Team chemistry is as crucial in soccer as every other team sport. A group of talented players will win games, but a group must mold together and become a team if it is to win a championship and truly reach its potential. Use soccer team-building activities to form your team into a cohesive group, bonding the members together both on and off the field.
Social Interaction
Social interaction is a crucial aspect of team building. As a coach you should consider how much opportunity you give your players to truly interact with one another. Edward Etzal and Chris Lantz of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America produced a report on team cohesion. Etzal and Lantz said that the first stage of team building is forming, when players familiarize themselves with each other. Social activities such as team dinners or team outings to a theme park are good ways to have your players spend time getting to know each other.
Adrenaline Activities
Team-building activities that take players out of their comfort zones can make powerful bonding tools. Whitewater rafting or a high-ropes course are popular activities that add an element of adrenaline or even fear to soccer team-building activities. Taking players out of their comfort zone and forcing them to rely on one another to succeed is a good foundation for competition later in the season. The University of Charleston women's soccer team used these techniques with great success in 2010. The team spent days of their preseason engaging in activities that included white water rafting, as well as a high ropes course. The players cited the time spent together as a positive motivation and way of becoming "used to each other." The team won 10 games in NCAA play during 2006, having won only three the previous season.
Training
Soccer team-building activities should be consistently used on the field during practice sessions. Coach Eddie Henderson is the Nevada state technical director for US Youth Soccer. Coach Henderson said that team building is a concept that can only take form by integrating certain philosophies into your training. Drills should focus on team achievement rather than individual. For example, if the team is practicing passing and moving, divide the group in two and compete as teams rather than tracking individual scores. As coach, you should consistently reference the success of the team and encourage a "team first" attitude in players.
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