Good ‘N Fun Soccer Stuff:

A Manual of Small Games and Coaching Information
by Mark Catlin, MD

 

Review by Eric Blommer

 

Catlin wrote another book called The Art of Soccer that I really like. That book is a theoretical treatment of soccer without any practices in it. This book is full of games and drills, although I think they are at a simpler level than the theory in the other book. The exercises are grouped by topic. For each one Catlin lists: recommended age, purpose, number of players, playing area, duration, procedure and variations. The book also contains supplemental information as detailed in the table of contents.

I like this book as a handout for a league to give its coaches. In fact, judging by the tag line at the bottom of each page I think the Minnesota Soccer Association uses it for exactly that purpose. Used in conjunction with a basic coaches clinic this would satisfy any league's requirement to provide training to their coaches. The only thing that could be improved would be to provide at least a few complete practices so that new coaches could see how a practice progresses from warm-up to scrimmage while staying focused on one theme.

Other Details

Paperback: 91 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.50 x 11.25 x 9.00
Publisher: Soccer Books; Spiral edition (August 1994)
ISBN: 0962683485

Table of Contents

  • Rules
  • Running a Preseason Meeting
  • Helpful Tips for the First Time Coach
  • Coach's Tough Task: Medical Emergencies
  • Common Soccer Injuries
  • Introduction to Soccer Tactics
  • Approach to Practices
  • Soccer Stretches
  • Basic Soccer Skills
  • General Purpose Games
  • Games to Teach Trapping
  • Games to Teach Headers and Throw-ins
  • Games to Teach Shooting
  • Games to Teach Passing
  • Dribbling Skills
  • Games to Teach Individual Tactics
  • Games to Teach Position Play
  • Goalkeeping Basics
  • Goalkeeping Games and Drills
  • Set Plays
  • Development Stages and Coaching
  • Game Analysis
  • Roster

    Return to Soccer Books