Even the most talented players and gifted coaches cannot win many games if one essential element is missing on the soccer field, communication. Good communication among team members can make the difference between victory or defeat. Taking it a few steps farther, it could mean the difference between getting that college scholarship or being ignored while wide-open.
If you are a coach, a parent, or a grandparent, spending time explaining communication on the field will pay off in more enjoyment and potential wins. Teaching your team some simple fundamentals of communication is not a hard thing to do, but it takes practice to make it work.
1. Call for the ball when open. This may seem obvious, but it does not happen often enough on most teams.
2. Call loudly for the ball. Being too loud is never a problem on the field.
3. Use your hands to signal and get your teammate’s attention. Work out simple signals to indicate where you want your teammate to pass the ball.
Soccer, like most sports, has its own vocabulary. Spend time teaching the language to all the team members, so all understand the meaning of the terms.