When it comes to a private skills trainer there are things you need to know. There are thousands of soccer drills, but most are not efficient. What you’ll see is a drill that they try to make look “cool”. Too many coaches and trainers just put down cones or poles and have players dribble through and shoot. That’s just not good enough and it’s lazy. How many times are you going to do those movements in a game? Let’s go over what you need to know about 1:1 coaching. *Note: this post may contain affiliate links.
Professionalism and Reliability
One way I get new clients is people searching on google… Some of them say they searched online because their old trainer kept canceling on them.
Things you want in a trainer:
- Plenty of soccer balls – that are aired up. Imagine showing up to training and the balls are flat… That shows the person doesn’t take their job seriously.
- A goal/net to shoot on
- Someone who hustles vs walking around slow to get loose balls
- Not on or looking at their phone constantly
- Shows up on time
- Doesn’t cancel very often
- Encourages your kids
- Teaches and corrects form/mechanics
- Demonstrates
- Teaches life lessons
“A good soccer trainer should be teaching form and what parts of the feet to use”
Knowing the individual players needs
Age:
Depending on the players age matters!
An 8 year old is going to need to work on different elements than a 12 or 17 year old.
On the contrary, there are certain skills that every age needs to practice.
Short one touch passing ⇓ is the one of the best things for ages 9 through high school… Younger kids can do this too, but obviously will struggle for several weeks/months before connecting 10+ in a row.
Level:
High level players need to do both, basics and advanced skills.
Learning different ways to chip, bend, volley, dribble, turn and receive the ball.
Beginners need to stick with the basics.
Dribbling needs to be done, although if you just have them dribble however they want, the progression will be slow.
There are some things I have players do every week, while some things are a 1 time thing just to keep things fresh and new.
Small group dribbling/turning drill ⇓
Proper form has to be taught and reminded… Bringing the foot above the ball when turning off the dribble, angle of the feet, bend knees etc…
Passing techniques… For novice players the focus needs to be using the push pass.
Personality:
Some kids are more naturally quiet or loud…
Others have more sports maturity, which means you don’t have to teach mindset as much.
Lack of communication
When your soccer trainer doesn’t respond to email or text it’s time to move on.
In 12+ years of running GFT, I’ve employed over 50 people… Over 50% become arrogant and selfish.
Story:
There are some who would get a full schedule and then not respond to other clients who were looking to book lessons… This is not professional!
Others will cancel last minute…
Soccer parents are too busy with their family schedule to have trainers cancel on them the same day.
You shouldn’t put up with people who are not reliable.
Keeping training simple
Soccer, like most performance professions, is different from personal training methodologies.
The best often accredits their success in going by these 5 character traits.
Pro soccer and basketball players, for example, will spend countless hours working on “basic” skills that they’ll perform in a real game.
Handling and touching the ball. However, with the need for repeating the basics there is also the need to progress as a player.
You don’t want a trainer who does the unnecessary things…
“Learning and practicing how to kick with both feet is important.”
Is your soccer trainer running mundane sessions?
Does your soccer trainer do the same exercises or training regimens each week? Is that a good or bad thing?
It can be good and / or bad depending then on what the training is and how it is relayed to the student.
It’s not bad to be doing certain drill and skills, but the players should be learning something new every week.
A coach I was lucky to learn from was Bob Gansler… He would say or show us something new all the time. Therefore, if pros are learning daily, youths should too.
Trainers style and experience
There are a lot of good soccer trainers… However, they are often limited to one age, level or style.
Their training cannot be fit to the needs of the player because:
- a) the trainer’s training is one-dimensional
- b) the trainer is limited on style or position of play
- c) the trainer does not have the experience as a player to advance the student beyond the trainer’s own level of play or coaching experience.
Global Fútbol Training not only has trainers who have played at the collegiate and professional levels, but remains plugged in to the soccer community on those levels.
In addition, there are multiple training styles, methodologies, and regional experience levels to choose from when choosing a trainer.
“Is your skills trainer paying attention to the details or just running you through drills?”
Body maintenance
Personal trainers often say that clients can plateau in achieving their goals if they do not pursue variation in training.
Weight loss, muscle building, endurance – these goals require variation or the client cannot improve, making the irony that a client can actually digress in ability.
Maintenance seems to be a non-option in this arena.
Ultimately, when it comes to making the decision to fire a soccer trainer, it is important for coaches, players, and parents to weigh the pros and cons objectively.
There is no right or wrong answer and one should be sure to consider all the factors involved before making a final decision.
By considering the important elements such as the trainer’s technical knowledge, communication skills, and emotional management, you can make an informed decision that is right for the team.
As former US women’s team coach Tony DiCicco wisely said, “The best job in the world is being a soccer coach. It gives you a chance to impact people and give them the tools necessary to become successful.”
With that in mind, coaches should make decisions that are in the best interest of their team, knowing that their actions will shape the future of the players they are mentoring.
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