And be sure that you as a coach understand that soccer differs from most other sports, in that arguing an official's call in NOT considered proper form, or even acceptable.   Teach that to your youngsters early!

Practice Schedules:
You should teach ball skills above all else--tactics will come later--but you can still do it in a "fun" way. Races, games and contests go a long way toward taking the drudgery out of skill work.

One Ball per Player:
Be certain that every player has a ball. The best players will develop their skills on their own or playing with friends outside of practice. Some coaches assign homework. One of the keys to developing good players is to make certain that each child gets plenty of touches. Exercises in which each player constantly works with the ball are far more effective than those in which a majority of children stand around and watch. Avoid lines and do things in small groups.

Keep "Speeches" to a Minimum:
Many new coaches feel they are doing their job if they have a lot of "chalk talks." What they're really doing is talking to themselves. Your emphasis should be on demonstrating briefly ( or having someone demonstrate for you ), then letting the youngsters try it themselves.

Remember, too, that young children's attention spans are measured in seconds.   Don't spend too much time on any one activity: 10 or 15 minutes is about all you can expect at the youngest ages. That doesn't mean you should try to teach them everything in one practice session; it simply means to vary your drills, exercises or games.

An ideal practice session will begin with warm-ups, will then introduce a skill development that can be practiced in small groups, will move on to larger group work, and will end with a group scrimmage of some type.

Be Positive!
Encourage rather than discourage. Offer praise rather than criticism.   Highlight the successes of each player, no matter how small; if you must point out negatives, do it quietly, individually, rather than loudly or in front of the entire group.

Be a Role Model:
When you must discipline your players--and probably the biggest transgressions you'll get at this age are disruptions of practice--be consistent. Do not talk ill of the other coaches, players or referees--all of whom your players probably already know.

Keep an Eye on Parents:
Make sure that everything they say on the sidelines is positive. Try to cut down on "coaching" comments from the sidelines--both yours and, certainly, the parents.

Avoid individual Awards:
The thrill one youngster gets is outweighed by the disappointment of all the others.   Instead , give trophies or ribbons to all--you can collect a couple of bucks from each parent for this as well as planning an end-of-the-season party to celebrate your success!