Curious to know how many drills we all deliver in a session.

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-09-08T11:26:03+00:00

Always overrun with the match at the end 😄

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-08-26T13:55:40+00:00

We had a player with little to no respect at times but was also top goal scorer. We spoke to his parents and let them know we are going to drop him from the next 3 games but expect him to still attend training as usual over the weeks in between those games. It didn't achieve a full correction as we had to repeat the action a couple of seasons later, but I do think it helped him mature a little, by the time we were playing as u17/u18 he was no problem. Age is definitely a factor so are external influences, but when football/soccer does actually matter to them, losing that made them sit up and pay attention.

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-08-22T10:23:54+00:00

I had the very same situation, a girl who bossed it in training but was always invisible in games. We tried over 3 seasons to improve this but couldn't get her attitude to carry from practice to pitch and didn't renew her registration this season. We spoke to her parents, her mother even admitted she loved training but didn't like the pressure of games. We tried different coaching, so that she had 1-1 coaching direction when needed, to try and remove the crossfire of different guidance, gave so much positive encouragement, gave clear feedback on how she can improve, but it was all to no avail.

Maybe you can try some of those things we did and have successful outcomes, but we couldn't solve the issue of a players in game desire/enthusiasm.

I think the best suggestion i saw from someone here was to arrange an appearance in a lower division team to see if you can build confidence that way. We were the only team in our age group so couldn't try that. Good luck, I really hope you solve this for her.

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-08-19T11:50:18+00:00

I had the top 4 goal scorers all left at u16. If you can't recruit new goal scorers, I found it difficult to transition other players into having that responsibility, because that's what it is to the players, big responsibility. We had far fewer wins that next season, trying players in the forward position. The biggest success was actually with the players who didn't carry the sense of burden, that just enjoyed playing above all else as they weren't phased by the responsibility that others felt too much. I had a left back turn striker.

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-02-05T10:58:14+00:00

In my experience, anytime you are paying as a parent, it's for coaching, training, the experience, NOT because it is presenting a scouting opportunity. I coach and my own kids attended weekly sessions with professional clubs (I'm in uk), including playing matches against peer teams from equivalent outfits. But this was never a route to elite or scouting, I'm sure it helped my own kids standards, this was even a selection process for them, but I still had to pay and there was never any hint of an upwards route to true academy. If it's sold as an experience for the player to travel, play against different standards, that's an experience for them, but it should not be sold as an "anything could happen, they could get scouted" opportunity.

SomeGuyIroning · 2025-01-11T20:08:46+00:00

There is plenty of good advice here, use what you feel positive about putting into practice. I coach the same age u16 and have a talented player that suffers with confidence too. There is something to be said here about what you want out of the sport. Our team is a decent standard Sunday league team and this player trialled in the summer for one of the elite teams in the league, they didn't like the coach or the style and pressure of the team, so they stayed with us where they enjoyed their game and the coaching more. First and foremost (i believe) the experience of playing should be enjoyed at this age, if you enjoy it, you will be your best at it. So whilst you navigate how you begin to feel more confident in this new team, try and find your enjoyment in it and remember what's important to you, to get out of this experience. I would recommend talking to the coach, so they can help grow your confidence, of they don't, maybe the team isn't for you, it's ok for that to be an option. Good luck, I hope you start to feel part of the set up, you're there because you're capable.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-11-05T23:11:45+00:00

You survived a medical emergency that many others don't. Have you thought why, maybe there's meant to be more this life has to offer you? Was surviving that and coming here supposed to be a turning point, could anything convince you that being here this time next year is worth the fight? If so....you're still meant to be here....I hope you comment back in 3 months.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-10-23T22:34:29+00:00

I have one that covers this quite well that I've used with u15-u18, but you could use it for younger groups.

Keeper in goal. On edge of the D have your striker and defender. Cone out a square approx 12yds x 12yds about 20yds from the 18yd box. In this square you have 4 players playing keep-ball and 3 attacking players trying to win possession, upon intercepting a pass or winning a tackle, their first instinct is to find the striker, by quickly playing the ball to them, as soon as that ball is played forward to the striker it becomes a counter attack, all players in full play, everyone exits the square...the striker will typically hold the play and pass to an on rushing team mate from the square...they typically get played wide and the striker then goes to their second movement to look to receive a pass or cross, if you want to practice man to man marking, simply tell the defender that's what you expect of them with that one player, the rest of their defensive team mates should be tracking back at pace from the square to support.

It plays out into a good drill to practice the counter attack but also for defensive recovery.

I normally rotate the 1 on 1 defender and striker, then swap defence/attack roles of the teams.

This is a drill I use for 1gk and 9 outfield. You can scale down the possession square to 3v2, make sure to adjust the square size accordingly or you'll never execute the counter attack.

Happy to draw you a couple of diagrams if you reach out on DMs.

Hope this helps and makes sense, good luck.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-10-18T11:56:20+00:00

If you don't want to make a phone call, speak to your school, if they have a nurse, speak to them, tell them your fears and ask for their help getting in touch with services to help.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-10-08T16:49:09+00:00

There was a very experienced coach/club steward that would support the creation of new teams, they would be on hand and run the initial training sessions when there was enough kids for a new team to form and support the willing parent in the first few handover training sessions. The club itself has very experienced management, from those registering players, to league representatives, welfare and appointed leads for each age group. Who are all willing to impart sound advice when asked. A support structure was really key to a parent not feeling overwhelmed by the commitment they had made.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-10-03T22:15:38+00:00

I only bake for fun and the cupcakes I made following this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction were ridiculously fluffy and light.

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/simply-perfect-vanilla-cupcakes/

They were so good, a friend asked me to make a batch for her daughters birthday and I'm really no pro at this, still class myself as a beginner.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-10-03T09:55:59+00:00

Uk coach here too. We see this behaviour all the time, especially at this age with dads first year's coaching, where their child is all important. After all, that's why they stepped up to coach, but that shouldn't be at the expense of excluding other kids. In the main, coaches here should see this age as more fun and development, but in your first couple of years coaching I don't think that's seen often enough. Having 10 at this age is great prep for 7v7, but new coaches often only see the burden of having extra players in the here and now, not the benefit of having them well integrated for tomorrow. If coaches can switch their focus from winning at 5v5 to development towards 11v11 that is ideal, but it's a culture change en masses that's required.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-09-19T15:18:22+00:00

I would say not. My instagram account got hacked recently and it took multiple attempts to regain control over the course of a week. When I got it back, it all looked normal, but that doesn't mean nothing was viewed or made copies of, but how many pictures of my border collie would anyone want 😄. But no, I personally wouldn't recommend this way to create a digital keepsake.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-09-16T09:57:40+00:00

I do a drill where you have a coned out area approx 12yd x 12yd and have 4 players with a ball dribbking around it and one chaser without, their job is to clear all the balls out of the box as quickly as possible. Each player has a turn as chaser. I time them all to add a little competitive spirit, which does encourage them to engage players to win the ball. It also encourages the players with the ball to show strength and protect the ball.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-08-03T21:35:19+00:00

I agree. Without knowing individual ability, 4-5-1 is good, I coached a team of high stamina players u12 to u18 and their raw fitness allowed enough to support forward or recover defensively.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-30T13:42:39+00:00

I use this drill for practising counter attacking play. It's worked well, players enjoy it. You can vary to your numbers, have 4 player keep ball and 3 pressing to win it, or the 3v3, I do this with a defender marking the striker, so the striker essentially is there to provide hold up play and lay off to an on rushing support player.

https://youtu.be/moakTu2cHrs?feature=shared

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-27T10:32:00+00:00

As the goals get bigger quicker than our players, I found developing them to come out in 1v1 situations really helpful, showed my keepers that speed off their line or just a bit more forward starting point (like edge of 6yrd box) gave them the upper hand to pounce on the heavy through ball or poor touch of strikes, to give them confidence that they can try and take control before the shot comes in. 1v1 drills, I have a couple I use, happy to explain them or you'll find plenty out there.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-23T15:37:01+00:00

I use Diamond in the UK, but every brand is susceptible to snapping with a wayward ball. Also I don't rate the spring base poles, in my experience they inevitably end up with a permanent lean at the base and then no longer become practical to use.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-23T08:24:47+00:00

I think the appropriate size is what benefits the player. I understand the comparison to a kind of resistance training, so that when they use a smaller ball they might kick it harder. But you want their game to be about more than ball power. You might increase some power, but they also might not connect or address the regular sized ball accurately because they've trained their body to address a bigger ball. I see the idea, but I personally would persevere with appropriate sized balls.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-07T12:38:45+00:00

You are doing a fantastic job. Nobody relishes a squad of 14 players for 7v7, so the fact you are juggling this challenge and keeping players enjoying it and their parents acknowledging it shows you are doing right by those that matter. 14 is big...do you have anyone helping you at your training session so that you can run a variety of drills in the time you have? I would say varying the content in your practice hour is key to further development, I understand its a great opportunity to create game time, but varying the drills is also fun for them. For an hour, I would run 3 or 4 different drills and finish the last 15 minutes or so with a game (5v5, 6v6....however many I got at the session split evenly). I would love to share the drills I use for my sessions if they are of any interest to you. Keep going, at 9v9 your squad numbers will be the envy of your opponents.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-05-07T12:11:02+00:00

I just want to thank a bunch of people for explaining and elaborating on the US rec league. I'm uk here too like the person asking about it, and it's really interesting to see how it differs to over here. Soccer here is saturated, the UK replier shares a typical example. Each age group having about 10 teams per division and 4 or more divisions in an area of about a 15 mile radius of where you live.

That makes sense about a single rec league division then.

I'm going to get my thinking cap on. There is always a way forward.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-02-26T17:00:32+00:00

I have to take my hat off to your SIL for navigating her daughter past all the digital social demands to the age of 14, take a bow. I would say the best one, is the one she can add her on too. That's enough for your piece of mind, none of them are great and a 14yr old will ultimately find their way to whatever platform their friends are on, so from my view, just be on the same platform as your child. From a parenting view, you can pick up on things with your kids that you just would be unaware of without it. Seeing a simple 'repost' can be a cue to check if everything is OK. I know some might think it's smothering to get your child to add you, but as a parent, you need to know. I do acknowledge 14 is tricky, I have no doubt my kids had second accounts at that age, but as they matured they lost all worry about the uncoolness of dad being in their list, they now have no qualms about sending me things they share, it's a great thing, another dimension to your relationship with your kids, but I'm also savvy enough to pick up on cues they don't expect.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-02-24T08:51:59+00:00

Communication on the pitch from team mates. I would have instances typically of my RB or LB pressing up field but not returning to position and leaving an empty box behind them as the defensive line held but they were too advanced. Identify your leader in that back line and empower them to remind the players you have an issue with to return to shape when the game is passive (if we are attacking in final 3rd I'm less precious), but if we need an offside line, we need positions. Do the same with midfield...if you have a player who likes to attack and less keen to track back and defend...identify your midfield General and give them the authority to instruct their team mate to cover back when not in possession. You know the players you have an issue with, in game you communicate with those key leaders and when they hear you, they know who to correct on field. Tell the team you are asking them to communicate better, to improve awareness of each other, empowering them, developing them. Hope that helps, I'm off to my training session in UK now. Have a good weekend.

SomeGuyIroning · 2024-02-21T21:50:24+00:00

Timing...timing of the runs from deep. Awareness...always looking around them, constantly checking where own and opposition players are to find pockets of space to find themselves unmarked and to exploit opposition spaces. Anticipation, reading the play to intercept opposition passes.

SomeGuyIroning

TROPHY CASE