Coaching Education | Loudoun Soccer Club

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Recreational coaches (Micros, Minis, Rec 1, Rec 2, Challenge 1, Challenge 2, Classic, and HS) typically attend a pre-season coaches clinic, a combination of classroom (administration and coaching theory) and on-field sessions. Coaches in the Micro (Pre-School) program are encouraged to attend the classroom and on-field sessions, but only need to attend the equipment distribution since they have a professional trainer assigned to each Saturday session.

Coaches should attend dressed to participate in the on-field clinics – wear athletic clothing, and note-taking materials (notepad, pencil, etc.

Fall 2024 Pre-Season Clinic and Equipment Pickup Date:

Meetings will be pre-recorded and distributed to all coaches the week of August 18. More information to follow.

Saturday August 24: equipment pickup.
*Coaches will be able to come to Honor Brewery to collect coaching equipment.
*Coaches will be able to attend various club session throughout the lead up to their first game to observe as many sessions as available. More information to follow.

For More Information:

Program questions (rosters, etc.):
Pre-School, Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grades 1-2: contact Mackayla Brodie
Grades 3-12: contact Karen Corpe

Fields and practice schedules (all ages): contact Jamie Rawson

Coaching questions (how to coach players, suggested practices, etc.)
Contact Daryn Patricio or Graham Jones

Loudoun Soccer is proud to partner with The Coaching Manual. Coaches are encouraged to utilize the Session Planning Library in The Coaching Manual to deliver fun and effective practices to their teams.

The library is organized by age group and playing format (K 4v4, Grades 1-2 4v4, Grades 3-4 7v7, etc.), to ensure developmentally appropriate themes and sessions are presented.

Each session can be accessed through the TCM app or printed for convenience (bring a hard copy to the field).

Sessions will be added throughout the season.

Click here to get access to The Coaching Manual. Be sure to use your same email address as your Sports Connect account

Coaching Ed session - October 26:

7v7 session activities
In-Game Management

9v9 session activities
In-Game Management (begin at minute 49)

The Coaching Manual (demo video)

Age Group	Team Formations	Line-up and Substitution Tips	Playing Time Matrix
Grades 1-2 4v4	4v4 Systems of Play	4v4 Game Day Tips	4v4 PT Matrix
Grades 3-4 7v7	7v7 Systems of Play	7v7 Game Day Tips	7v7 PT Matrix
Grades 5-6 9v9	9v9 Systems of Play	9v9 Game Day Tips	9v9 PT Matrix
Grades 7-8 11v11	11v11 Systems of Play	11v11 Game Day Tips	refer to 11v11 Game Day Tips
High School Rec	11v11 Systems of Play	11v11 Game Day Tips	refer to 11v11 Game Day Tips

Video Library:

Below are helpful videos of activities you may wish to use with your team.

Dribbling Rhythms and Patterns: CLICK HERE

These videos are designed to be introduced sequentially, and one at a time. Coaches are encouraged to introduce a new pattern once per week or once per practice, depending on the age and the ability of players. For example:

U7: introduce one per week
U11: introduce one per practice

Minis Pre-K and Kindergarten (U5-U6) Videos

Games and Activities

Rec 1 Grades 1-2 (U7-U8) Videos

Grades 3-4 (U9-U10) Videos

Grades 5-6 (U11-U12) Videos

Goalkeeper Videos

Warm-Up Activities

Coaching Education Resources and Links:

US Youth Soccer Association:

US Youth Soccer is excited to announce the release of the Player Development Model, which provides a curriculum for clubs from the Under-6 to Under-19 age groups. The curriculum is designed to serve as a standard to guide each of US Youth Soccer’s 55 member State Associations and more than 5,500 clubs on how to effectively train athletes of all levels and abilities.
USYS has a resource library available to coaches here.

US Soccer Curriculum:

The curriculum is designed to improve development of players in the organized player base in the United States, concentrating on creating more organized, age-appropriate training sessions, developing coaching practices and creating an environment that is fun for the players.

Part 1 – Style and Principles of Play
Part 2 – Concepts and Coaching Guidelines
Part 3 – Age Group Organization
Part 4 – Planning and Training
Full Document

Aspen Institute - Project Play

The conscience of youth sports. Visit them online for full resources
Coaches resources are available here

Changing the Game Project:

A fantastic blog about keeping healthy perspectives and approaches in youth sports.
Check out John O’Sullivan’s Way of the Champion Podcast for insightful interviews regarding the art and science of coaching.

VYSA/USSF Coaching License Information:

Loudoun Soccer encourages the continuing education of our coaching staff, both volunteer and professional.

USSF Grassroots Licensing

As part of its continued effort to improve the quality of coaching at all levels, the U.S. Soccer Coaching Education Department has established eight new Grassroots Coaching License Courses that will serve as the foundation of its Coaching License pathway. Preceding these new Grassroots Course offerings is an online, cost-free Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Module that will serve as an educational tool for coaches to become familiar with U.S. Soccer’s approach at the grassroots level. Upon completion of this Introduction Module, coaches will have the ability to advance to any of the eight grassroots courses that best suits their needs.

Online and in-person (on-field) courses are available in the following formats: 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, 11v11. To pursue a USSF “D” License, coaches must have first completed the 11v11 in-person, one of the other in-person, and any of the online classes.

All USSF Licensing requires enrolling in US Soccer’s Digital Coaching Center.

Loudoun Soccer-hosted USSF License Courses

Loudoun Soccer traditionally hosts USSF Licensing courses the last weekend of July and the first weekend of August.

USSF GRASSROOTS MODULE – FREE!

US Soccer’s new Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module is free. This is a prerequisite for all Grassroots courses, and replaces the “F” License, which is no longer available.

To take this 20-minute online module:

1. Visit this page to create your profile (or to log-in if you have one).
2. From your profile, select “Courses” at the top of the page.
3. Under “Available Courses”, select “Begin Course”.
4. Complete the 20-minute module.