Coach's Corner

This guide, put out by the US Soccer Federation, has lots of suggestions for coaching. Download it here. (70 pages, pdf format).

Coach News

Welcome new & returning coaches! For those who don’t already know, we are a completely volunteer organization - not associated with the Burlington municipal programs. The league was started in 1995 by a group of parents who saw a need for an all girls league. Counting Spring and Fall, we have had 20 seasons!!!

Thanks again for volunteering - the league thrives because of our coaches!

This season, the following board member will be doing coach support:

Dan Feeney: coachsupport@gbgsl.org

Reminders:

All Divisions: No earrings or jewelry allowed - at games or practices.

Remain at the practice field until all children are met by parents or guardians.

Rain/weather policy: D1, 2, & 3 - We play in everything except thunder, lightning, hurricanes, & tornadoes. K Division - be easy on the players. In bad weather, coaches should communicate with each other & decide with enough time to notify parents. Games and practices are cancelled immediately if thunder or lightning are present even at a distance.

Canceling games: please don’t - except for very exceptional reasons! If you do, please do so in a way that if fully communicated to the opposing coach & parents. Also, in D2, D3, and D4 please contact Kathy or Katherine so that we can cancel the ref & avoid wasting their time and money.

Division II & III : No pre-game warn-ups on the game field. ( Avoid delays)

First team listed on the schedule is “home” team – this team supplies the game ball & gets the first kick. (Ref tradition)

Substitutions: Allowed only when the team possessing the throw-in chooses to substitute OR when either team has a goal kick or corner kick. If you don not have possession at a throw-in – you cannot sub.

Subs should wait at the midfield cones on the sideline for the ref to signal them in. Each team should place a cone at their midfield sideline to designate the location for their subs to wait.

Safety:

Shin guards are required and must be completely covered by a sock, no jewelry, no earrings.

Cancel practice/games immediately if any thunder is heard or lightning seen.

Do warm-ups & cool downs, encourage players to bring water bottles to practice and games.

Any player should rest if too winded or asking for a break.

Please be aware of and abide by the sexual abuse prevention policy.

Coaching “intensity” at games and practices should be recreational (we get parent feedback about this).

If your team is completely wiping out your opponent - re-arrange your player positions to decrease the intensity. (We get coach requests about this.)

Demonstrate and emphasize good sportsmanship in all aspect of the game. Please model good sportsmanship in relation to the refs at all time and ask your players to do the same.

In keeping with our recreational goals, the league “standard” is one hour-long practice per week. We strongly discourage more than one practice because it increases the player & family commitment above the “recreational” level and it intensifies the competitive pressure in the upper divisions. However, the older kids can handle and benefit from slightly longer practices.

We are continuing our efforts to improve our goalie training. Many goalies are placed in this high stakes position with little practice. Please give your goalies practice time, warm-up time before games and an understanding of the rules before being placed in a game situation.

Also, much time is wasted during games due to goalie problems. In order to minimize wasted time - try to limit goalie substitutions to half-time or, if substitution is made during the half, have the new goalie already wearing the jersey and gloves before going on to the field.

Please start your games on time. Refs will be instructed to end games on time even if you start late.

Please have your players at the field early for warm-ups off to the side and ready for a prompt start.

If you are the last game of the day in your division, be sure that all the goals, nets and field markers are put in the shed.

Goals (not nets) on the lower field (if used) can be stored on the side of the field.

If you are playing the last game to finish on all the fields, please make sure to lock the shed after you clean up.

Coaches' Corner

New Information for 2010