How We Rate Videos and Books: We have watched over 220 soccer coaching videos (DVD's and tapes) and read over 70 soccer coaching books. Unfortunately, most are not good, many are a complete waste of time and money, and some are actually counterproductive. We only sell videos and books that we truly believe are the best and worth buying, and that we can give 4 or 5 star ratings (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best). Our ratings consider the quality, length and value of an item, how it compares to other similar DVD’s, and how well it meets the needs of the targeted audience. We reject about 90% of the videos we watch.

Main Topics on This Video: Formations, tactics, styles of play, and how to teach them. Every recreational, travel and school coach should own this. Every serious coach should also own Coaching Set Plays, another brilliant 2-DVD set by Tony Waiters that we believe are the best tactical soccer coaching DVD's ever produced.

Combo Deals: For coaches of U-10 and older, we offer this DVD as part of a "Beginning and Intermediate Coaches" deal with "Play Like Champions" (Moves and Skills) and the Mia Hamm's Soccer Secrets DVD (Skills). We also offer a Combo deal for U-6 and U-8 coaches that includes "How To Coach Very Young Soccer Players", "Super Soccer Skills" and "Just Kickin' It", and a combo deal with "Coaching Set Plays".

Quick Review: EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT…we've watched over 200 soccer coaching videos and this is the best video ever produced about formations, tactics and styles of play. Every recreational, travel and school coach should own this. A huge part of every coach's success depends on choosing the "System of Play" that gives his or her team the best chance to be successful. The term "System of Play" refers to the formation and style of play you use. This video covers formations, styles of play ("defending deep", "pushing up", counterattacking styles, and others), and is a brilliant coaching overview, covering tactics and the principles of attacking and defense….much of what a coach needs to know. This video is so good it would be a bargain at $100. If this had been available when I started coaching, I could have saved hundreds of dollars and a huge amount of time that I wasted on bad videos, books and classes. It tells you how to coach in a clear, concise way. The video demonstrates the formations, styles of play and principles of attacking and defense by using 3-D graphics and carefully selected game film clips, combined with excellent commentary and on-screen teaching points. There is a 4-page checklist that can be printed if you have a computer that can play a DVD and you have (or can install) the free version of Adobe Reader. NOTE: The video only describes 11 v 11 formations, but the discussion of styles of play and the principles of attacking and defense apply to all teams, no matter how many are on the field. If you're a beginning or intermediate coach, you can combine this with SoccerHelp Premium, "Play Like Champions" and the Mia Hamm DVD and you have everything you need. This is available as part of special Combo deals.

Suitable for: All coaches of players age 9 and older, including recreational, travel and school teams… every coach should own this. It is unquestionably the best video ever produced on systems of play (formations, styles of play and principles of attacking and defense and how to organize your team). If you're a beginning or intermediate coach, you can combine this with SoccerHelp Premium, "Play Like Champions" and the Mia Hamm DVD and you have everything you need. This DVD is available as part of special Combo deals.

Review: EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT…one of the best soccer coaching videos ever produced. The term "System of Play" refers to the formation and style of play you use. A huge part of a coach's success depends on choosing the "System of Play" that gives his or her team the best chance of being successful. The best system of play for your team is the one that maximizes the strengths of your team and minimizes its weaknesses. This video covers formations, styles of play ("defending deep", "pushing up", counterattacking styles, and others), and is a brilliant coaching overview, covering tactics and the principles of attacking and defense….much of what a coach needs to know. The video demonstrates the formations, styles of play and principles of attacking and defense by using 3-D graphics and carefully selected game film clips, combined with excellent commentary and on-screen teaching points. Every recreational, travel and school coach should own this. This video is so good it would be a bargain at $100. If this had been available when I started coaching, I could have saved hundreds of dollars and a huge amount of time that I wasted on bad videos, books and classes. It tells you how to coach in a clear, concise way. There is a 4-page checklist that can be printed if you have a computer that can play a DVD and you have (or can install) the free version of Adobe Reader. The checklist will help you develop the "system of play" (i.e., the formation, style of play and tactics) best suited to your team, discusses how to pair up players, how to develop long-term plans and short-term goals that are consistent with your coaching philosophy, and how to adjust your system of play on a game-by-game basis depending on the opposition, field conditions, weather, the importance of the game, and whether you're winning or losing. NOTE: The video only describes 11 v 11 formations, but the discussion of styles of play and the principles of attacking and defense apply to all teams, no matter how many are on the field. It has Scene selection, slow motion and freeze frame, and Dolby Digital Stereo. 59:45 minutes of "Systems of Play", 6:50 minutes of excerpts from "Goalkeeping Tips" (excellent for goalkeepers), and 3:35 minutes of excerpts from "Set Plays", which is outstanding.

Tony Waiters: Tony Waiters is one of the best, most knowledgeable and most successful coaches in the world…in addition, I've talked to him and he's a nice, modest guy. Tony played professionally for 10 years in the top division of the English League and with the England National Team. He was a Manager/Coach of the Liverpool FC Youth Development Program, Manager/Coach of the England Professional Youth Team, in 1978 he was Coach-of-the-Year in the North American Soccer League, and he coached the Canadian World Cup and Olympic Teams in 1982-86, including the Canadian men's team that went to the World Cup in 1986. We also believe Tony is one of the best soccer coaching teachers in the world and this video is one of the best ever made.

User Tips: When you first start the DVD, the Main Menu has 3 choices: Play, Chapter Selection and Special Features. Choose "Play" to start at the first. "Chapter Selection" lets you choose from 8 chapters. "Special Features" has 3 choices: you can print the "Developing A System Of Play" checklist, or watch "Goalkeeping Tips" and "Set Plays Tips", which are described below.