KNOWLEDGE:
Knowledge of the game is crucial to being a great coach. The coach must understand the tactical and technical aspects of soccer. In addition, the great coach must be familiar with the laws of the game. Other knowledge that is necessary to the great coach is basic athletic training, which should include having current first –aid and CPR, cards, and basic knowledge of care and prevention of athletic injuries.

EXPERIENCE:
Experience is another important asset to have as a great coach.‘Coaching’ experience allows the coach a wealth of knowledge to call upon when making decisions. ‘Playing’ experience gives the coach insight into the game and into the player that could never be taught in a classroom. A coach who has played the sport will understand what it is like to be a player, and what it is like to be coached. Additionally, only a player is capable of demonstrating proper techniques.

PERSONALITY: 

Personality is also important to be a good coach. A great coach must have a positive personality. Being easy to get along with, being pleasant to be around. and having a sense of humor is essential to keeping players interested and focused during practice sessions and matches. Humor also eases the tension that can arise from intense soccer workouts.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
This is very, very important. These skills are mandatory for any coach to effectively communicate with the players and parents. The coach must have a clear voice, and command of the English language. Many coaches are great players, and understand the game extremely well, yet are completely ineffectual as coaches due to their inability to pass their knowledge onto the team. Coaches must be able to relate to players as individuals, as well as to the team as a whole. They must be able to communicate with the parents of their players so that expectations are clear, and that team and individual goals are clearly understood.

QUALITY OF CHARACTER:

A great coach must have good character. This is the easiest way to gain the respect of the team, and parents. Personal appearance is important. Look neat. Dress appropriately. Be on time. Be fit, not excessively overweight. Be honest. Have integrity. Keep your mouth clean, no obscenities. Be reliable. Be dependable. Be committed to the team. Be objective. Be open-minded.

MOTIVATIONAL / ENTHUSIASTIC: 

The ability to motivate is a key ingredient in great coaching. It is often an art form, and almost always demands creativity. A coach that can turn a 3-0 halftime deficit into a 4-3 victory, simply by getting the team fired up, is a golden asset to any team, Team motivation is also necessary at practice sessions. A great coach should vary practice, keep it fun, keep it entertaining, keep the team focused, and keep it positive. A truly great coach must be able to motivate individual players as well as the team in general. Enthusiastic for the sport, the team, the individual players, and for the job of coach its self plays a major role in the overall success of a team. Nothing is more of a downer than a coach who seemingly hates the job of coaching. While on the other hand, if a coach directs a lot of energy to the game of soccer, and to the role of the coach, the positive effects that it has on the team are amazing.

STUDENT OF THE GAME:

A great coach must be somewhat modest. At least, a great coach can’t think that he/she is a great coach. There should be a constant desire to improve and learn and advance. Time must be spent keeping current on all the latest coaching methods, training methods, coaching aids, and anything else to gain the advantage. The greatest coaches in the world never stop learning.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS:

Man oh man, this one separates the men / Women from mice. It is certainly a trick to juggle all of the duties of coaching, and still come across as competent. A great coach has to be able to organize practice sessions, set up scrimmages, orchestrate transportation to and from games and practice, schedule referees, set up goals and nets, keep stats and remember where they put their keys and wallet. A great coach usually has a great assistant, either an assistant coach or team manager, who is fully adept at handling all of the little tasks that are equally important as winning the match on the field.

INTELLIGENCE: 

This seems obvious, but many coaches lack this. A great coach must possess keen powers of logical thinking and problem-solving. These attributes allow a coach to creatively solve any problem that arises on or off the field.

HUMAN QUALITIES: 

Though rarely mentioned, great coaches are great to coach people as well. These qualifications include patience, respect for others, respect from others, understanding, ability to relate, common sense, and consistency.

DISCIPLINE: 

All Great coaches are able to discipline their players, and be self-discipline is without heart. Balance is the key. All players must obey the same rules; all players must be judged equally. No player is irreplaceable. Be fair, and be consistent.

KEEN OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS:  All Great coaches are able to read the game like a children’s book. The coach must be able to make adjustments to capitalize on the opponent’s weakness. If something isn’t working, the coach must be able to identify and correct the problem. The coach must be in tune with the players and must be able to tell which players need to be substituted, and which players should remain in the match.

INSTINCT: 

Great coaches have an instinct for the game. They have a ‘feeling ‘ or ‘Sense’ that governs their decision-making. This instinct allows a coach the ability to put a player in the place at the right time. Nobody understands this ability completely, it just simply exists.

PHILOSOPHY: 

All Great Coaches have their own personal coaching philosophy about how the game should be played. The great coaches establish this early and constantly strive to support their philosophy with the drills and systems that they implement, This philosophy is created from past experiences and theories about what is important, effective, and attractive about soccer.

All great coaches possess these attributes. Seek hard to find these people…they are worth the effort.

Ciao for now.