What Parents Can Expect From Travel Coaches

Travel team coaches are expected to meet high standards for technical competence, knowledge of soccer rules and tactics, ability to work effectively and positively with travel team players, and consistently demonstrate the ability to interact effectively and positively with travel team parents, other coaches, referees and academy and league administrators. Travel team coaches are responsible for the selection of travel team members, for team training and development, for all on-field decisions, and for the overall conduct of the team on and off the soccer field. The travel team coach, supported by the Team Manager, is the official representative of United Soccer in dealing with players, parents, league officials and the public. United Soccer is very proud of its travel team coaches. The Directors approve all travel team coaches after a careful examination of the coach's credentials.

Coaching a travel team is a gratifying and wonderful, but also a demanding experience and, at times, terribly frustrating experience. A successful travel soccer coach must be: a positive role model; an effective trainer and teacher of fundamental soccer skills; an effective soccer tactician; able to motivate and relate to young people; an effective communicator with parents, referees, league officials and United Soccer officials; and a good organizer. The coach has the responsibility of balancing the needs of the team with individual player's needs and the need for success on the field with the greater need to develop players.

Experienced travel coaches try to make sure that their players are having fun. Even older travel team players want to have fun at practices, games and other team events. If players are not having fun, the chances are good that they won't be players for very long.