coaching

IF YOU ARE A YOUTH SOCCER COACH IN THE US, THEN YOU SHOULD OWN THIS BOOK!! (and then attend your state soccer association's coaching certification classes).

This book is the most complete, well organized collection of soccer coaching information that I have in my library. True, if you're looking for tactical depth, there are better texts available, but that's just it - unless you're coaching a high-level U-15 team or older, you shouldn't be burdening your players with heavy tactical instruction. LET THEM LEARN FROM THE GAME!

What you do get is: - a great section on coaching philosophy - information on preventing and treating injuries - a section on teaching proper technique - a section on how to structure a productive practice - a set of exercises and games that are ready for you to insert into your next practice.

Even the best intentioned coach can do damage to his/her players by over-instructing and judging his/her performance based on the number of wins his/her team has racked up in a season. Read this book and start measuring your sucess by how much your worst player has improved and how much your players look forward to your next practice.

Bravo to the USSF for finally publishing a text that not only covers the "nuts and bolts" but also provides coaches with a philosophy that will continue to nurture the growth of the sport in our country.

A tip of the hat to the coaches and officials who tried to put into one volume a basic overview of the game, its rules, tactics, and suggested drills. This large-format paperback, on heavy stock with very clear reproduction, is a quality product. However-- it doesn't work very well. The organization of the material is clumsy and the chosen method of presenting diagrams and figures was conceived by an art director with immortality in mind, and maybe he will be plaing chess with Beethoven in heaven but here on earth I can't bloody stand looking at the frozen plasticized figurines used to illustrate basic soccer technique and positions. Apparently the current thinking in book design is to dispense with headlines and subheads, so as to cause readers to wander aimlessly through the pages looking for "Rule 7" or "How to play center mid". I have had the book six months, read it cover to cover, and subsequently consulted it two dozen times and I am here to say, alas, it achieves approximately 44 percent of its potential, which is far short of enough. Yet what is the alternative? The goal: a primer for Norteamericano parents who never played soccer and want to help teach their kids, walk the walk, talk the talk, and --look out--someday be able to fullfil the role of linesman without having bananas thrown at them. If there is a better book out there, somebody please list it in a review. Meantime, this one is not a disaster, but don;t get your hopes up.

How to play soccer is a good book. It teaches most of basic techniques separately, like dribling, heading goalkeeping. But it does not teaches exercises to achieve strength, speed and agility. It is good for coaches who want to train their team to better football. It may not be as good for players who are learning individually.