I’ve created this Coaching Thread within the Hapoel Forum where we can share coaching tips, successes, questions, etc. Directly below I've also created a brief post with some coaching suggestions.
Three Do’s:
1- Keep it simple - The point of the game of soccer is to put the ball in their goal and to not let the ball go into your goal. Make sure that the kids know this. Put the players into positions (offense, midfield, and defense) and tell the offensive players… your job is to put the ball in their goal. Then ask them, “what’s your job?” They’ll say, “To be a mensch.” You can say, “True. But as an offensive player, your job is also to score goals. So, what’s your job?” You’ll get a blank stare so say it again. Eventually, the player will say “to put the ball in their goal” and you can say, Yes! Tell the Defensive players, your job is to stop them from putting the ball in your goal. Tell the midfielders, you need to work like a horse and do both! Tell them, remind them, tell them again, ask them if they did their job at halftime, etc. Remind them again and again. Before a player subs in, as a offensive, defensive, or midfield player, ask them what their job is. Keep the game simple and remind the players how simple the game is. The game isn’t easy, but, at the basic level, it certainly is simple.
2- Continual Improvement - Make sure the players understand that they will experience the best success as players and as a team if they simply focus on continual improvement. The kids don’t need to be perfect. They don’t need to be great. They just need to better every half. (Keep in mind, soccer is a game of halves. There is no stoppages, time-outs, etc. So, you may want to speak to the kids in terms of halves. For example, boys, go out there and give 100% and I’ll talk to you at halftime.) Inevitably, the players will make mistakes. Especially early in the season. Make sure that the kids know that this isn’t just OK, but 100% expected. The key is recognizing the mistakes, learning from them, and improving on them. The players and the team should aim to be better every half and, G-d willing, by the end-of-the-season, they will be rock-solid.
3- Be gentle with them - You might yell when they’re on the field so they can hear you, but always keep it positive. With this said, sandwiched within the praise needs to be some reality. At halftime, when the score is tied 0-0, ask the Offense how they did with relation to doing their job. The answer will be, not so good. Gently, remind them what their job is. Ask the Defense how they did doing their job. The answer will be perfect!  Ask the midfield, etc. Then, at the risk of being repetitive, gently tell them that they’re doing great. Not perfect, but great. And, they need to continue to improve.
And, One “Be Careful”:
1- Overly Controlling – This one can be very difficult. Especially for me.
Be careful not to overly control the kids. While this isn’t a temptation for all coaches, for many coaches, it very much will be. The main reason why this is so tempting is because you can actually garner good, short-term results. It bears mentioning that, in general, if you yell at the kids, they will do what you say. For example, if you’re screaming, “Shlermie run back. NO, no, no! Now run forward! Now pass to Yosef!” etc., generally, he’ll do it. But, you’re not letting the player play his game, build confidence, and improve. It’s a better long-term strategy to use a more hands-off method. You can encourage a defender to get more involved in the offense, an offensive player to come back and collect, instead of waiting for, the ball, etc. i.e. Encouraging is different than controlling. If you overly control the players, besides the kids not enjoying themselves, by the end of the season, while the other teams have been slowly, but surely, improving, building confidence, and gelling as a squad, your kids will look to you, the coach, in order to know what to do. Inevitably, during numerous critical moments in a game, when a player should be tapping the ball into their opponent’s goal or taking the ball from the other team’s leading scorer, the player, instead, will pause and look at the coach in order to find out what to do. Create confident, capable players, not players who are merely fulfilling the coach’s will. Coach, don’t control, the kids. Lastly, enjoy yourself. Recognize that as much as your players and team are improving, as a coach, so are you. Take it easy on the kids, take it easy on yourself, and enjoy yourself. The kids will follow your lead. Win or lose, if you’re smiling a lot, improving, and enjoying yourself, the kids will follow suit.
Play Hard. Play Smart. And, Be a Mensch,
Coach (Matt) Bernstein
Whatever mantra, so to speak, you give to your players, make sure that it's simple and fulfills your overall goals.