Coach-Mentor Program

The Collierville Soccer Association provides a unique learning program for coaches with little or no prior soccer experience. The program assigns a mentor, a more experienced coach, to the new coach who will then be teamed in a buddy system whereby the old coach can pass on his or her expertise onto the new coach.

Part 1: Initial Coaches Meeting.

All coaches take part in the initial CSA coaches meeting where coaches are introduced to each other, the commissioners, and the CSA staff. Team and practice information is disseminated. Schedules are also released at this time. If not already available, team uniforms can be picked up at this time. Meetings take place about 4 weeks prior to season kick-off. At this time, mentor coaches and new coaches may meet each other and decide how they will conduct their training.

Part 2: Coaching Clinics.

All coaches are invited to participate for free in CSA- sponsored coaching clinics for all age group coaches. Instruction will be tailored to the particular age group in question and will include detailed teaching of soccer fundamentals. No previous soccer experience is necessary. Clinics are normally scheduled the weekend after the initial coaches meetings.

Part 3: Initial Practice.

Depending on the arrangement the mentor and new coaches made, the new coach will hold his or her first practice. At this practice, the mentor may either oversee the practice and offer advise or may hold his/her own practice at the same time on the same field and invite kids from both teams to practice together.

Part 4: First Game.

The CSA age-group commissioner will attempt to pair the mentor coach and the new coach in the first game against each other as an ?icebreaker? game for the new coach. The mentor can offer advice and expertise in an informal setting. If the game is refereed (any age group above U-6), the coaches should inform the referee that mentoring is in progress to allay any questions.