How Players Learn

Every player is different and therefore will learn differently. It is important that you know how a lot of players learn so you can coach them effectively. Here are some of these ways:
 

Player has interest and is enthusiastic:
The amount a player is interested will ultimately dictate how much they will learn. A player who is interested and enthusiastic will want to learn and practice on their own. It is your job to gain and keep their interest levels high. The problem is that you can’t force your players to be interested; they either will be interested or they won’t. The ones who are interested will have a desire to learn and therefore are easier to coach. For the ones who aren’t you have to make practice as fun as you can to increase the chance they become interested.
 

Player watches soccer:
One of the best ways for a player to learn is by watching professional games. Players who watch professional games will try to emulate their favorite players and also dream of playing at that level. This provides players with ideas for things to practice on. You should encourage all of your players to watch as many games as they can.
 

Player develops habits:
Habits will make or break a good player. When players are younger you want them to develop good technical skills so that it becomes natural to them when they get older. You should use practice to lay the foundation for the fundamentals and then through repetition develop a player who is consistent. You also need to be aware of your players’ weaknesses and try to eliminate these if you can. Many players will practice things they are good at which only hurts them in the long run. Remember the younger the player the easier to develop. Studies show that once a player gets past the age of 14 it is difficult to break the habits they developed when they were younger.
 

Player learns from good examples:
Players learn best when you can show them the skill you are trying to teach. If you have played soccer at a high level then your players will benefit from watching your good demonstrations. If you are unable to perform the skill you should research the correct way to teach the skill and try to direct players on how to do it. Often times one of your better players will be able to demonstrate the skill for you so you can use them to help during practice.
 

Player sets goals:
You should encourage your players to set goals for themselves if they haven’t done so already. You should also set performance goals for your players and the team. These goals need to be realistic and attainable. Once a goal has been attained you should set a new a goal. This will encourage players to continually strive to get better while giving them something to look forward to.