How to Use Patches to Motivate Players
How to Use Patches to Increase Scoring
How Many Patches?
- Click here for Instructions for Ironing on the Patches
- Testimonials and Letters from Coaches Who Use Patches to Motivate Players
- Where to Put Patches
- Why Patches Motivate Players
- Patches Navigation Page
- Practice Attendance -- We all know how hard it is to motivate kids to come to practice or to practice on their own time. We also know how important it is for kids to come to practice. Soccer is a team sport. It’s impossible to practice or teach some things such as formations if your kids don’t come to practice. Your team will definitely play better if your players come to practice. If you want to encourage practice and game attendance you might want to give a Black/White patch each time a player comes to practice or a game (Or even better, give a different color for each 4 to 6 practices. Example: when they have earned 4 Black/White patches, then they start getting a Blue/White patch; and when they get 4 of those they start getting Orange/White, etc. At the end of the season, give a Gold Star patch for perfect practice and game attendance, and ONLY give the Gold Star for that. And give a Blue Star patch to players with a 90% attendance record. This approach is probably better than just giving Black/White because it would be more motivating and fun). I can tell you for certain that teams play much better if most of their players come to practice.
- If you want to encourage Aggressive Play and Winning the Ball, you might give out the Red/White patches or a Red Star patch (we call them Blood Patches or Bravery Patches), but give these sparingly and make a BIG DEAL in front of the entire team of getting one of these and praise bravery, hustle and toughness. This approach really works; it worked for me. Remember, not every kid can be a good athlete, but every kid can hustle and be brave.
- If you want to encourage good defense, then decide how you will determine this (is it a team effort of limiting the opponent to 1 goal or less?). Example: if the opponent only scores one goal or less everyone gets a Green/White patch.
- If your team isn't scoring many goals, it could be beneficial to use the patches to motivate your players to do the things that can produce goals. Examples of behavior that you want to teach and encourage include: getting in front of the opponent's goal (most goals are score in front of the goal, and the more players you have there, the better your odds), stealing the ball from a defender and scoring in your "Attacking Third", being alert and in position for rebounds, playing off the Far Post, being aggressive, alert and hustling. In brief: if your Forwards and Midfielders are in position, alert, aggressive and hustle, your team will score goals. Over half the goals in Rec games are scored using the inside of the foot. Placement is more important than power. Shoot low and toward the corner... from inside the Penalty Box a groundball is more likely to score than a hard kicked air ball, because the shot will be more accurate (think about how many hard kicked balls totally miss or go straight to the Goalie). Once your team learns how to score, you can discontinue giving patches for scoring. SEE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT THIS.
- You can use them to encourage kids to participate or behave at practice.
- You can use them to encourage kids to listen to the coaches and follow instructions.
- Do you want to encourage assists or unselfish play?
- Do you want to encourage running or speed training?
- Do you want to encourage players to learn "Moves"? (which they can practice at home)
- Do you want to encourage kids to practice at home?
- Or to practice Juggling? (which they can practice at home). Example: increase your juggling by 10 and get a Gold/Blue Patch or a Red Star patch.
- For another example of how to use them, the Baltimore Soccer Academy developed a program called the “Outstanding Individual Achievement Program” (“OIA”). They used the patches as rewards for achievements such as mastering skills, running, juggling, getting good grades and attendance.
Recent correspondence has caused me to re-think the use of patches as a motivation to score goals. (This only applies to U-8 and older). From David at SoccerHelp.The letter I refer to was sent to the Forum by a coach whose team was playing great and dominating games in every way except scoring. They controlled the ball for 80% of the game, but were only scoring one or two goals per game. The coach thought he needed to practice shooting. My thought was that the reason his players weren’t scoring was because they weren’t in position to score, or weren’t aggressive about “finishing”. In brief, they needed to be taught “how to score” and motivated to be more alert and aggressive when in scoring range. Also, in his case (where his team is dominating the game) it would help to encourage one-touch shots when in front of the goal and to be more aggressive about shooting. If your team is scoring a lot of goals, I still think it’s better to not give patches for goals. But, if your team doesn’t know how to score goals or isn’t scoring enough goals, it could be beneficial to use the patches to motivate your players to do the things that can produce goals. For example: getting more Forwards and Midfielders in front of the opponent's goal (most goals are score in front of the goal, and the more players you have there, the better your odds), stealing the ball from a defender and scoring in your "Attacking Third" or “Attacking Half”, being alert and in position for rebounds, playing off the Far Post, being aggressive, alert and hustling. In brief: if your Forwards and Midfielders are in position, alert, aggressive and hustle, you will score goals. Over half the goals in Rec games are scored using the inside of the foot. Placement is more important than power. Shoot low and toward the corner... from inside the Penalty Box a groundball is more likely to score than a hard kicked air ball. Once your team learns how to score, you can discontinue giving patches for scoring. Here are some ideas for behavior you want to encourage that will lead to goals and that you might want to give patches for:
- Being in position for rebounds
- Playing off the Far Post
- Stealing the ball from an opponent in your “Attacking Third” (the third of the field nearest the goal you are attacking) or in your Attacking Half (the half of the field closest to the goal you are attacking)
- Assists
- Consistently being in scoring position (in front of the goal) EVEN if a goal isn't scored. (If you can get your players to do the RIGHT things, they will start to score lots of goals).
- Being alert, aggressive and taking a one-touch shot, even if it doesn’t score.
- Perhaps even give a patch for any decent shot taken from inside your Penalty Box.
- In this phase of training, give a patch for any goal scored.
- Remember that you must also continue to praise and give patches to defenders, the Goalie and Defensive Midfielders (Stoppers) so they don’t feel left out or second-rate. Once your attackers learn how to score, they will get lots of positive feedback and praise, and at that point it isn’t necessary to give patches to attackers, and it can even be counter-productive.
- Dribble, Turn and Shoot Race
- Dribble Around Cone and Pass Relay Race (because it encourages accuracy, alertness, coming to meet the ball, and kicking it while running)
- Kick A Crossed Ball Game (teaches how to kick a crossed ball)
- Pass To Space, Run With Ball and Shoot Game
- Teaching Forwards to be Opportunistic in the Penalty Box
- Run To Ball and Shoot With Side of the Foot (teaches kicking a ball sideways)
- 2 Team Keep Away (It teaches aggressive play, double teaming to steal the ball, “channeling” the ballhandler to the sideline or into the corner as a way to steal the ball, alertness and quick decision-making. You can also use it to teach teamwork, one-touch passing, support, movement off the ball, defensive pressure, quick transitions from offense to defense, “give and go’s” and wall passes and talking. This game will help your players learn to make fast decisions and how to deal with pressure, and is a great work-out – they will be worn-out after 2 or 3 minutes.)
- Most goals are scored from in front of the goal and inside the Penalty Mark (12 yards from the goal) when several attackers are in the area. (So try to get several players in front of the goal and send the ball there).
- What caused the goal? Some are individual brilliance, some are caused by dribbling, but many result from balls crossed to the goal front within 12 yards of the goal.
- Notice that many goals are scored from the Far Post on a cross (these are very difficult for the Goalie to cover).
- Notice that in the scoring area, one touch passes and wall passes are used play the ball to open space in front of attackers so they can run onto the ball.
- Many goals originate from passes to space near the goal front ("passes to space" instead of "passes to feet").
- Very few goals occur because a player makes a fancy "move". They mostly result from passing to attackers in front of the goal, inside the Penalty Box. The moves involved are usually simple body swerves, quick cuts, or a change of speed (few scissors or Coerver type moves). (However, it is important for young players to practice footwork and dribbling).
- Occasionally, goals are scored on breakaways or from aggressive runs into the box, but at high levels of play the defenders are very good and don't allow those a lot.
- Quite a few goals are scored from flick or redirected headers.
- Scrappy, aggressive strikers will score goals on rebounds and second efforts. (Guys like Tony Coffee, Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer aren't as fast or athletic as Andy Cole, but they are smart, tough and position themselves well).
- On Penalty Kicks, the Goalkeeper should stay on his feet until the ball is struck.
- As many goals are scored using the inside of the foot as by instep drives.
- Most headers are scored inside the Goal Box and many of the headers are headed down to the ground. If you have a player who can head the ball, having him play off the far post on corner kicks and crossed balls may be a good idea.
- Many goals are scored from Set Plays (corner kicks, free kicks and PK's)
- If there is one lesson here, it has to be that you can increase your odds of scoring by getting several attackers in front of the goal and then passing the ball into that area. Many goals are due to having attackers in front of the goal and sending the ball there.
- Smart, unselfish attackers will dribble to draw defenders, which will create the opportunity to pass to an open teammate (versus being selfish, dribbling too much and losing the ball). The players who can create scoring opportunities in this way are very valuable and deserve credit for the goals that result from their assists. As a coach, you should always give these players immediate credit for the assist, and do so in front of all players and parents. You should also insist that the first thing the scorer does (instead of trying to grab the spotlight and all the glory) is to thank the player who made the assist by giving him or her a "high 5" that everyone can see (a 'thank you" that all the other players and spectators will notice). This is a way to publicly say "thanks for the assist, I recognize that you allowed me to score this goal".
Copyright 1999-2008, David and Kay Huddleston
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