Coach's Corner
So you volunteered because somebody had to...now what?
On behalf of the HYSA/BSSL players and families, thank you very much for volunteering, it is a demanding but rewarding journey you are undertaking but you are not embarking on it alone.
Below are many suggestions from past coaches, from our state governing body (Illinois Youth Soccer), from the national governing body (US Youth Soccer), and a few internet references (of which there are 1,000s). Please feel free to ask for help, contact other coaches (inside of HYSA or external to the organization) or board members as many of us have been in your shoes before. We have part-time technical directors on staff and we are always looking for ways to make it easier on you.
Thanks again for volunteering, It's going to be a fun journey, enjoy it now because it will be over faster than you think...
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Director of Coaches, Evelyn Hall @ evelynh.bssl@gmail.com!
Do you know what your players are thinking on the bench?
Changes to Youth Soccer this year: No goalie punts or heading under age 12
U.S. Youth Soccer (USYSA), the governing body of all soccer in the United States and the sponsor of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) has implemented some changes for player safety and to align ages with international (FIFA) standards. More information on these changes can be found at USYSA website here. Effective in spring 2016, players under age 12 should not be taught or encouraged to head the ball. Any deliberate heading of the ball will result in an indirect kick for the other team. The USYSA Player Safety Campaign can be found here.
To help reinforce "no heading", there are no goalie punts under age 12. Goalies are now only permitted to roll out the ball or drop-kick the ball. A build out line (sometimes referred to a "get back" line) has been marked on many fields highlighting the where the defenders must remain behind so the goalie can effectively initiate the offense. For HYSA/BSSL, we are using the Mid-Field line as the "Get Back Line" for the opposing team. A great comment on the "Build Out Line" can be found here and we should stress this as a way to develop ball retention in building out from the back vice using the GK punt as an offensive weapon. The USYSA Build Out Line reference and guidance is abbreviated in a PDF below. A good YouTube video on this topic can be found here.
Coaching the Build Out Line and improving building up from the back
This ia a good video on how to improve your defensive players ball handling and offensive support (moving the ball into the mid-field, feeding the forwards, etc.). Please remember this is about player development and not executing the "Basketball Full Court Press" in soccer.
For the Year Zero Soccer Coach
This is a good reference for those beginning coaches who may not have played the game or don't fully understand the game yet. Beyond the internet, we always have coaches and board members that are happy to help.
