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

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

You may be aware that I run another website called Coach Mark Soccer Club that offers tons of free documents, templates, diagrams, forms, books, etc. for coaches to improve their coaching and help develop their players. The site addresses the needs of coaches that are coaching players from U6 all the way up to U14 and is free to join.

What I need to know is what additional resources do you need that aren’t already on that website? Please share with me what else I can provide. Enter your answers in the spaces below to help me, help you, help your players, help your assistants, and help your player’s parents out. Thanks!

(NOTE: Coaches, I’m getting a great response to this survey and I’m getting way more questions than I would have guessed. So, please be patient and give me some time to get through all the questions…I will…promise. Thank you. Don’t forget to leave your email address if you want me to reply.)

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.

You may be interested in finding out more about the 2009 Homeless World Cup to support homeless soccer players. Please visit the SoccerPro site to learn more. It’s a great cause!

If there is a competitive element to these games, that’s all the better. Many young players are already developing a competitive edge. So, use that and keep them engaged in the practice.

One of the oldest, but still tried and true practice “games” is Sharks and Minnows. It goes by many other names, but the concept remains sound. My absolute favorite practice game for the younger ages (and some later ages) is “Sharks and Minnows” – watch this video -

Click here to view the embedded video.

That video does a great job of explaining it. This game is called by many other names, but the concept is the same.  Keep the rules simpler than those described in the video for 9 year olds and younger. Start with one or two sharks. As he/she kicks the other player’s balls out of the circle or square (you can build one with cones or use the center circle like the video), each of those players then become sharks until only one or two minnows are left. That’s it, keep it simple.

This “game” teaches them 1) ball handling skills, 2) defensive positioning, 3) shielding the ball, 4) short burst movements and 5) lower body control. It’s a perfect “fun” game in a lot of ways, that teaches excellent ball handling and other useful skills without the players even knowing that they are learning something. It all appears just “fun” to them. And they learn some great techniques at the same time!

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

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

The first thing that you should bring to your youth soccer training session is a soccer ball for each player. While you should allow it to be permissible for a child to bring their own soccer ball, it is important to understand that many children may not have their own soccer ball. There are many children who may simply forget their soccer ball. This is why it is essential to have a steady supply of balls available. Be sure to make a rule that if a child brings along their own soccer ball they should write their first and last name in permanent marker on it. This will ensure proper identification after the youth soccer training session is over.

The next thing that you should be sure to bring to a youth soccer training session is a large container of prepared ice water. You can purchase a cooler that has a spout to make it easy to get the fluid from the container. Be sure to purchase a large amount of cups that the children can use. Normally, these cups will become misplaced and a child may use a new cup each time that they get something to drink. You may wish to explain to parents that a child should bring a bottle of ice water with them to soccer training. Be sure to stress the importance of placing their names on the bottles. Many children may even like to bring sports bottles.

The third thing that you should bring to a youth soccer training session is enough shin guards for all of the players. It is important to have these items available to avoid the risk of injury in your players. Many children may forget their shin guards, or may not be able to purchase a pair for themselves. However, as a coach, it is essential that you take these things into consideration to ensure that all players are able to enjoy a safe practice session.

When coaching a youth soccer training session, it is very important to be certain that you bring a whistle. In many cases, this will be the only method that you can use to gain the attention of the children. This is especially true if the training area is relatively large. You do not have to invest a lot of money into the whistle for it to be effective, but it is necessary that it has a high enough quality to be heard. You may choose to bring a few extra whistles to ensure that you have a backup in case the first one becomes lost or damaged in any way.

The next item that you will need at a youth soccer training session is a way to separate the group into teams. This may be as simple as different colored vests, t-shirts of different colors, or even flagging devices. There are many drills and other activities that may require you to have at least two teams, so, having a method of identifying your teams are very important.

If you coach girls, hair scrunchies, and elastic head bands can help them see the ball, the field and their teammates.

And don’t forget a first aid kit. Band-aids, antibiotic ointment, athletic tape, instant ice packs and many other parts of a good kit will come in handy.

Lastly, a large set of cones can come in very handy. They can be used to form the outline of a field, create goals to shoot at, force the players to get in lines, mark a dribbling course, and so much more!

Don’t forget to check out Coach Mark Soccer Club for more great, free information about how to run a well organized practice!

To your soccer success,

Coach Mark

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

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