Coach Josh’s Soccer Resources

Coach Josh’s 100 Day Challenge!

To improve your footwork, set a timer for 30 seconds, and do a drill below with high intensity. Then, take a 30 second break while you watch the next video to learn how to do it. Then do that next one for 30 seconds, and take another 30 second break. Repeat this for a total of 10 minutes. Start with the drills at the top of the list, and as you get more familiar, move on to the more advanced ones. As a beginner, start slow and focus on getting the movements correct without taking any extra/redundant steps. As you learn the movements, progress into doing them faster and faster. Do this for 100 days in a row, and your footwork will be noticeably better…guaranteed! If you miss a day, don’t worry, but add 2 extra days to your countdown as a penalty. There’s no shortcut to getting fast feet. Do the work, and it will pay off.

Extra credit: Go out to the sidewalk, and sprint from one driveway to the next. Walk to the next driveway. Sprint to the next driveway. Repeat for 5 minutes. This simulates soccer runs, and it will improve your speed, endurance, and overall fitness.

Warm-Ups

Vocabulary

Cruyff: Johan Cruyff is a soccer legend with a move named after him.

Far Foot: the foot further from the cone.

Inside: the part of your foot facing the center of your body.

Near Foot: the foot closer to the cone.

Outside: the part of your foot facing away from your body.

Pull Back: stepping on the ball with the bottom of your foot, and pulling it toward you.

Toe Pull: stepping on the ball and pulling in to the center of your body (also called a rip).

Inside Taps

Outside Taps

Near Foot with Same Foot Outside Tap

Pull back with the foot CLOSER to the cone, and tap the ball using that SAME foot on the OUTSIDE surface of the foot. Alternate feet each time.

Advanced Activities

Soccer Position Numbers

Soccer Position Numbers

Please ask your player to memorize this universal numbering system since coaches frequently refer to positions solely by the number.

#1: Goal-Player (I don’t say keeper since I encourage goalies to play and not just make saves)

#2: Right-Back

#3: Left-Back

#4: Right Center-Back

#5: Left Center-Back

#6: Center Mid (holding in this formation)

#8: Right-Mid (attacking in this formation)

#10: Left-Mid (attacking in this formation)

#7: Right-Wing

#11: Left-Wing

#9: Striker

It may seem odd that the numbers are out of order. There is a reason for it. Back in the day, soccer was played with just 2 backs, 3 midfielders, and 5 forwards. That would be called a 2-3-5 formation (you don’t list the goalie when describing formations since the goal player is assumed), and you list the defender position numbers first proceeding from right to left (opposite of the way we read). In the old school, more attacking style of soccer, the 2-3-5 formation shown below had position numbers in a more logical order:

11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7

6 - 5 - 4

3 - 2

1

Notice how the backs are 2 and 3, the wings are 7 and 11, and the striker is a 9. These positions remained a standard in the newer, more modern 4-3-3 formation as illustrated in the color image above. Those position numbers never changed when the style of the modern game adjusted to a more defensive style. In the modern style of soccer, the 4 and 5 just dropped back to be additional defenders, and the 8 and 10 just dropped back to be midfielders. There ya go…now you know!

Please work with your player to memorize the position numbers. This will be a tremendous help to their development. Also note that soccer is a fluid game. When players are in a defensive situation, they tend to resemble the 4-3-3 formation above, but maybe the 6 will drop back between the 4 and 5 (and the 2 and 3 will drop back too). The 7 and 11 will even drop back pretty “low” to help defend.

In an offensive situation, the 2 and 3 will push forward and sometimes even pass up the 7 and 11 to “overlap” them. This means the formation during an attacking moment might actually look more like the old school 2-3-5 sort of formation. The main point here is: wingers (7&11) and backs (2&3) do a TON of running.

Positional Terminology

Backs: defenders such as a left or right back and center backs. Also known as the back line, fullbacks, outside backs and center backs, and the 2-3-4-5.

Balance: when a group of players gets organized in a line or in a particular spacing from one another.

Bump: when you pass a ball immediately back to the person who passed it to you (usually with one touch).

Center: the area of the field between wide areas defined below. This is the central area of the field from goal to goal that is away from the sidelines.

Compact: when a group of players gets close together usually when defending.

Cover: when a defensive player tries to occupy an area of the field to prevent an attacking opponent from receiving a pass or attempting a pass. Not to be confused with “marking” described below. Think of “marking” a person and “covering” a space.

Driving: when you move forward quickly with the ball.

Forwards: left wing, right wing, and striker.

High: the attacking area of the field where your team scores goals. Also called going up, going forward, the front, the final third, and the attacking half.

Low: the defensive area of the field where you team defends your own goal. Also called dropping back, the back, deep areas, the defensive half, the first third, and the defensive third.

Mark: when a defensive player stands close enough to an attacking player to prevent them from receiving a pass and discourages the opponent from attempting a pass to that player. Think of “marking” a person and “covering” a space.

Middle: the area of the third between the attacking third and defensive third. The area of the field where kickoffs occur. This area of the field is from sideline to sideline. Not to be confused with “center” defined above.

Mids: midfielders such as a center mid, left mid, and right mid. Also called a CAM (center attacking mid) or a CDM (center defensive mid).

Scanning: when you turn your head to observe the field and players around you to generate a mental image of what is happening. This is kind of like looking both ways before you cross a street.

Shielding: positioning your body between the opponent and the ball, so they would need to go through you or around you to take the ball away. Shielding involves strength, physical contact, and getting your body low with legs spread wide and waist bent to generate power to push an opponent away without hitting them with your arms. You are allowed to shield with your arms up as long as you don’t strike a player with your arms. They may run into your arms, but stand your ground.

Tackle: when two players come into contact with their feet to try and steal the ball away from one another. This involves physical contact, but you are not allowed to kick a player. If you kick the ball while it is at the opponent’s feet, and you power through the opponent and knock them over, this is allowed. Different referees may have different levels of tolerance to protect player safety.

Touch: refers to when your foot contacts the ball. More touches gives you better control, but it allows more time for defenders to disrupt you.

Wide: the areas of the field near the sidelines.

If you really want to take a deep dive on understanding the mind of a player, how they develop, and all the different dynamics of the game of soccer, you can check out the player development framework at the link below which defines it all for various age groups.

Player and Parent Protocols

Josh’s Coaching Points

1. I am building good people first, and good players second. I don’t know how to build a good player out of someone who doesn’t want to be a good person. 

2. You get better when you’re NOT comfortable. To promote development, I make activities slightly more difficult than a player can handle. 

3. You will be coached for the player you will be someday and not the player you are today. 

4. I focus practice sessions on a particular moment or “slice” of the game that needs work. We attempt to recreate problems from past games, so we can get reps solving them. 

5. I design a game plan to focus on successfully completing certain identified tasks which were practiced in the previous week. I define success by repeatedly doing those tasks (not necessarily by winning or scoring goals - although those tasks may result in goals/wins). 

Character Building

1. When you return to line, return to the bench, or score a goal, you must high five or fist bump every player and say good job, nice work, or something positive, every single time. A small tap paired with verbal support and eye contact releases endorphins and engages the senses. This forms bonds quickly. Problems are unlikely to occur with people who are engaged, and if problems do arise, the respect is already there to solve it. Parents should do the same to make our community consistent. When you arrive on the sideline, high five each parent. 

2. Never say GG. Say “good game” and respect your opponent. You can’t play without an opponent. 

3. Don't "bro" your coaches. Call them “Coach NAME”.

4. When your teammate makes a mistake, let them know it's YOUR own fault, and you will do better to support them next time.

5. When we get scored on, take the ball out of the goal for your goalie. That shot would have never been taken if you did your job better. Every player just got beat if a goal got scored. 

6. Put your team ahead of yourself. Make the best decision for the team even if it’s not the best decision for you.

7. It takes no talent to hustle. It’s your choice to hustle. 

8. You will play like you practice. 

9. Forget about referee actions and focus on your own actions. Bad calls are part of the game, so plan for them. Do 100 good things, so the 5 bad calls don’t impact the outcome of the game. 

10. If you're not having fun, something is wrong. When you notice something is not fun, there's a reason, and you should figure out WHY before complaining about it. For example, “this dribbling drill is boring” (is it boring because you are not good at it, because you are out of shape, because you don't understand how it will help you improve, because you’ve done it before?). 

Problem Prevention

1. If you disrespect a player or coach, you will be warned once. After that, the entire team pays for your lack of respect with cardio drills.

2. If you disrespect a player or coach a 3rd time, you will not be allowed to play the rest of practice or game, and you will be required to submit an essay explaining the best team qualities of the person you disrespected.

3. If you have a problem that is not an emergency, discuss it with the coach more than 24 hours after the session.

4. Never talk to a referee. 

5. Don’t yell instructions from the sidelines. The game is too stressful to comprehend your shouting, and there’s a decent chance that your instructions may contradict the game plan and it’s designated coaching points. 

Tactical 

1. Don't ask to play different positions. You will play the bench if you ask. This is a learning level of soccer, so you will play many different positions and the positions your team needs at that moment. 

2. When you are on the bench, watch the game and the player you will sub for, so you can learn what to do when you play. If you are away from the bench, you won’t be put back into the game. As I coach the players on the field, I am talking strategy with the players on the bench behind me (and they won’t hear me if they aren’t there and focused). 

3. Two touches only. The longer you have the ball, the closer multiple defenders will swarm you, and you will lose the ball. Your first touch is to accept the ball and to place it in the ideal position for your second touch. Your second touch is to pass or shoot. Taking 3 or more touches significantly and exponentially increases your chances of losing the ball. 

4. One touch play is possible, but I don’t encourage it since it is proven to result in losing possession over 90% of the time. 

5. Pass and move. As soon as you pass, move to space to be ready to receive the next pass. 

6. Off ball movement. When you don’t have the ball, scan the field, and move to where you will be available to receive the ball from the player who has the ball, from the player who is likely to have the ball next, or to where a rebound or missed shot would likely occur. 

7. Opponents will go wherever you go. Draw them to you to make strategic gaps elsewhere on the field for your team to exploit. 

8. Disguise/time your runs and movements, so opponents cannot predict your actions. 

9. Manage game time. If we are losing, setup goal kicks and throw-ins quickly, and make sure the opponent has access to a ball when needed. Ensure a parent or sibling keeps spare balls behind the goal. If we are winning by a few goals, conserve your energy by not getting the ball for the opponent when it goes out of play, and take your time to setup goal kicks and throw-ins. This complies with the laws of the game. 

10. Above all else, always think about helping your team score. 

Playing Time

1. At this level of soccer where you tryout to earn a spot on a team, there is not equal playing time, but your player should play at least 50% of the game at a development level. We are trying to get players fit and ready to play a full game with no subs, and we reward the hardest working players.

2. Starting a game has nothing to do with skill. The best players don’t necessarily get a starting position since we balance skill sets with other players and opponents. 

3. I make strategic subs instead of mass-subbing. The #1 reason for a sub is because of fatigue/cold, and simply needing fresh legs. #2 is because of a strategic need for a particular technical skill set from a certain player at a certain position at a certain moment. #3 is due to behavior. If your player is disrespectful to another player, out they come. Also, poor attendance results in less playing time. 

4. During key moments at tournaments, playing time may be adjusted if will significantly affect winning the tournament, but player development is usually the focus for playing time.

5. If you think your player is not getting enough playing time, please review these protocols, prepare a list of the individual skill-building activities your player is doing at home, and then discuss these with me at the next practice, so we can relate that effort to performance and setup an evaluation of the effectiveness of those efforts. 

Individual Development 

1. Development age children are extremely impressionable - mentally and physically. The effort that young players put in today will result in exponentially more gains than any efforts they put in as teens (and even less gains as an adult). At this level of play, the expectation is that all players will do ball mastery and fitness training each day at home. 10 minutes of footwork as shown at www.josharch.com/soccer and 5 minutes of sprints each day will often be enough. Simply playing soccer with friends helps too. 

2. Focus on developing individual skills at home, so we can use practice sessions for team tactical activities. There are many players in this club who work regularly with individual trainers on their own time. 

3. Memorize the position numbers at www.josharch.com/soccer. Development age uses positions 1-2-3-6-7-9-11. Intermediate age adds positions 4-5. 

4. There are always other players working to get better when you are not. If you want to make it to higher levels, you will need to work individually and work harder than all the players around you. You will also need to work harder than the players behind you since they want to take your spot away. 

5. You are not guaranteed a spot on a team. Treat every practice as a tryout and treat tryouts as a reset point. At tryouts, coaches already have a good idea of which team you belong on based on your attitude and performance from the past season. The tryouts simply help to compare players who are close in skill and to compare you to new players in the club. If you don’t make it on the team you want, you have 2 choices: 1. complain and come up with excuses why the coaches are wrong (which will likely just help to prove that the coaches were right). OR 2. Become motivated by the coach’s decision to be placed on a lower team, and use the next season (which is only a few months) to work hard and prove your coach wrong through your ACTIONS. Your actions will be remembered. Will a coach really want someone on a team who previously was a low performer and then acted unprofessionally when they didn’t get their way? Probably not. Show good character and seek development advice from coaches instead of “blame-framing” and being offensive. Believe it or not, coaches want you to succeed, they are obsessed with the game, and they will spend extra time to help you achieve your personal goals. Keep in mind: there is no shortcut. Focus and repetition are necessary for your individual development. You must balance hard work with fun since fun is the main reason we are all here.