internet and a laptop/device with web-camera/live video capabilities. Coaches may be asked to participate in the in-person field component as either coaches or players, so please come prepared to actively learn.

Course Duration

Blended Format: 16 weeks (including one 4-day in person meeting)

Course Assessment

During the course experience, there are both formative and summative assessments:

• Assignments and projects: Formative assessment
• Final portfolio and interview: Summative assessment

On successful completion of course assessment, student coaches will receive the U.S. Soccer Club Technical Leadership Level 1 License

Course Policies

• Club technical leaders that register for this course are expected to attend all course meetings and complete all assignments by due dates to be eligible to receive the license
• Club technical leaders must be currently serving in a technical leadership role within a club responsible in full or in part for:

Club player development philosophy

Club player development plan or age group development plan

Club coach development plan or age group coach development plan

Course Timeline: June 29 to September 28

BLENDED Format: 16 Weeks

• Week 1: Pre-course meeting 1 (large group)
• Week 2: Pre-course meeting 2 (small groups)
• Week 3: In-person meeting (4 days)
• Weeks 4-13: Weekly virtual meetings (large groups and small groups + individual educator meetings
• Weeks 14-15: Interview prep, scheduling period summative assessment interviews (no meetings)
• Week 16: Summative Assessment Interview

Assignment Structure

• 6 assignments leading to a final portfolio
• 1 individual project (Individual Coach Assessment)
• 1 group project (Parent Engagement)

In-Person Meeting Schedule

• July 12: Start at 2 pm
• July 13: Full Day
• July 14: Full Day
• July 15: End at 12 pm

Location: SUSA’s Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex, 271 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip, NY 

Course fee $1,600 – payment plan of 2 x $800 available

Register here

Any questions can be directed to Eastern New York’s Director of Coaching Tim Bradbury (tbradbury@enysoccer.com).

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

January 24, 2025-Soccer coaches can continue to advance and improve their teams by taking the “B” coaching course being offered by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).

The blended format combines online learning, assignments, small group meetings, independent learning and two in-person meetings.

Eligibility Requirements: 

In order to be considered for the U.S. Soccer B Course, all applicants must meet ALL of the following prerequisites: 

·       At least 18 years of age 

·       Have held a U.S. Soccer C License for at least 12 months or meet the waiver requirements

·       Have three or more years of coaching experience (any level) 

·       Currently coaching a team training at least three times a week

·       Currently working in appropriate soccer environment for the course content -OR- have the opportunity to work with a team of the appropriate level for the course content in order to complete the assignments (internship, etc.)

Student coaches will be asked to join the waitlist and will be receive an invitation if accepted into the course.

Waiver Process: 

Coaches seeking a waiver should review the FAQs listed here.

Course Experience

120+ hours (virtual + in-person meetings) 

Coaches who register for this course can expect weekly learning opportunities that will feature a mixture of independent learning using online modules, live virtual meetings and two 4-day meetings led by licensed U.S. Soccer Educators. Coaches will be asked to participate in discussions so each person should have access to the internet and a laptop/device with webcamera/live videocapabilities. The virtual meetings will take place on agreedupon days and times. Coaches may be asked to participate in the field component as either coaches or players, so please come prepared to actively learn.

Course Duration: 

Six months (Including summative assessment) with eight in-person days across two separate in-person meetings.

Course Assessment:

Formative Assessment (course assignments during the course) in

·       Leadership and Managing the Performance Environment 

·       Leading the player within the team

·       Coaching Games

·       Coaching Training Sessions

Summative Assessment (final projects at the end of the course) in ·  

·        Coaching Games

·        Team performance analysis report

·        Coaching Training Sessions

·        Designing three training session plans (within one week)

·        Coaching one training session (video)

Course Outcome

On successful completion of course assessment, student coaches will receive the U.S. Soccer B License

Course Policies

·       Coaches that register for this course are expected to attend all course meetings and complete all assignments by due dates to be eligible to receive the license

·       Coaches must have access to a team (Under-13+) in a performance environment for the duration of the course 

Course Structure: 

Schedule

The final virtual meetings date times will be announced at least two weeks prior to the course start. Coaches will be required to allot an average of two-three hours each week for virtual course meetings.

July 7 to December 21, 2025

Week 1 Introduction All-Course Meeting

Intro Week Webinar Date: July 7

Intro Week Webinar Time: TBD

Intro Week Webinar Link: Will be shared in the course calendar and communication

In-person dates

Meeting 1:

Date:   Tuesday, September 2, 2025 through Friday September 5, 2025

Time:  Begins 2 pm on Tuesday, September 2 and ends at noon on September 5

Course and Field Location: Cedar Stars Academy, 2 Tetz Road, Chester, NY 10918

Meeting 2:

Date:  Tuesday, November 3 through Friday, November 6

Time:  Begins 2 pm on Tuesday, November 3 and ends at noon on November 6

Course and Field Location: Cedar Stars Academy, 2 Tetz Road, Chester, NY 10918

Course fee:

$3,650

Register here
Please make sure that your playing and coaching experience is up-to-date in the learning center profile as well as any additional licenses you may have as this will be used in the application process. Note that the fee does not include food or housing.

Cancellation and Refund Policy:

A candidate seeking to withdraw from the course must do so in writing to the course administrator. Once a candidate registers for the course, the hosting association has made proper arrangements for instructors, classroom/field space and materials to accommodate that candidate. If a candidate cancels at least four weeks prior to the first day of the course, he or she may receive a full refund. If the candidate fails to cancel at least four weeks prior to the course, only attends a portion of the course, or does not show up for the course, the entire course fee is forfeited.

By registering for this course, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to the course policies regarding course assignments, attendance, registration fees, and refunds.

Any questions can be directed to Eastern New York’s Director of Coaching Tim Bradbury (tbradbury@enysoccer.com).

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/