The list of tasks required of a youth soccer coach is long: Practice planning, individual player relationships, team culture building, game preparation, parent relationships, tactical periodization, not to mention layering in technical development and the mental side of the game. The ability to cover these tasks with relative ease and commitment is what separates the average from the good coaches and the good coaches from the great. Keeping in mind that a typical youth soccer coach sees their team in training for just 3-6 hours a week – covering these tasks is a daunting proposition.
It’s no surprise then that many of our coaches are often focused on the here and now with their team in training: focusing on areas of improvement that need to be addressed after a game performance, keeping the team physically prepared for the next match, and following up with the player and parents on an individual or group level.
Too often lacking from our child’s youth soccer experience is the deeper understanding and education around game principles and tactics: Soccer IQ. To be fair, it is a special coach who has the skills and abilities to teach their players soccer principles and layer in a level of awareness and education of general soccer tactics, all while addressing all the other tasks required of them. And to be fair, too many of our youth coaches simply don’t possess this level of Soccer IQ yet for themselves – let alone have the ability to teach their players.
That is why I was so excited to recently meet Nick Manzoni– founder of SportsLab360 – and get an inside look at the excellent Soccer IQ platform he has developed for players to continue their development away from the training ground. The modules at SportsLab360 address soccer principles of play and tactical knowledge in a fun, gamified manner that is both engaging and super effective when it comes to practical learning. With 64 interactive modules and counting, SportsLab360 is attempting to solve the dilemma we often find with our youth players – players who are developing technical proficiencies but who lack the Soccer IQ they need to be most effective in matches.
At SoccerParenting.com we have 6 Soccer Parent Value Statements. One of them, Soccer Knowledge, is directly related to this idea of Soccer IQ.
Soccer Knowledge: We foster our children’s love of soccer by seeking to educate ourselves about the rules, nuances and intricacies of the game.
With that in mind, I think the education and knowledge offered by SportsLab360 is extremely important for players AND parents.
At SoccerParenting.com we believe players and parents developing their Soccer IQ is foundational to the growth of the game and are therefore excited to announce and launch a partnership with SportsLabs360! Through this partnership, up to three of their educational rich modules will be housed in the content library at the SoccerParentResourceCenter.com – free for our SoccerParentResourceCenter.com members. We will be rotating these modules throughout the year and, additionally, we will be periodically highlighting a SportsLab360 module to our larger audience at SoccerParenting.com.
If you are a member at the SoccerParentResourceCenter.com simply log in and check out the library to find the SportsLab360 modules. Have some fun and do these with your child and challenge one another on the quizzes with a creative family bonus for the winner.
If you are not a member at the SoccerParentResourceCenter.com, you can become a member today. The cost is $4.99 a month or $47.00 a year.
We know that once you see these modules you may want more than what we are providing so if you’d like to learn more about SportsLab360 and have immediate access to ALL their learning modules for you and your child, follow this link and use coupon code SOCCERPARENTS3 at check out for a 20% discount at SportsLab360.
According to Nick, the founder of SportsLab360 “Any youth soccer player can work hard, but the best players work smart. That's why we created the first and only program that empowers thousands of players across the country to learn the game and gain a mental edge over their opponent.”
Extra bonus - if you love this SportsLab360 Module and want to gain access to their 64 (and growing) modules, you can receive a 20% discount at SportsLab360 by using coupon code SOCCERPARENTS3 at checkout!
