Australia has a huge problem with its youth development at present. The whole sructure is being looked into at the moment. While we are currently enjoying a 'golden age for Australian soccer' with likes of players like Kewell and Viduka, if significant changes aren't made we will run the risk of being left a 'country mile' behind the rest of the world.

One of the major problems is the vast, vast majority of kids from the ages
of 6-14 are being coached by well intentioned mums and dads with little or no playing experience. while this enthusium from the parents should be commended it does little in teaching kids the correct technique needed for performing at the highest level. A good coach should be able demostrate absolutly perfectly the correct ways to trap, pass, faint, turn and all other aspects need for a good technique. The mums and dads are left trying to explain to the kids how to do it or demostrating it in a incorrect fashion , which lets be honest, is never going to have the correct influence on the kid..

Our recent performance at the u/17's and under 20's world cup has suggested our youth players have poor techiques with the FIFA techical report from 17's world cup saying that our players have good athletic attributes but their techncal make up is mediocre.

The information Soccer Australia has been providing to coaches over the last few years is also terribly outdated. The information provided are books and videos from the German system. German football has been on a steady decline since 1990. Austalia should be looking at the french system as it is the best in the world at the moment.

All the best and good luck with your U/9's.

Thankyou for responding DKR

Your senero and views on parents helping on the soccer are so true. However I hope to make a difference this season. Where do I go to access the french soccer training system.

Our soccer club as one advantage in that we have had a gentleman from Malta who has left a huge impression on improving soccer standards in our town but the problem is he is one of a kind. I get extremely frustrated when our club does not appreciate his efforts but if thats not bad enough our town of Gympie is still back in the stone age in understanding this mans techniques.

Teaching our parents to understanding that our soccer grounds are not just a child minding center is a start, purhaps its the parents who need educating as well. They all need to understanding we are not living one hundred in the past and there's more to kicking a ball then actually a ball hitting your foot.

If we are to see improvement of soccer in this country a lot of people need to change their perspectives.

Take Care and thankyou for replying to my email.

Marion Visini

Im not sure where you can access the techniques the french system use. I was talking more along the lines of Soccer Australia or the ASA or what ever the call them selves now approaching the French FA to gain access to this information. I strongly recommend you contact your state development Officer, im sure he would be more than happy to provide you with some usefull techniques and exersices for your age group.

I have been coaching an elite youth squad over the last three years u14's - u16's Alot of the exercises I used were from Coaches I had been under myself during my junior and senior playing years. Other exercises I used were from watching NSL teams train, or from other coaches/ex players I have spoken to. Australia is great because we have so many immigrants from all over the world. A lot of them who have played soccer at the highest level. They are out there, and are not hard to find if you ask.

I agree with your comments about the parent. Most of them just percieve Soccer as a sport for kids and don't look at the wider picture. Soccer is a fantastic sport to learn to play as if you master it correctly you can play it in any country in the world. In most countries you can play it at a semi-professionally or professionally level.

Most parents will pull there child out of soccer after they turn 12-16 to concentrate on the parents favorite sport.

Australia can not make claim to being a great sporting nation untill our Soccer teams (men and womans )starts to make world cups and become one of the top Nations. It is easy for us to claim we are so great because we have been World Champions at Rugby, Rugby League, Cricket, hockey and Netball. But the sad truth is only a few nations play these sports and even less take them seriously. Soccer is the only sport that has a global appeal and it is the only team sport were we can adequatly asses our place in the greater sporting world.

Hi DRK

I am in the process of tracking down the french soccer system via soccer Australia. Thankyou for all your advice and guidence. I wish you luck with u/14's - u/16's.

From a sport and exercise psychology point of view involving soccer, it is very important that all your players focus on practice and performance goals first, that you help instigate and look for feedback through out the season with (one goal at a time) before even thinking about outcome goals. Lots more tips on soccer psychology (slowly) heading your way.
PS. Don't let them use the terms win or loss, and use motivational and instructional support all the way through.

Take care

marion Visini

Thankyou any help on physchology is a appreciated. This is probably one of my weak points as a coach.

My tenure with the youth team I coach finished last year and I am about to coach a mens amatuer team so any advice you have is appreciated. I never knock back any advise giving to me by anyone as I am always willing to try and learn new things.

I not entirely sure about your refence to not using the terms win and lose, I have the phylosophy that winning is of the upmost importance. The kids must learn that the have to do everything within their power to win (within the laws of the game of course). By the end of the game if they have given all that they have got and lost, fine its ok. But if they didn't give 100% (and I can tell) and they lost (or draw) I always punish them (as a team). After a while the players know when someone is slacking off and they motavate (in a positive way) each other. I feel that a winning mentality must be inprinted in their brain from as young as possible. Everthing I do is in a positive manner and kids are all ways good sportsman.