Soccer Coach – Vancouver United FC

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Coaching / Soccer / Youth Sports

I've coached youth soccer from 2004 to the present. U6 to U18. Our VUFC Gold team won the 4-district league in 2016-17. I now coach U15 at VUFC (2019-2020). I emphasize learning how to play as a team and really understanding how the game works. So we attack to the dead-ball line (the goal line) near the edge of the 18 and cut it back or play it across the six! That's where Man City scores from, so it's good enough for me.

My coaching philosophy is to have kids learn how the game really works and why certain things work and other things don't.

My favourite conditioned game is called "No Dribble Forward". Players are not allowed to dribble in a forward direction; they can dribble sideways and back. First of all, this really helps them learn to instinctively get a tight touch to control the ball. Second, it really changes the way teammates move when they know that the receiver of the ball isn't going to just try to bomb forward with it!

I also play pickup soccer at lunchtime at UBC in a game that has existed since the early 1970s (like me!). The average age is usually about 50 and we play to small goals with shooting only from inside about 6 metres.

And I play in an over-40s or over-50s team on some weekends. Good fun, but not the fastest pace!

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Learning Significance

  1. You learn more about teaching from coaching sports than you do in any formal training!