Each age has specific guidelines in addition to the following

MVSC Coaching Philosophies

All coaches must follow the MVSC Coaching Philosophies regardless of experience and licenses

Practice Structure

• Set up practice before players arrive
• As players arrive have them juggle or pass the ball around (no shooting on net or running laps)
• Start practice on time
• Follow provided club wide lesson planned for each week with Max 3 related topics to cover, (Space out, move forward into space, Pass to someone in space). Each age division has a different structure.
  • Dynamic warm ups (5 min)
  • Foot Skill warm ups (10-15 min)
  • Day’s Lesson (30-45 min)
    • Skills games that enforce the day’s lesson
    • Passing Activities
    • Rondo’s
    • Tactical Activities
    • Etc.
  • Small sided rondo game to enforce day’s lesson, No free style scrimmages the “S word”. (15-30 min) 
  • Wrap up the lesson with stretching and questions about what they learned during today’s practice. Enforce the day’s lesson (5 min)
• The Division Commissioner may use different skills games or exercises according to your team’s needs. However, these changes must still enforce the week’s lesson.

Time on the Ball is Critical

• Practice should be game-like scenarios. Small sided games are best and facilitate maximum time on the ball.
  • No line drills with kids standing around.
  • Limit discussion
  • Fun interactive games that focus on individual skills, repetition, and game-like scenarios
  • Rondo games that focus on teamwork and fast reactions
  • Small sided games that replicate game-like scenarios that enforce the tactical lesson of the day
  • Tell the kids why they are doing the games and what they are for.

Community Based

We are community based to help make a strong future generation. It takes a club working together to make a real difference. We are not individually team oriented.

• Work with or ask other coaches for help
• Trust the process. It takes years of repeated lessons for the players to truly understand.
• Recreation soccer
  • For introducing the game of soccer 
  • Teaching individual and team fundamentals
  • A fun yet structured environment 
• Elite Teams is for developing
  • Strong competitive nature
  • Higher expectations 
  • Advanced teamwork and tactics
  • All while keeping good sportsmanship behavior.

Developmental Program

• Until Elite Teams U13, this is a developmental program so make sure to give individual attention to the kids who are struggling to learn proper techniques. Advanced players should be encouraged to join the Elite Teams program to develop further.
• Repetition creates muscle memory and greater understanding. Exercises and lessons need to be repeated for years for maximum effectiveness.
• Encourage healthy competition with games and activities that have them beat their own best or have winners.
• Teach positive sportsmanship with positive reinforcement. Teach them to encourage and help their teammates. Praise teammates when they work hard.
• Praise them for effort, not skill, and encourage them to always do their best to get better. Remember that merit matters and empty praise helps no one.
• Do not accept laziness, poor sportsmanship, or disrespect of themselves, teammates, coaches, refs. We have a zero tolerance policy for abuse towards anyone.
• Teach them what the right thing to do is, don’t yell at them for doing the wrong thing. Use redirection techniques for developing focus and correcting bad behavior. 
• Late bloomers, yet hard workers, make champions. Natural athletes, who won’t work hard, will fall behind.

Matches

• Matches are always a learning experience and should be thought of as training exercises not championships. We learn as we play.
• All players should have equal playing time and play multiple positions. 
• Teach a winning attitude and coach to win the next game not necessarily the current game. Pride in performance and improvement are most important.
• Don’t over coach from the sidelines during a game (Joystick Coaching). At half time it is best to ask them guided questions for them to think about what they could do differently. If they are still struggling, sub them off and discuss some changes then put them back on. Players will learn better when they make mistakes and figure it out with guidance, not direct answers.
• Guide them for greater competition and to the Elite Team if warranted.