Micro Soccer is a great place to begin coaching youth sports. Our simplified rules and low player-to-coach ratio makes it easy to learn the basics of coaching soccer. Many of our coaches start out with little to no soccer experience. If you have a great rapport with kids, the ability to lead, a sense of humor, and lots of patience, you can be a successful coach!

Once the season begins, you will organize a 1-hour practice per week. We partner all of our teams with another team that practices on the same night. We recommend that you work with your team the first part of the practice session and then scrimmage your partner team towards the end of the practice. See the "Coaching Micro Soccer Manual" for more detail. We make every attempt to pair new coaches with experienced coaches to provide a mentoring environment. On Sundays, your team will play two games. Your role on Sundays is to co-facilitate the game with the opposing coach. Facilitating a game means that you are essentially a coach, a referee, and a cheerleader all rolled up into one. Remember, the purpose of Micro Soccer is for the kids to have fun. We certainly celebrate goals, but we don't keep score.

If you are interested in coaching, please fill out the appropriate box when you register your child, and we will contact you. Please indicate your preferred practice day (Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday). We make every attempt to accommodate the requests of our coaches. We’ll see you on the fields!

Coaching Responsibilities

• Foster fun
• Know the rules of the game and to pass that knowledge onto your players
• Plan practice sessions and prepare for games (pre-game instructions, substitution system)
• Be on time for practices and games
• Welcome other coaches and parents
• Give players equal opportunity and equal time
• Listen to your players
• Encourage and praise more than correct and discipline
• Be prepared to restrain, politely but firmly, over-enthusiastic parents

Coaches Clinic

Before every season, Micro Soccer offers a free 1-hour coaching clinic for all Micro Soccer coaches.  You will be notified as to the date and place of the clinic. You should come dressed to play soccer and bring along a soccer ball (if possible), water bottle, chair, clipboard and pen. You will learn about the Micro Soccer program and the upcoming season in detail. We’ll review Micro Soccer rules, our expectations of our coaches, and what coaches should expect from players and parents. We will involve all of the coaches in practice and game demonstrations. We strongly encourage all first-time and returning coaches to attend the clinic. Our goal is for all of our coaches to get on the same page so that we have consistency throughout the program.

Coaching Resources

Being a good Micro Soccer coach is quite easy if you remember to make it FUN! You are encouraged to take the USSF Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module. It is free and online. We support your interest in coaching soccer. If you would like to enhance your coaching education, Flagstaff Soccer Club will reimburse your registration fee for the Online USSF 4v4 Grassroots course if completed before the end of the Micro Soccer season. Contact the Micro Soccer Director for more information. Micro Soccer offers the following coaching resources for your consideration:

Videos of fun activities that you can incorporate into your practice:

• Sharks and Minnows
• The Maze
• Ice Monster
• Hit the Coach
• Island Hopping

Other activity ideas from United States Youth Soccer Association:

• Dribbling for 4-year-olds​
• Dribbling for 7-year-olds​
• Balance and Coordination
• Pairs Activities