Steps to Coach at Hilo AYSO
Take your coaching journey step-by-step to set yourself, and your team, up for success this season.
Step 1
Register to Coach in your HiloAYSO account. This is also a great time to request your co-coach with your Division Coordinator. Be sure to use the subject “Co-Coach/Referee Request” so that your Division Coordinator can find your email when they set up teams.
Step 2
Complete essential online training – you will be the responsible adult on the field; these are the tools we use to do the best job by our players. There are training updates each year, but these are typically shorter than the initial program. You can find links for the trainings in the Volunteer Tab in your Hilo AYSO account.
Essential Trainings Include:
Safe Haven
Concussion Awareness
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
SafeSport
You are also encouraged to complete coach training, which will help frame the goals and tools for your division.
Step 3
Receive your roster and contact your co-coach. You need to discuss:
When to set practice times. Come up with plan A and plan B.
What a practice might look like. Do you take turns? Will one of you take on warmup and scrimmage, and the other focus on skills training?
Who will be responsible for equipment? Who will carry the coach packet?
Who will contact the team? Will you have your team meeting before or during your first practice?
Confirm Practice Days with Your Division Coordinator Before Moving Forward. Some fields have limited space, and your division coordinator will try to give everyone the best practice opportunity by planning ahead. They may be able to tell you how many other teams are practicing on the same day.
Step 4
Call your team! They have been waiting eagerly to hear from you! Your ToDo List for this call:
Announce your practice time and place
Confirm your team meeting time and location
Confirm player gear (cleats, shin guards, soccer socks, hair elastics if needed)
Answer questions for your players’ family
Step 5
Plan Practice. We have lots of great resources for planning practice. You can essentially think of practice in blocks of time - play, skill drills, skill games, play - in any order that you need.
Start with AYSOU: Explore the coaching courses and referee courses in AYSOU with your players; these are solid resources to ground your practice with age-appropriate recommendations and an overview of the laws of the game.
Coach Admin Mike Araki recommends the Play-Practice-Play model.
Let the kids play; then have your practice; then let them play again!
This is because the best way to learn soccer - is to play soccer.
Why practice then? Your practice is the time to build technical skills. These will fall into a few categories, but I like to think about footwork and teamwork. I usually come to practice with a development goal for each.
Footwork is a great opportunity to warm up on the ball. We'd like to see everyone trying this warmup - come back to it again and again and your players will gain confidence on the ball.
You can also use the resources in our Hilo AYSO Coach Corner: Straightforward coaching books, drills, and videos curated for Hilo AYSO. You can also go straight to YouTube for our coaching video playlists.
We also find inspiration on The Coaching Manual: AYSO National's resource with age-specific games and drills to add to your practice.
Bring it together, build your practice in an app - MOJO is an app that builds practices, with videos to help you set up games and drills.
Step 6
This is it! Your team is here, and it is time for your team meeting. Use your coach packet to establish season expectations and recruit your team roles. We are building a culture of engagement where every family participates; with so many team roles, here is where those doors open.
Please remember to identify an organization volunteer, “Core Support,” to help with Hilo AYSO-wide projects and needs. They can sign up here.
Step 7
Once your team meeting is complete, you can focus on soccer. You have done everything you need to to have a successful soccer season, and hopefully this guide helped you get ahead of the game!