New! Need help on the laws of the game? Need Help with a practice session?
US Youth Soccer has published some great guides that have fully laid out recreational practice sessions that you can use for a whole season. Each guide features 20 practice sessions. These guides are originally published on US Youth Soccer’s Coaches webpage. Download and printout the appropriate guide for your age group:
Want to know the latest rules or laws of the game:
The International Football Associate Board (or IFAB) controls and publishes the Laws of the Game. The information is updated constantly and any law changes take affect at the start of the next soccer year (i.e. all rules published before July 1, 2017 take affect for the August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018 soccer year. Anything after July 1 would take affect the following year). The link above takes you to the electronic version, but you can download a pdf version from the bottom of the page.
The modified rules we follow are found on the East Central Soccer District Policy page and can be downloaded from here. Scroll to the rules summary section to download the appropriate rules.
What Does it take to be a coach?
All of our recreational soccer coaches are volunteer positions. The only requirement to coach here is patience and the ability to make things fun for the kids. It’s helpful if you understand the basics of the game of soccer, but not necessary.
If you sign-up to be a coach, you need to complete a background check and a safesport training. The background checks are good for 2 years. Once the background check is complete, the club will be mailed a license that will then be given to you. The safesport training is online and needs to be completed every year.
After submitting for your background check, all recreational coaches must earn at least a “Y1” coaching license. This is a non-expiring license and is earned by attending a 3 hour training class. These classes are offered throughout the state at various locations. To coach in the competitive league (Classic), coaches must earn at least an “E” license.
How much of a commitment is it to coach?
A recreational coach should plan to commit 2.5 – 3 hours a week to coaching – 1 hour for a game (which you’ll be at anyway), 1 hour for a practice (which you’ll also be at anyway), and between 30 minutes and an hour to prepare your practice plan. You will also need to attend a 1 hours coaches meeting at the start of the season and if you haven’t done the training, 3 hours for the “Y1” class.
A classic coach should be willing to give a minimum of 4 hours a week to coaching – about 1 hour for games, at least 2 hours for practices, and at least 1 hour for practice prep.
Useful Coaching Links
- Coach Pass This is the link to get your background check updated. All coaches are required to go through a background check every 2 years. You will receive a license the reminds you of the expiration date. If you coach at the classic level, you are required to carry your coach pass to all games.
- License This site contains a description of all the different coaching licenses. Whether you are doing this for fun to help your kids, or want to make coaching a profession, you can find out all you need to know about licensing certifications offered by the United States Soccer Federation
- Coach Classes This is a listing of all the coaching licensing classes offered by Wisconsin Youth Soccer. Every recreation coach must obtain at least a Y1 license. This license never expires once the course is taken. Wisconsin regularily offers the Y1, E, and D license courses, and occasionally offers a C class.
- US Youth Coaching US Youth Soccer’s Coaches website. There is neat information here to help you plan better practices and connect with other coaches.
- US Soccer Coaches Net The United States Soccer Federation hosts the Soccer Coahces net. You can get information here about coaching and continuing education.
- iSoccer The same iSoccer site for players. Coaches can create accounts and put out invitations to their teams to track skill practice and development. There are the same options of the free basic account or the paid premium membership.
- NSCAA The United Soccer Coaches is a leader is soccer coaching education and training. A membership gives you access to tons and tons of great drills and games you can use to build better practices.