Coaches needed to help with minor soccer

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Tillsonburg Minor Soccer Club (TMSC) is seeking volunteers to help with coaching.

Jennifer Bakker, head of operations for house league, said coaches are needed in the younger groups – U-4, U-5, and U-6.

“I think it’s easier because the kids want to play pre-school games,” she said. “They want to play sharks and minnows and red light, green light.”

Although the league has received a strong response from parents volunteering to coach and assist, it needs more than 120 people for these roles, which is a significant challenge. To help those who are coaching, practice plans have been prepared.

“We’ve come up with weekly schedules with what to teach the players,” Bakker said. “It makes it way easier. You can print out week one, it has practice plans, and what you can expect.”

The plans are flexible to accommodate skill levels from beginners to more advanced players.

Bakker, herself, is proof that parents can learn to coach. She didn’t play soccer as a youth, but learned all about the game from a coach's standpoint when she started in the position 23 years ago.

Bakker is also impressed with the new moms and tots division aimed at 18-month-olds to two-year-olds.

“It’s been really well received,” she said.

Asked what drove the start of having players so young, Bakker recounted, “When I was coaching U-4, there were so many standing and waiting for their siblings, and they were getting involved.” She pointed to her granddaughter and noted she was more involved than her older sibling.

“It’s mainly the socialization, getting them out with a ball, maybe kicking a ball and making some friends,” she said of the league.

There is a rotation of stations for the 30-minute sessions with different activities at each.

Coaching isn’t just open to parents. Grandparents can coach two, as can older siblings, who have the added bonus of earning high school volunteer hours.

Tillsonburg Football Club (TFC) is the competitive portion of TMSC. Although positions are covered this year, organizers are also always looking for coaches. TMSC President Frank Deutsch explained U-8 boys and U-8 girls’ teams are added each year, which means two coaches and two assistant coaches need to be added annually.

Being a TFC coach requires taking courses, which the club reimburses for after successful completion.

“Coaching sports offers profound rewards, primarily centered on mentoring and developing youth, building confidence, fostering personal growth, and building a sense of community,” Deutch said.