Coaching expectations

My number 1 expectation is for the coach to be a good person and treat the players as people.
I expect the coach to provide feedback to the player and attempt to correct deficits in their game. I expect BOTH positive and negative comments to the player to provide motivation and rewards.
I expect them to get to know the player well enough to know their goals (are they just having fun and staying fit or do they want to get better and play at the next level whatever that is).
I expect them to communicate with the parents 2 times per year via player evaluations (more at the younger ages). If there are skill deficits a recommendation for homework or trainers to focus on that would be expected.

Specifically for older, college bound players I expect a willingness to discuss the player's expectations/goals. Assistance with video clips (parent or service does clips, coach watches and says yeah or nay to the clips). Encourage/advise on nutrition and fitness and mental training would also be very helpful.

I expect someone who cares about the health, safety and mental well being of my player.

The club should provide overall advice and support for college recruiting for U15 and up players.

Agree with the previous posters, the best coaches are good people with the kids best interests at heart. I want them to truly care about my kid and his or her development, happiness and well-being. If that expectation is satisfied it goes a long way with forgiving some little flaws. I expect the coach to walk the fine line between being liked and being respected by the kids. If they are too soft, the kids won't respect his authority, too tough and they won't want to please him because they hate him lol. Get to know my kid, what they like and dislike, what their goals are, both in soccer and in the rest of their lives. As someone above said, I'd like my kid to hear both the positives and the negatives. Tell them what they did wrong, what they need to work on, but a well placed compliment goes a long way. Be fair, and explain decisions that may be misunderstood, especially at the older ages. Most coaches after a certain age (u13 or 14?) prefer communicating with the player only, which I love, but there are times when it's appropriate to loop the parents in. As far as evaluations go, I would love at least once per year, but my daughter is a u16 and has had TWO evaluations in her entire career. :/

Amusing, but I do think being a good person and caring about the kids as people and getting to know them actually makes the other stuff happen automatically.

The coaches that we have had that care about my kids also happen to be the ones that did evals, talked to them about their goals, encouraged them, pushed them to be their best including providing criticisms (sometimes a little harsh) and even communicated with parents.

1. Be objective and reasonable
2. Have a plan for the season, each training session, and each game
3. Be nice

One thing about coaches is there is no consistency from year-to-year. Your player could have the best coach in the world one year. Great teacher, respectful, humble, nice ... you see improvements from week-to-week and win nearly every game. The next, year everything changes. You may get a complete a$$hole who thinks they are smarter than every coach before them, makes a lot of changes, and runs off some key players, all the while losing and creating a bad culture.

Its easy to check. Most all clubs post a coaching list prior to tryouts. Do your homework. Reach out to members of the club and check a coaches reputation. The season before go watch some games or practices. Its really no secret how coaches act if you really look into it.

Here is a question. You play a game on Saturday, and another on Sunday (both morning games). Do you expect the coach to hold the scheduled practice on Monday evening or cancel it to give the players a break. Also, keep in mind there is rain in the forecast for a good portion of the week and Monday might be the only viable day to hold a training session for the week.

Just curious.

Practice on Monday definitely. Players at the upper ages can handle it especially with the projected weather this week. My kid would play 7 days a week if he could. Most elite teams have 4 days a week now with games Saturday and Sunday.

Hold practice but expect a light physical load.  No conditioning or violent combat.  Skills, tactical walk through, some light games.

I think it depends on the type of games you have played at the weekend. Also, the results play a part. Our coach has given our team one Monday off this season and that was after two very good performances and tough games.

With the weather forecast this week, I would expect most coaches to train unless the club has access to turf fields.

We started not having Monday trainings after two weekend games at U15. At the younger age groups they were only canceled after a tournament usually only if we went to the finals (so played 4 games in a weekend). At U15 we were at one club and older at another. Seemed to be a pretty widespread thing as all of our friends at other clubs have the same issue with Mondays canceled. I should mention these are high level teams.

I have to admit I am not super happy about it. I will say that we have access to turf fields and usually train in the rain so we don't get a lot of other cancellations.

Wow, I can’t believe that some paying customers (parents) would be ok with coaches canceling paid sessions without a plan to make up said session. Monday’s following a tournament or multi game weekend I always held a recovery session. My players/parents expected to train or have something scheduled on practice nights rain or shine. If fields were closed and weather was still bad, I’d go indoors, if indoor space was full I’d hold a film session. If their was no pending weather but fields remained closed due to accumulated rain, my teams met in the parking lot in sneakers for a session there. If there was no way to get something in that day, a make up session was scheduled. Not only did my families expect it, other members would know I’d be holding something and ask to join if their kid’s session was cancelled. Also my fellow coaches knew I was going to do everything to make good on my commitment bc they’d ask me to cover their team, pooling the session or if they could share indoor space.

If you are wondering why coaches think it’s ok to cancel and not make up sessions or blow off evaluations it’s bc there is a lack of accountability.

Also, someone made the comment about giving players the day off from practice because they played well... is practice a punishment for when they don’t play well? Why not have a fun session to reward the team, playing their favorite games... Growing up we had a Scottish trainer at our club that believed your hardest sessions should follow the best games you play to build off of the positive and push the players/team to the next level, and then had more laidback sessions following a tough loss bc he didn’t believe in kicking a player while he’s down.

If parents have contracts with clubs, and the contract states 3 sessions per week and 2 evaluations per year, then as the paying customer I would expect the club/coach to make good on their commitment. I would also be a stickler on the length of session, if we are scheduled 5:30-7 and Coach continues to show up late or releases the team at 6:55 every night, I’d have some words. But I may or may not be that coach that loses track of time and keeps my teams 5minutes late... but can you blame me if I call, “next goal wins”, with 5 minutes left, gotta play until we have a winner!

Another answer - depends on your location in the journey:

First kid, U10 Academy, let's practice in the lightning, have to get those touches in.

Third kid, U16, let's take a day off and have family movie night and catch up on homework.

Can't make everyone happy.

your posts on this topic have me wanting my daughters to come play for you!  Good to hear there are coaches like yourself out there.