| While I am a strong believer in that a strong offense is | | | | The next step is to train the youth player to move |
| your best defense, even in youth soccer. There is a | | | | quickly but with patience as the ball handler advances |
| still a need to teach your youth soccer players how to | | | | toward them. Teach the defender the idea is to move |
| play good defense. I have strongly encouraged drills | | | | toward the ball carrier enough to get the ball carrier to |
| and youth training sessions geared toward offense | | | | slow down or stop, so then the defender or another |
| because I think the most important part of teaching the | | | | teammate that is covering can come up and tackle or |
| youth player is teaching them ball control and the skills | | | | take the ball away. Show them by attacking to quickly |
| needed for that. | | | | and not showing patience that the ball handler can |
| When getting ready to teach your youth soccer team | | | | quickly move by and that it does not leave enough |
| defense, you will want to start with individual drills that | | | | time for help by his/her teammates. |
| teach proper technique. Two main items to discuss | | | | Teach that good defensive soccer, like offensive |
| beforehand with your team is patience and cover. | | | | soccer, is played by the whole team not just an |
| How many times even with advanced soccer players | | | | individual. They do not have to do it alone, but by |
| have you seen them quickly advancing on the | | | | showing patience and slowing down the ball and then |
| opposing ball handler and then hurriedly dive in with no | | | | holding that offensive player up long enough for other |
| control or patience and the ball handler quickly move | | | | teammates to come up and help, that as a team they |
| around the defender without being slowed down. This | | | | will be able to create turnovers and quickly get the ball |
| is an example of lack of patience which results in no | | | | up field to attack offensively again. |
| time to help cover from your teammates. | | | | Coaching defense to your youth soccer team doesn't |
| You will need to start with the proper stance of the | | | | have to be overly difficult to understand. By focusing |
| defensive player which is good balance, knees bent, | | | | on 2 terms and skills, patience and cover. They can |
| weight forward, not unlike you would teach a | | | | begin to understand that how as a team they can |
| basketball player. This will help them move forward, | | | | work together to slow down the other team and then |
| sideways & backwards with good balance and | | | | quickly get back to doing what that they all love to do - |
| quickness. The player should learn to move without | | | | SCORE! |
| crossing their feet no matter the direction. | | | | |