As a youth soccer coach, your goals should be to make sure the players have a good experience and are learning the game of soccer. Solid rehearsal of foundational skills should be performed throughout the year, helping each player reach their potential for that season.
That being said, I have a theory why not try to win while achieving the above goals. I am not talking about the very young flag leagues where the score is not kept. We all know every parent on the bench and most players keep score anyway. I do not approve of keeping score, counting wins or losses and acting like Vince Lombardi in these development leagues. Move the players around, giving everyone a chance and ignore any kind of record keeping.
I believe in having all teams ready, so even if you’re training in a developmental league, don’t embarrass the kids. Have them ready to play and make sure their fundamentals are solid. When you get to the scoring level with records and playoffs, try to win by all means. Try to win, but not at all costs.
Winning the championship, even at the Pop Warner level, feels great and will stay with you forever. How many chances you have to play for the title will depend on many factors. The main factor is the size of the city you are training for (if it is a traveling team) and the most important is how the players are divided. If it is a draft and the teams will be divided evenly, you will have less chance of building a power. If you are lucky enough to live in a big city that plays in smaller cities, you will likely play in many championships. I trained in the second smallest city in our conference, but I have won the title game in two of the last three seasons. During the twenty years, my teams play for the title approximately every three years. Unlike the highest levels of soccer, youth soccer does not suffer many surprises. Larger cities with the highest number of players win the most games.
It is not common for my city to win titles. The city I train for has been crowned champion only four times in the last two decades. It seems that the only city with a longer dry spell is the New Orleans Saints. They came to the Super Bowl victorious in just two playoff games in forty-two years. The 2010 Saints team won its first two playoff games, equaling all-time win totals, and finished the job by winning the Super Bowl. He could visualize the confidence of the entire organization, particularly after the second half side kick to open the third quarter. He talks about a bold move, showing that the Saints showed up to win the game. The Saints weren’t shy, stating at the end of the season that their goal was to go undefeated, unlike the Indy team that openly left the NFL, the fans and themselves once they secured home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Enjoy the excitement if you ever have a chance to compete for a title, as it is one of the most electrifying experiences you can have in youth soccer.