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A PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

A games-based alternative to tedious rote exercises, guaranteed to keep practices fun, engaging, and productive

Great Soccer Drills provides soccer coaches with a great way to make every soccer practice active, fun, and productive. Coaches get 125 games guaranteed to keep kids moving and excited while teaching them basic skills, sharpening their reflexes, and building their confidence and decision-making ability. Written by two of North America's foremost names in youth soccer coaching, it also includes guidelines on how to create just the right blend of drills to hold the attention of six- to twelve-year-old players.

Great Soccer Drills can be used in conjunction with the bestselling Coaching Youth Soccer: A Baffled Parent's Guide or as an excellent stand-alone resource for spicing up any practice.

Average Customer Rating:

Essential reading for any "baffled" parent...

Customer Rating:

While reading, Great Soccer Drills : The Baffled Parent's Guide by Thomas Fleck, I partiticipated as an assistant Soccer Coach on my son's team. I was familiar with his coach from a prior experience and knew this particular coach was difficult to communicate with. Shortly after beginning the practice season I was able to use Mr. Flecks book to identify some troubling aspects of our bi-weekly soccer practices. Our youth soccer league had endorsed the sort of "small sided" games illustrated in the book, however the teams coach would insist on using complicated drills for an older age group. The result was a group of young boys overwhelmed by the complicated drills who would then be subjected to repeated "stomach crunches" for not listening or following the drills. By reading the book, I was able to see that this situation bordered on abuse and I withdrew my child from that particular practice and team situation. My whole family is greatful for the thoughtful and "child centered" approach to coaching youth soccer presented in this very informative guide.

1st time soccer coach	Customer Rating:
This book is just what you need if you know nothing about soccer and are going to be coaching young children. I coach 7 & 8 year olds, the drills are easy to understand and execute.

Somewhat usefull	Customer Rating:
If you are just looking for something to get yourself through a couple months of soccer than the first book is more useful. We did use a couple of these drills. If the season went longer I think we would have used more of them.

This is it!

Customer Rating:

My husband and I have been youth soccer coaches for years, and have a stack of books and drills. Recently, I purchased this book and it has both energized our soccer program, and made coaching really fun. Kids eat up these games! No more lines... no more boring drills... no more complicated set-ups. We can choose a couple games, add a scrimmage, and have a ready-made, fun, purposeful practice. Great work, Tom Fleck and Ron Quinn!

A "Must Have" Book for Rec League Coaches

Customer Rating:

If you are a parent who has been drafted into coaching your child's rec league soccer team, this book is a lifesaver. I have been a rec league coach and assistant coach on and off for 7 years, and have been an assistant coach in travel/select leagues. Prior to reading this book, I was a "form-two-lines-and-dribble/pass-around-the-cones" kinda guy. Practices consisted of small-sided games and various "drills" (ie. standing in line). Planning practices was always a chore, and sometimes the practices themselves, according to my son and other players, were downright boring. I wasn't as bad as "Coach Calisthenics" (you know the guy -- "line up around the center circle and let's do jumping jacks..."), but oh how I pity my pre-enlightenment players. In an "off" year I took the "F" license coaching course from the US Soccer Federation and the book was given to us at the end of the class. Since then, I've bought a copy for each coach I've worked with and have used it at almost every practice to date. Now the kids are having fun AND learning at the same time, whether they are aware of that or not. No need to explain what's in it, as the "why" of buying it is what matters. I highly recommend this book to all coaches, but particularly those at the rec level. In fact, rec leagues should provide this to ALL of their coach-volunteers, as it will make practices infintely more fun and might even help raise the performance bar of American soccer players in the long run.