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Table of Contents Page

Introduction to youth soccer2

Equipment2

Your Child, the Player3

The Coach3

The Officials4

Parent Role4

Sportsmanship4

Introduction

Soccer in the United States is a popular sport with over one million youth players playing. Soccer provides a healthy activity through practice and games where the child can play, learn, and enjoy all the great aspects of the game.

US Soccer Federation (USSF) governs our sport. There are several other governing bodies beneath USSF, including; US Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer. US Youth Soccer is the largest member of the USSF. US Youth Soccer is comprised a 55 member state association. One for every state and two in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Jamestown Soccer Club is a part of the North Dakota Soccer Association, one of the 55 members.

Jamestown Soccer Club aims to provide opportunities to players of all age and skill level to learn and play this beautiful game. Our emphasis is on the long-term player development through fun and deliberate practice. Every child will experience what the game has to offer in its own unique way. This guide serves as reference of what you; the Parent can do to help your get the most out of this experience.

There are additional references available on the club’s website; Here you can find information on our programming, schedules, coaching bios, ODP, and much more!

Equipment

Safety is important. Soccer has equipment requirements. The single most important piece of equipment is shinguards. Shinguards come in all shapes and sizes. Players wear the shinguards on the front part of their shins. Players must wear them during all practices and games. Soccer socks cover the shinguards. Cleats or playing shoes are also recommended. Cleats come in all shapes and sizes too! Be careful when purchasing cleats, as soccer cleats will have an “open toe”. This means that no cleat spike should be present underneath the front part of the shoe. An example would be baseball, or football cleats. These are not allowed for soccer. There are soccer specific cleats available.

Shinguards, socks and cleats are just the start. Every player needs to bring water and a ball to practice. Players may need more than 8oz of water, so you may want to invest in a water bottle. Lastly, have your child dress appropriately for the weather; this may include sunscreen or hats, and gloves.

Parents have equipment needs too! Parents should also dress appropriately for the weather and should consider bringing a portable lawn chair. Several “veteran” soccer parents will wear hats, sunglasses, blankets, and even umbrellas.

Your Child, the Player

So why is your child playing soccer? Is it because you signed them up for it or because they asked to play? Regardless of why your child is playing there are several indicators to consider and remember. Children play soccer to be with or make new friends, to improve and learn, and to ultimately have FUN! It’s important to understand why your likes to play, there’s also an increasing amount of players who quit.

Players will excel in a positive and supportive environment. Parents and coaches are the most significant factors in creating this positive and supportive environment. If the environment becomes negative, this will lead players to quit. There are several reasons why players quit. They include; criticism and yelling, no playing time, over emphasis on winning, fear of making mistakes, and boredom.

Your child has needs as it relates to soccer. First, your child needs your emotional support as they learn the various pieces of the game. Remember to be positive and supportive. In the end, they just want to have fun and be loved!

As your child progresses and improves, you will see their growth and development in several ways. There are four key areas of the game; technique, tactics, physical, and psychosocial. The focus on the younger ages will be on technique. Technique is the physical use of the player’s bodies to manipulate the ball. This includes passing and receiving, dribbling, shooting, and even defending. Tactics focus primarily on shapes, formations, and “reading the game”. This area becomes important in the middle stages of development (U12+). Physical relates to the players physical growth such as speed, power, and change of direction. At the younger ages, this will focus on motor development, new body movements, and soccer specific movements. The last component of the game is psychosocial. This has to do with the mental and social part of the game. This can include mental toughness, dealing with mistakes and failures, and learning how to communicate and interact with teammates.

The Coach

One coach can impact more young children in a year than some people do in a lifetime. The Director of Coaching leads JSC coaches. The Director of Coaching will set the player curriculum and assign coaches to respective age groups and teams. The coach is the soccer “expert”. The coach will create an environment that will allow the player to learn, grow and develop as a player. The coach will use the four pillars; technique, tactics, physical, and psychosocial to guide their practice plan.

The practice will consist of five parts; warm-up, individual activity, group activity, game, and cool-down. The warm-up is first part of practice that sets the tone and prepares the player physically and mentally. The next phase is the individual activity. During this part, the coach will focus on the player’s technique with the ball. At the younger ages, this includes dribbling. At the older players, this includes pressure. After the individual activity comes the group activity. The group activity focuses on the small group dynamics and interactions. Emphasis still on executing technically. The game follows the group activity. The game is the players chance to apply what they have learned in the first part of practice. The last part of practice is the cool-down. At the younger ages, this can be a silly game. At the older ages, this will include stretching.

The Officials

The officials, much like the coach, is a part of the game and must be treated with respect. Officials are human beings and will make mistakes. Remember, at the end of the day, this is just a game. It’s important to understand that officials try to do their best, so be nice to them! Often you will see new or novice referees who are learning, just like your child is! The same positive and supportive policy you have towards your child, you should also adopt the same policy towards the officials. Officials also have a prevalence to dropouts due to verbal abuse.

You can also talk to your child about becoming a referee. This is a great way to get more involved in the game, learn a new aspect of the game, and even earn money. More information regarding this can be found on our website;

You, the Parent

You, the parent have several roles. First, you must provide be positive and supportive towards your child, his or her teammates, the coach, and the officials. You must set a good example and remember you not only represent yourself, but your child and Jamestown Soccer Club. Parents are expected to maintain certain standards.

Here are 5 things to consider:

  1. What you say matters – If you say something, it should be to cheer only. Relax and let the players play and the coaches’ coach. Refrain from giving your child instructions. Yelling is a distraction.
  2. This is your child’s experience, not yours – If you want success more than your child, then your expectations unbalanced. Taking the games too seriously, when they are designed to be fun, will lead to personal frustration and quite possibly, your child quitting.
  3. Level your expectations – Children grow and mature at different rates. Soccer will also play a different role in each child’s life. Find out where soccer is in your child’s life so you can adjust your expectations accordingly.
  4. Be mindful, after a game –Never Reward, Punish, or Evaluate your child’s performance. Meet your child’s needs. If you want to say something, you need only say, “I love watching you play!”

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship is a critical component to soccer. You, as a parent must model good behavior. Here are a few things you can do to show your child, other parents and players what good sportsmanship is.

  1. Cheer for all children, not just your own. This includes the opponents.
  2. Talk to other parents. They are not the enemy.
  3. Respect the officials.
  4. Keep perspective. The game is not larger than life.
  5. Have Fun! Fun isn’t just for the players.