I serve as a youth soccer coach on many weekends, and for one of my teams - I'll be trialing this notion of awarding patches in the upcoming fall season. I give major props to the folks over at <a href="http://www.soccerhelp.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.soccerhelp.com</a> for the inspiration for the patch reward system.
I’ve tailored the approach I’ll be using with my 9 year old guys this season, and I’ll report back on the uptake of the system once the season is over and done with.
The idea here is to incent every player to help the team win and to play defense. Each player has an opportunity to earn patches for showing up for practice, for being brave, for being a two way player, and when they do something especially memorable – there is a patch for that too.
The guys are of the age that skill and character development are to be rewarded moreso than the game’s scores. I’m a big believer that the results are as much of the journey as the final outcome. Let’s see how the team responds to this system which will be rolled out this season.
TEAM PATCHES
We will be starting the season with two primary team patches that the all of the team members present for that game will earn – as a team. If you are not present on game day – no patch.
If you are present – you are part of the winning and part of the defensive efforts that the team achieved – thus a patch!
Green / Yellow Soccer Ball Patch
WIN PATCH: Each player attending a game that we win earns this patch! (Notice how similar this patch is to the PRACTICE! Patch – teams that come to practice win more games!)
Red / White Soccer Ball Patch
DEFENSE PATCH: The defense patch is awarded to every player at each game in which the other team scores only one or zero goals. It takes the whole team to keep the ball out of our net!
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER PATCHES
Each player can win patches tied to their individual performances.
These patches are intended to motivate our players to get to practice each week – not just the games. They also serve as an incentive for those especially brave players, and for those players that play in both directions – regardless of position. Finally, the Green Monster patch is the rarest patch to be awarded, and when it is awarded – it is to celebrate a significant event that a player prompted due to conduct, play, and hustle.
Green / White Soccer Ball Patch
PRACTICE PATCH: This patch is awarded to those that are a faithful and dependable teammates.
How do you do that?
Come to practice!
Earn one green soccer ball for every two practices and for attending the game for that week. So for each week – if you attend both practices, and the game – you earn this patch.
One practice, one game – no patch.
One practice, no game – no patch.
One game – no patch.
Two practices, and a game – you earn the patch.
Our practices are on Wednesdays and Fridays most weeks!
Red Star / White Patch
BRAVEHEART PATCH: The player(s) that shows bravery by battling for the ball and not backing down from opponents. There is no player too big or too tall that you are afraid of taking the ball away from.
This player is very brave, an inspiration to teammates and leads by example.
If this player collides with an opponent or teammate, they get right back up and battle for the ball.
This player never gives up.
It will be exciting if all of our players are brave! This player could be at any position.
Every player can be a Braveheart!
Lightning Bolt Patch – Yellow / Red
TWO WAY PLAYER PATCH:
Given when a player does as the coach asks them to do on both ends of the field.
This player is aggressive on offense and helps on defense too, as instructed by the coach.
The player understands they must work hard on defense and protecting the goal as well as helping on offense, and that when we lose the ball on our half of the field, that we immediately switch to defense.
Half of the lightning bolt is for defense and the other half is for offense.
Remember that if this player is a forward or midfielder, they will not go as far back to defend as the defenders, and defenders sometimes might not push up when we attack, so the players who earn this will be those who hustle and follow the coach’s directions for playing on offense and on defense.
Sometimes, a great defense is the best offense.
This will be awarded based on how the coach thinks players have contributed to the overall game plan for both offense and defense.
Green Star / White Patch
GREEN MONSTER PATCH: The player(s) that displays a spectacular effort during either a practice or game that does not fall into another category for earning a patch.
