Scoreboard Soccer

Book excerpt: Scoreboard Soccer develops players through play and praise. The Scoreboard Soccer concept derives from the belief that the environment created for players will influence the behaviors they will practice and refine over time. This book presents the fun, inclusive, and nurturing environments which can be used to develop young players' skills. When participating in a Scoreboard Soccer game, players will work in an environment that creates realistic game situations. The constantly changing scenarios support technique development, decision making, and problem solving. In these scenarios, the players have the opportunity to work on skills such as passing, dribbling, shooting, and tackling—all those skills coaches wish to develop in young players. What sets the Scoreboard Soccer concept apart from traditional training methods is the added incentive for players to demonstrate these positive behaviors: the scoreboard. The scoreboard is a fun challenge that can be used to encourage and reward player effort and involvement within the game. This book details the Scoreboard Soccer concept, coaching, and content. Also provided is a complete Scoreboard Soccer curriculum which can be used as a longer-term development plan. All coaches of young players need Scoreboard Soccer on their shelves!