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Coaching Education


Welcome to the Coaching Education page of Loudoun Soccer!

This will serve as the hub for Loudoun Soccer coaches for all of their educational resources, including club-hosted clinics, Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) courses, and club-provided materials and curriculum.  Our goal is to make your job as coach as easy as possible, and readily providing you access to key information is our commitment to you.

Page Contents:

Clinic Schedules

Clinic Schedules:

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.

Spring 2024 Pre-Season Clinic and Equipment Pickup Date:


Monday August 21 - Thursday August 24: Program/Age Group Zoom Calls
All coaches (head and assistant) should plan on attending this online meeting to review key policies and protocols:

Monday 3/18: Mini Program Coach Meeting - 6.15pm via Zoom
       Rec 1 Coach Meeting - 7.30pm via Zoom


Tuesday 3/19: The Coaching Manual demo - 8pm via Zoom 

Wednesday 3/20: Rec 2 Coach Meeting - 6.15pm via Zoom
 Classic & High School Coach Meeting - 7.30pm via Zoom

Thursday 3/21: Challenge 1 & 2 Coach Meeting - 8pm via Zoom

Monday March 18 - Thursday March 21: on-field clinic and equipment pickup.
*Coaches will be able to come to the office at Loudoun Soccer Park to collect coaching equipment. 
*Coaches will be able to attend various club session throughout the week to observe any as many sessions as available. More information to follow.

 Age GroupField ClinicEquipment Pickup
Minis (Pre-School-KindergartenTBD10 AM - 7 PM
Rec 1 (Grades 1-2)TBD10 AM - 7 PM
Rec 2 and Challenge 1 & 2TBD10 AM - 7 PM
Classic, High SchoolTBD10 AM - 7 PM


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

Session Planning Library

Session Planning Library:

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)

Team Management

Team Management:

Listed below are several helpful documents that may help you better manage your team.

Coach Pre-Season Checklist

WELCOME EMAIL TEMPLATES:
Below are “welcome” email templates you may use to customize and then email to your families as your introductory message. These are templates, so adjust accordingly.

Micro 3-4 TemplateMini Pre-K TemplateMini Kindergarten Template 
 Rec 1 Grade 1-2 TemplateRec 2 Grades 3-6 Template Challenge 1 Grades 3-4 Template 
Challenge 2 Grades 5-6 Template Classic Grades 7-8 Template High School Rec Template 
RECOMMENDED FORMATION, LINE-UP, AND SUBSTITUTIONS:

Below are PDF documents organized by grade level and playing format for coaches to utilize in planning their line-up and substitutions (player rotation).

Age GroupTeam FormationsLine-up and Substitution TipsPlaying Time Matrix
Grades 1-2 4v44v4 Systems of Play4v4 Game Day Tips4v4 PT Matrix
Grades 3-4 7v77v7 Systems of Play7v7 Game Day Tips7v7 PT Matrix
Grades 5-6 9v99v9 Systems of Play9v9 Game Day Tips9v9 PT Matrix
Grades 7-8 11v1111v11 Systems of Play11v11 Game Day Tipsrefer to 11v11 Game Day Tips
High School Rec11v11 Systems of Play11v11 Game Day Tipsrefer to 11v11 Game Day Tips


Line-Up and Substitution Guidance for Large Roster Teams (9v9 and 11v11)

EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES:
Teaching Tips

Coaching "Problem" Players
Referees: Be Part of the Solution
Coaching Tips for High School-aged coaches


Video Guides

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

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

Grades 3-4 (U9-U10) Videos

Grades 5-6 (U11-U12) Videos

Goalkeeper Videos

Resources & Links

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

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.

Coaching Licenses


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.

Contact Us

Loudoun Soccer
19798 Sycolin Rd 
Leesburg, Virginia 20175

Fax: 703-777-1029
Phone: 703-777-9977
Email: [email protected]

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