We celebrate being members of the soccer world. Yet we come from and serve many different soccer worlds. Many of us serve multiple soccer worlds in different capacities. Regardless of our role, continuously confronting the questions below as an individual or organization is essential to inform our efforts to maximize the quality of the environment and experience for all interested parties, especially the players. Confronting questions such as these will help us achieve clarity of purpose and mission. Answers to these questions inform our ethics, as we strive to do our best to ensure the beautiful game. No such list could ever be comprehensive. The questions are adaptable to whatever roles we fill in our soccer world. What essential questions would you add to the list? Please share.

Why do you coach? Do all players, coaches, parents, administrators in your sphere of influence know why you coach?

Coaches are leaders. What is your leadership style?

Coaches are teachers. What defines your pedagogy?

Coaches are servants. Who and what do you serve?

Are you committed to a path of constant improvement in your coaching? Do you engage in ongoing self-assessment of your knowledge of soccer across all pillars of the game: technical, tactical, physical, psychological and lifestyle?

What is the role of relationships in your soccer world … among and between players, coaches, parents, administrators, officials, fans?

What intentional actions do you take to maximize a quality, healthy, safe (physically and emotionally), positive environment for players, coaches, parents, officials, spectators?

What core values drive decision-making in your soccer world?

Do you stay abreast of research about and take intentional actions to address: child growth and development, gender differences in growth and development, how people learn and grow, injury care/prevention/recovery, nutrition, sleep, bullying, alcohol, drugs, supplements?

What intentional actions do you take to promote inclusion, diversity and community outreach?

Do you promote a healthy soccer/life balance? Do fun and hard work coexist in your soccer world?

What is your position on sport specialization versus involvement in multiple activities/sports? Why? What role does age play?

How do you define success? What role does winning play?

What is your balance between process goals and outcome goals?

What is the relationship between and among winning, player development and human development?

What intentional team-building actions do you take to establish quality teams of players, of coaches, of parents, of families, of community?

What intentional actions do you take to build teams that achieve unity while celebrating distinctive individual talents and skills?

What intentional actions do you take to build alliances across all levels and branches of soccer in an effort to unite our soccer world?

What intentional actions do you take to ensure your soccer world is accessible to the greatest number of people?

What intentional actions do you take to set the stage for your players to take on coaching and leadership roles in the soccer world?

What intentional actions do you take to promote play that honors both the letter and the spirit of the laws/rules of the game?

Which organizational structure defines your soccer world: hierarchical or player-centric?

What intentional actions do you take to honor and promote the United Soccer Coaches Commitment to Culture?

  • SOCCER UNITES US … We embrace and celebrate our differences because the game makes us one.
  • CHARACTER FIRST … We honor, teach and develop the core values of honesty, loyalty, responsibility, selflessness, compassion and discipline.
  • THE RULE OF FUN … Fun is the lens that can make every soccer player a success. Fun takes many forms and always concludes with “I want to do it again.”
  • THE GAME IS THE TEACHER … We are all responsible to ensure that soccer teaches the skills of a well-lived life. Teamwork, leadership, hard work, communication, creativity are just the beginning of its lessons.
  • WELL-BEING COUNTS … A safe, healthy, welcoming experience in body, mind and spirit is the right of every soccer stakeholder.
  • WE ARE FAMILY-STRONG … Family in all its forms—team, club, community, relatives—is the greatest asset that soccer has. Take time to connect and appreciate.
  • SOCCER IS THE PLAYER’S GAME … Soccer is a personal journey for every player. It is for the player to see, decide, create and win or lose. It is their game.

Honest, open, regular periodic assessments guided by essential questions advances our efforts to be United Soccer Coaches to the benefit of the soccer world.

 

 

 

 

Kevin Sims
President, United Soccer Coaches
Member Since 1981