Coaching Youth Soccer

The popularity of youth soccer in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. The number of players and spectators has risen and soccer now rivals the more traditional American sports of baseball, basketball, and football. This is a study of current youth soccer training methods at professional clubs in Europe--where soccer is an extremely competitive sport--and a guide to applying those methods to young people in the United States. The author draws much of his information from personal observation of the FC Barcelona, Newcastle United, Glasgow Celtic, Munich 1860, and Slavia Prague professional teams in Europe, and provides an overview of the state of youth soccer in the United States. Chapters cover such topics as facilities, equipment, organization, and environment, player evaluation, training timetables and components, coaching, and philosophies of youth soccer. Also included are approximately 100 diagrams of soccer training exercises for youth coaches.

Kevin McShane is the head soccer coach at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. He lives in Washington.