Footy4Kids Newsletter

“Be slow to correct and quick to commend.” John Wooden

That advice – from one of the most successful basketball coaches of all time – should be written large on the clipboards of all youth soccer coaches.

Most of us (me included) are often quick to correct errors during training but often allow hard work and “hustle” to pass without comment.

And that’s wrong. Young players don’t always need us to correct their mistakes. They can often work things out for themselves. But they do need us to praise them when they try to do the right thing, even when it doesn’t turn out as they intended.

So next time you see a player working hard, make a point of telling them “well done”.

And if you see a player making a mistake, wait until he makes the same mistake again before offering advice. He might not need your help!

Yours in soccer,

Steve Watson

Editor, footy4kids

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