Coaches, I just loaded a new question and answer document to the free Coach Mark Soccer Club website.

It’s a great resource to get quick answers to your questions.

Remember, the site also has great documents like soccer formation diagrams.

Coaches around the world have many thoughts on which position is the most important and valuable to a soccer team. Even the coaches in the Coach Mark Soccer Club can’t agree. So, let’s figure it out once and for all.

Some would argue that the goalkeeper is the last line of defense, so that position is the most important. Others would say you win by scoring more goals, so your Forward or Striker is the most valuable. Yet, other coaches say the Midfielders or Wings are the players that create the scoring opportunities, and act as stoppers to keep the ball in the offensive end. So, the discussion rages on and there is no end in sight.

Here is your chance to voice your opinion. Please choose one position from the list below and tell the world which position is the most important for you!

You will be able to vote one time, for only one position. Once you vote, you will be able to see the voting results.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Coaches,

Across the world, the 4-4-2 soccer formation is the most widely used 11V11 formation there is. It is known as a defensive formation, but with only slight changes, it can be a deadly offensive formation too. Some coaches play the 4-4-2 soccer formation with a diamond formation for the midfielders. Some coaches like to rush one center midfielder into the attack with the forwards. Many coaches choose to keep the other center midfielder back is a “holding” responsibility. No matter what way you like to play the 4-4-2 soccer formation, it can be a great strategy for your soccer team.

Coach Mark Soccer Club has all you need to know about playing this universal formation. I’ve got a free soccer responsibility diagram with a diamond, one more without, one more with an attacking center midfielder, and one more variation also. I also provide more coaching notes than any other formation I’ve provided to date.

Check out Coach Mark Soccer Club and download the 4-4-2 formation and all the wonderful information and coaching notes for free!

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

Coaches,

I’ve been out of town for soccer tournaments for a while, but now I’m back. And just in time to provide more free soccer coaching help for you.

I wanted to let you know that I will be loading two free ebooks at my Coach Mark Soccer Club website that you can have for free when you sign up for free access to all the best youth soccer drills, soccer coaching strategies, and other free documents for downloading that help you win more games! The ebooks are sold elsewhere for $17 each and thay are yours free when you sign up for access to the club. The best soccer coaching tips, graphical  soccer field diagrams, and soccer position strategies are my gift to you!

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

Coaches,

I’m celebrating! And with good reason. My daughter scored four goals in her last game! So, I just have to celebrate the only way I know how. By giving my fellow youth soccer coaches some more free documents to coach better, have more fun, and win more games.

I have to be fair to you and let you know that I gave my club coaches two new files to download for free. One is a three midfielder soccer formation diagrams, with the complete explanation you need to provide to your team. The second document is a graphical team calendar your team manager and your palyer’s paretns will love you for!

Go over and join the club to get your free soccer formation diagram and soccer team calendar now! Here’s what they look like below.

By the way, did I tell you my daughter scored four goals?

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

Click here to view the embedded video.

Coaches, how many of you are really utilizing a soccer field diagram in your practices, your games and anywhere else you interact with your youth soccer players? If you’re not using them every day, Coach Mark thinks you’re missing out on a very valuable communication method. Youth are visual learners; a simple diagram can make all the difference.

Check out my Squidoo lens for much more valuable information on soccer field diagrams.

Then remember to go to Coach Mark Soccer Club to download free soccer diagrams for your use.

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

By Matt Hick

Coaches have used soccer drills for years to teach a variety of moves and strategies to players. While many players argue that repetitive drills are boring, the benefits of practicing the same skill over and over again can make the difference between a team full of qualified players who are ready to go up against even the toughest team, and a team with little or no teamwork capabilities or soccer skill.

The goal of the coach is to find drill that not only teaches specific playing skills, but which are fun for players. Here are a few basic skills drills to get your team started:

Taking Control of the ball is vitally important in the game of soccer. One way to help players learn to gain control is by separating them into two teams in two single file lines facing each other. Serve the ball into the air while each player fights for control of it.

Learning to protect the ball can be done with this simple one-on-one drill: have one player stand next to the ball with his/her feet a shoulder width apart, while the second player stands on the outside shoulder of the first player. Instruct player 2 to get his foot on the ball “by any means necessary”, which forces the opposing player to maintain balance, protect the ball and learn how to respond to aggressive opponents.

Some coaches prefer drills that more resemble a game. This short 8-minute drill is designed to provide constant movement in a fun way and helps players work on crossing, finishing, goalkeeping and team communication.

Break the group into teams of 3’s or 4’s, giving each team a ball. Instruct the player holding the ball to go to the sideline 18 yards from the end line. The player then dribbles the ball to the end line, and crosses the ball back toward the middle, while the teammates try to score one touch. If the ball is on the ground and is scored, the team scores one point, but, if the ball is served in the air and volleyed into the goal, it counts as 3 points. If the ball is played in the air and headed into the goal, it counts as 5 points for the team. Each player serves the ball twice before rotating. Each team can only use their own ball.

Here are a few other short drills that can aid players in developing better kicking and ball control:

Inside Roll: Roll the ball across your body from outside to inside with the inside and sole of the foot, stopping the ball with the inside of the other foot.

Push-Pull: Using the inside of the foot, tap ball back and forth and pushing it forward with one foot and pulling it back the sole of the opposite foot.

Pull Turn: Push the ball forward with one foot and pull it back with the other while turning your body toward the ball and taking the ball in the opposite direction with the inside of the first foot.

Kick Over ball: Kick over ball with the inside of the foot, while pulling it back with the sole of the same foot.
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By C Turner

Coaching soccer is not just about drills and fun games – a soccer coach needs to instill his team with a good education about tactics too. While he may decide the tactics, the players need to understand them in order to carry them out. Discover more in this article.

These days, tactics play a very important role in the beautiful game. Don’t be confused by them though. In my opinion, your team needs to have the will to win and the ability to play soccer with confidence and no fear of failure. These are the most important things. Tactics though are still very important.

One of the best way for players to learn tactics is to study video. You might think that they already know a lot of basic tactics because they watch a lot of TV but most people just follow the image of the ball and do not easily take in the bigger picture. So one possible use of video is to get some historic footage where the game turned due to a tactical change. For instance, one of the numerous examples of when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came on as a super sub for Manchester United and changed the game.

This is a great example to show players and get them to understand that when you take them off the field for a substitute, it is nothing personal and simply a tactical decision. It is not about the player and is only about achieving the shared goal of winning.

Something else you should do is to make sure that your players are all aware of your basic formations. So, let’s say that you normally do a 4-4-2, if you practice a 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 in training, and the players get used to and understand playing in these formations, then it will be much easier for you to make the change in the middle of a game that you need to win.
These soccer tactics are just the tip of the iceberg and you need to know many more to one day become a top pro coach. Discover much, much more about coaching soccer at http://www.EliteSoccerCoach.com