The question that every parent, guardian and coach asks and is the most difficult to answer before the start of each season!
There are a lot of factors that come into when practices take place; number of registered players and their age groups and how many teams can be formed.
The younger players will have the earlier sessions on the weekday practices and depending on age it may be one or two practices a week. Once practice days and times are set they will be the same for the entire season.
For games, the younger players will have a set day and time on a weekend day as all of their games will be in-house for the entire season; as they approach the youth level and start to play teams from other clubs both home in Langley or traveling these schedules are are typically released the Tuesday before the weekend of play at the latest, in many cases there is much more notice but it all depends on all the club’s involved submitting their schedules and where the games will be played.
Your coach will alway advise you when games are with as much notice as possible.
No, for each season the coach is given all that is needed for practices and game day activities; balls in a net bag, pinnies, cones and flats, pump as well as first-aid kit and pop-up nets for he younger age groups. A goalkeeper jersey is also part of the coaches kit. The entire kit is collected at the start of each season and returned at the end of each season.
Many coaches add to this themselves over time with their own additions but you can be a LUSA coach without spending a penny on equipment.
If you’re new to coaching or not the first step is to get free coaches training that is appropriate to the age group you are coaching and as you move up through the age groups those courses will be made available prior to each season starting.
In addition if you have any questions or concerns, want some ideas or exercises to do with your team you can reach out to [email protected]. Also the LUSA Technical team and the Assistant Technical Director for your age group is also a great resource for support, you will also very often see them at your practices and/or games and are there to not only observe but to help you too if needed.
For younger age groups there is a single 1 hour practice on a weekday evening and another hour game on the weekend.
For the older age groups there are 2 x 1 hour practices on weekday evenings and a 1 hour to 1 and a half hour game on a weekend day.
As a coach with setup and take down of equipment etc. allow 90 minutes in total per the hour practice, for games too, anticipate adding an extra 30 minutes or so for team warmups, briefings etc.
With the older age groups from Youth upwards it is very typical for a team’s head coach to recruit a parent as a Team Manager to help with communications and scheduling / match score reporting so the coach isn’t doing everything.
All Coaches certification up to the level of Soccer for Life (which covers you from U13 to U18) is provided free of charge to all LUSA Coaches and is a requirement to he a coach within British Columbia with BC Soccer.
For more information on the coaches development pathway if you want to know the levels from U4 and up or want to pursue further certification please see here; also fee free to ask any of our Technical Team who can provide additional information.
