Behind Every Great Soccer Practice…

Lindsey Wright grew up around coaches. Her dad coached soccer at the rec level and her mom volunteered as a cheerleading coach. When Lindsey started playing soccer in third grade, it quickly became her passion. She played through her first three years of high school, until a negative experience with the coach destroyed that passion. Lindsey decided against playing her senior year and instead volunteered to coach a rec U8 girls soccer team. Years later, she ran into one of the girls’ moms who thanked her for igniting a passion for soccer in her daughter. 

Now a mom herself, Lindsey was recruited by the Warriors Soccer Club of Waterford, Michigan, when her youngest son started playing with the club. She’s been coaching there for seven years and is the head coach of the 2011 boys team. 

Describe the perfect practice

A perfect practice in my mind would be one where my players are actively listening and participating in our reflections and group dialogue. They are focused on the activities and trying their best. When they are smiling and having a good time while putting in effort towards our session’s topic, that’s a great practice. Seeing an idea or topic translate on the field during our end-of-the-practice scrimmage lets me know that they were actively learning and growing.

What are some of your go-to drills or games? 

I like to use the rondo in different ways. For example, we count how many passes the players can get within a certain time. Once, a group got up to 185 passes within the time limit. Then another group tries to pass that number. They enjoy getting really competitive.

I always like to add something to my training sessions that’s just for fun. The players like anything that involves shooting. We do this game where one team is on the line right near the top of the 18. The other team stands behind the goal, only their goalkeeper is in. I bounce the ball in and the players have to try to score with one touch. At the same time, the team behind the goal is supposed to be a distraction and they just crack up. It’s probably not the most professional thing, but they love it.

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What’s something you’ve learned from another coach? 

We have a small club, so I’ve worked with most of the coaches. I’ve picked something up from each of them. My son’s coach taught me to keep it fun, that way the kids are engaged. Our director of coaching taught me to make sure that practice is planned and set up prior to the kids getting to practice. That way I can greet them when they arrive. When I have that interaction, I begin to develop the relationship and I get to know how the player is doing. Sometimes kids are having a bad day. I can be more sensitive to his needs for that session or that game.

What’s the most challenging part of being a coach?

When things happen that are out of our control – like the weather or a bad call – it can be a challenge to bounce back in a positive way and not let it get into the minds of the players. For example, refs are human and they’re doing the best that they can. They’re just not going to see everything. It’s difficult to teach the players to not play the blame game and to play on. It’s important to be able to overcome adversities both on the field and off the field.

What’s the best thing about being a coach?

The best thing for me is being able to teach the kids something. I find joy in seeing growth. During or after drills and games, I ask my players to talk about what’s working and what’s not. Most of the time they hit it exactly and they find their own solution. I like guiding them to be able to problem solve. 

Culture is also a big thing for me. I love helping them develop both on and off the field. My 2012 boys team will huddle up and talk about their goals before each game. They started this on their own. They go around, listen, and talk about how they can find success in that game. I think it’s so important, even beyond the realm of soccer, to be able to make goals and develop the ability to reflect on things. I’ve enjoyed helping them learn how to do that. 

What’s the secret to great coaching?

Be observant and be adaptable. You could have an amazing session all planned out, but then some aspect of it isn’t working for your group – being able to change it on the fly to get the outcome that you’re looking for is key. 

 

Lindsey Wright was nominated by their community for the 2024 Henry Ford-GoHealth Urgent Care Coach of Year, an award program that empowers leagues to recognize coaches who go above and beyond. Learn more about Henry Ford-GoHealth Urgent Care.