I had a senior club coach who couldn’t make up his mind on rules for team conduct.  The team had asked him to take a “professional” approach, but he had announced that he felt the team should be conducted more for “fun.”  On a road trip to Florida one season, during halftime one of the players tried to meet with his cousin who he hadn’t been able to see for years.  The coach blasted him for not being serious enough.  It is reasonable and proper to have team rules, but you can’t have it both ways, announcing one thing and then acting another way.  Coaches have to set responsible rules and then be consistent in their application, otherwise the coach has no credibility.  (05/08/13)

Years ago, I played for a city college team where we forfeited a game because the coach did not secure the use of the field.  We didn’t have a field of our own and the coach scheduled the game on a municipal park field apparently just assuming that the field would be available.  It wasn’t.  There were adult recreational teams playing on the field the whole day and they had a proper permit.  After waiting around for hours, we ultimately had to apologize to the opponent and the referees and then leave.  Coaches, get those field permits.  (04/03/2013)

As a youth coach I experienced an odd case of racism at one of my games.  I had a boys team composed of white and hispanic players and we were competing against a team composed of African-American and hispanic players.  At one point from the opposite sideline a male (either the coach or a parent) screamed, “Come on, are you going to let these white boys beat you?”  Racism in any form or direction has no place in society or on the soccer field.  Coaches must not engage in it or let their parents or supporters engage in it and must stand up to it if it occurs.  (03/16/2013)

In college, I had an extramurals soccer coach who decided to appoint an older, foreign, graduate student as substitute coach for a day.  He had no coaching experience.  This substitute coach directed the players to do a “V-jump straddle” (like cheerleaders might do) as part of warm-ups.  The team tried respectfully to perform, but two players promptly pulled their groins and wound up being out for three weeks.  Two lessons:  1. Don’t appoint a substitute coach if they aren’t capable.  2. If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t fake it.  (02/06/2013)

There’s a certain type of parallel-frame metal goal with round pipe that institutions should never buy.  These have backstays identical to the front of the goal, which are closely connected with horizontal pieces from front-to-back at all four corners, forming a box.  I have personally witnessed a perfectly-struck penalty kick (also caught on video) that rebounded into the field off the back upright and was not recognized by the referee as a score.  If coaches have any input into purchasing decisions, they should never let their athletic directors acquire this box-like type of goal. (01/08/2013)

This is a warning to coaches that a number of PARENTS of young soccer players need to be taught what it means to be a member of a team.  It is clear from personal experience that parents who never played a team sport themselves may not understand the commitment involved for their children.  At the last game of the season one year, admittedly it was cold and damp, I had three parents fail to bring their children to the game and did not tell me in advance.  This was even though they knew the team rule that the game was to be played if they had not been contacted otherwise, and they had not.  When called desperately to try to get them to the game, they simply did not care.  We didn’t have the minimum number of players and we forfeited the game.  It was our only loss of the season and it had the effect of putting us in second place.  These parents cost the entire team an undefeated season, acknowledgement of the players’ success and hard work, and the trophies that each of them had earned.  Use this as an example to all your parents that they have undertaken obligations when they join the team and that their decisions can have huge consequences for everyone involved by not living up to those obligations.  (12/06/2012)

It is common for youth teams to line up and “shake hands” as a show of good sportsmanship at the end of the game.  This is a highly recommended procedure, but I have seen certain poor to rotten behaviors that must not occur.  I suggest using a “low five” approach and teaching the players to hold their hands out as far away from the body as possible while going through the line.  I have observed cases where opponents have spit on their hands and have actually punched one of my players in the stomach.  As a result, I recommend that a number of parents be designated to go out with the team and be close enough to the beginning, middle, and end of the line to discourage inappropriate activity.  After going through the line, players should turn to the outside and immediately return to the team sideline.  It is further recommended that players be taught to use hand sanitizer after coming back to the team.  Further, it must be stated clearly to one’s own players that nothing other than “good game” is to be said to the opponents and that any inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.  In addition, coaches must never try to make some kind of stupid “statement” by not sending their players out for the handshake.  Players should also be encouraged to individually thank the referees.  (11/06/2012)

My senior year in high school, we had five guys on the team named “Steve.”  For oral communications purposes, we had to nickname all of them so that there would be no confusion about who was being called.  Even if a coach has two players with the same name, they should either use nicknames or their last names when communicating on the field.  (10/11/2012)

We once played in an out-of-state tournament that did not require Medical Releases.  Unfortunately, one of my players fell on a rock and cut his knee significantly.  He had to be taken to the local hospital emergency room but, because his parents were not there and we didn’t have the required paperwork, they would not treat him until we had an order from a juvenile court judge.  Imagine what we had to go through to get this order on a Sunday morning!  We were able to do it, though, and my player received excellent care and five stitches.  Those Medical Releases and other paperwork ARE important and coaches must make sure that they have them in their possession and in proper order.  (09/03/2012)

Without telling the Commissioner or making any attempt to contact me, I had a coach in my organization schedule a makeup game over top of  my practice.  I arrived at the field to find two teams setting up to play.  When I asked her what she was doing, she said I “had to leave” because her game was “more important than your practice.”  I couldn’t believe the total lack of courtesy.  I deferred but, because there was no place to go, I had to sit all 16 of my children on a hillside and talk to them for over an hour.  I later informed the Commissioner who said that she would set her straight.  At the field the coach had no clue that she had done anything wrong and wondered aloud why I was even questioning her.  Some people don’t have any common sense.  If she had contacted the Commissioner in advance, proper arrangements could have been made for an open field or time or I could have re-scheduled my practice.  (08/02/2012)

 My college coach broke out and smoked a cigar every time we won a game.  Wrong.  Coaches have got to set the right example at all levels at all times.  No smoking, drinking, cursing, getting angry, screaming, etc., in front of players… ever.  (07/11/2012)

My ex-college soccer coach didn’t pay attention to the school administration.  He made commitments to some players that he wasn’t authorized to make and he didn’t take the courses that he was told to take.  He seemed to think that creating a winning record was all that mattered.  He was so oblivious that he didn’t have a clue why the Athletic Director didn’t renew his contract.  Coaching involves so much more than just making it to practices and games.  (06/24/12)

My former college coach brought in a bunch of players whose personalities and attitudes did not mesh with the existing players.  It had the effect of splitting the team in two and resulted in a lot of resentment by both groups for years.  Smart coaches know to take more into account in recruiting than just perceived skills.  (05/20/12).

My high school soccer coach did not know how to evaluate the abilities of his players.  In order to compensate for this he simply played all the seniors.  It wasn’t until the Captain of the team went to him and told him that the junior goalkeeper was better, and the guy that we were all used to playing with, that he changed the goalkeeper and we started winning.  Coaches must establish a good relationship with their Captain and then listen to him.  (05/08/2012)

When I asked my junior varsity high school coach what I needed to do to become a starter, he couldn’t answer.  He fumbled and stumbled until finally saying something about not moving my arms around so much.  Not helpful.  Coaches need to analyze their players and present helpful feedback on how to improve.  And teach them before they ask or at least be able to respond intelligently when they do.  (04/30/2012)

My old college coach (now dead) condoned the worst case of cheating you can have in soccer.  If the goalkeeper had been beaten, he didn’t have any problem with a defender grabbing the ball to keep it from going into the goal!  And he’s in the Hall of Fame!  This even happened in the 2010 World Cup!  FIFA should be ashamed of the fact that they didn’t do anything about it publicly and loudly!  It’s a horrible, horrible affront to the sport.  No player or coach should ever be associated with this kind of behavior.  (03/26/2012)

My college coach didn’t know anything about soccer at all. Prior to a game against a school that used artificial turf, he had us warm up extensively on the surface. It was a hot day in September. Needless to say, we died in the second half and gave up two goals in the last twenty minutes due to exhaustion. Artificial turf can be stifling! If you’re used to grass, don’t drain yourself doing warm-ups on hot turf. Drink fluids and pace yourself. Hopefully the coach will know how to substitute properly.  (03/06/2012)

At one practice, my high school coach had the team do the “duck walk.”  It became immediately apparent, even to fit 17-year-olds, that the strain on the knees and ankles from this activity was totally unjustified.  Coaches should never use the “duck walk.”  (02/12/2012)