An effective soccer coach must not only have in-depth knowledge of everything related to soccer. He must also possess special characteristics that will help him become a great coach and produce a winning soccer team. A successful soccer team doesn’t just depend on physical and technical requirements, it is usually more than that. The soccer coach must develop skills to fulfill them.

Here are 10 typical characteristics that every soccer coach should have.

1. Good role model

Every soccer team needs a coach who is a good role model. You have to understand that they need someone worth emulating. See if you are willing to be the role model of your soccer team. Keep in mind that you will be their servant-leader and they are trusting you for their success. It would teach them positive attitudes to win a game. It would be a shame if he teaches something that doesn’t really apply to himself.

2. Admirable appearance

Being a good soccer coach, you should never overlook the importance of appearance. Make sure you look neat and clean. Cleaning can add to your professional appearance and this will help you earn the trust and respect of the team. Remember that you will be the role model of the players, their soccer coach.

3. Be on time

Always arrive early to get to soccer training. This way, you can manage training settings before players arrive. It will also help you not to waste time and you will be able to focus on the training objectives starting on time during the sessions. If you are late, chances are high that footballers will get bored easily, or even impatient because you are not being a professional.

4. Good teacher

An effective soccer coach is a good teacher. Part of your duty is to teach them everything about soccer, especially the basics like passing, dribbling, shooting and tackling. You have to make sure that your soccer team is learning and developing its skills. Remember to always give clear and correct instructions during training sessions. You cannot train soccer players who do not have any knowledge of what to do and what not to do in soccer. When teaching soccer skills, demonstrating drills is better than oral instructions.

5. Friendly

Establish a good player-coach relationship with your soccer team by being friendly with them. You must understand their personalities by knowing their lifestyles and personal interests. In this way, you could analyze their various emotional and mental characteristics and develop strategies that could further motivate them accordingly. But remember, it can be personal but still professional.

6. Good listener

It is important to constantly seek the participation of the soccer team, and one way to achieve this is by asking their opinion after each game. As a soccer coach, you must be a good listener because each person has their own brilliant ideas to share. Always encourage them to speak up and take what they say into account. Take notes if necessary and include some recommendations in your soccer session plan.

7. Good communicator

It is important for a soccer coach to know the importance of communication. This includes recognizing the performance and achievements of players. Encourage them to do better and congratulate them on a game well done. Be mindful of using your words because the words of a coach are powerful and will bring a great impact to the team.

8. Development

The development of each footballer is essential. As a coach and role model, you should not only teach them basic soccer skills, but also social skills like discipline, patience, determination, and teamwork. Always put the development of the team’s players as one of your goals.

9. Team motivator

Always develop activities in the soccer training session that will help motivate each soccer player to do better in each game. Don’t forget to remind them of their goals and missions on why they wanted to learn soccer and create a winning team. Words of encouragement and development forms are very helpful.

10. Focus on objectives

Whatever happens, always look for the goal of your soccer team: why you are working so hard, why soccer players are determined to learn and follow all instructions, why your parents continue to support your team. They are all doing their best to achieve that common goal. An effective soccer coach knows how to put that goal in the minds of the players.

If you can apply these 10 must-haves of soccer coaches then you will be the favorite coach of soccer players. Remember to always give them the opportunity to reach their full potential. Soccer is one of the funniest games in the world, make sure you put that in their minds.