Burke Athletic Club supplies each coach with age appropriate coaching material. Below are some of the books and DVD’s that provided to the coaches at each age level. These items are just a starting point and there is significant crossover between ages and the material.

The Guiding Principles

US Soccer’s Best Practices Document, a 70 page downloadable pdf file serves as the baseline for BAC coaching philosophy and methodology. "Every coach should run this off, read it over several times and really understand what it says" Larry Paul, Burkes Technical Director said. "There’s a lot of material, both of a nuts and bolts practical nature and the big picture view that it clearly outlines. As coaches, we don’t live in an isolated world where we can do what we like. We have an obligation to the game and our players to understand where they (US Soccer) is going and how they recommend we get there."

The Foundation - u4 through u8

The KNVB’s Coaching Under 8’s, 10’s and 12’s make up the core methodology for BAC coaches. Each book clearly outlines the circuit method of training along theme lines. They include a CD with video’s that show the sessions being conducted, contain printable lesson plans and software that allows coaches to build their own training sessions.

 
Small Sided Games Model - u9 through SFL

The focus on education is moving towards the free-play, street soccer model. For these children, learning the game is accomplished through a series of small sided games, each with it’s own focus. The DVD, Street Soccer and book, Playing Better Soccer brings to light the basic games and ideas expressed in US Soccer’s best Practices.

Recommended Reading - For parents, coaches and fans

Soccerhead by Jim Haner. Provides a valuable look youth soccer from the point of view of a novice parent coach. Well written and researched, Haner interviews many of the people closely associated with the games growth. If you haven’t been through this process it will take years off of your learning curve.

Where Haner looks at the game from the American perspective, Foer and Kuper take a world view. Foer's, How Soccer Explains the World, has access to Board rooms, official sources and does a great job of putting together a complex global story. Kuper's, Soccer Against the Enemy, takes a different approach. By literally taking the bus he gets to know, understand and write about the human, individual side of the game.

These three books are must reading for anyone that wants to understand why soccer has such a difficult time breaking into the American mainstream.

Listen to Foer talk about his book on Wisconsin Public Radio here.
Read a review of Soccer Against the Enemy here. Listen to Kuper here on Boston's Public Radio; 13:00 - 24:00. 

Beyond coaching manuals