A Successful Game Day, Part 2

How I Coach on Game Day — From Kickoff to the Car Ride Home

If you caught Part 1 of this series, we covered everything leading up to kickoff — the warmup, Friday evening communication, Saturday morning prep, how to get your team ready before the whistle goes. This is Part 2. This is what happens once the game actually starts.

First thing: game day planner in your hand. Timer running. That's it, that's how we begin.

The Eye Test

In the first few minutes, I'm not coaching my players. I'm watching the opponent. What formation are they in? How does it match up to ours? Where are the overloads, where are the mismatches? I'm almost playing it like a video game in my head. Then I'm watching their players — who looks quick, who looks slow, who looks like they're going to be a problem. Nine times out of ten your first impressions are right, especially at grassroots level.

Then I look at their coach. Are they yelling? Pacing? Calm? Five assistants or just themselves? This matters more than people give it credit for. If they're a screamer and I know it, I've got a decision to make — do I wind them up and let the referee sort it out, or do I just focus on my side? Either way, I want to know what I'm dealing with.

My subs at the start of the game? I just tell them to sit back and watch. What do you see? That's their job. No task yet — that comes when they come off the field.

In the Game

With my planner in hand I'm tracking the goals we set. Not just watching the game — actually measuring. How many times did we switch play? How many times did we force them to turn it over? I'm making marks. This is what keeps me objective when I'm tempted to just react to everything I see.

When I pull a player, I give them hot feedback — quick, specific, actionable. We needed a bit more of X, watch for Y when they have the ball wide. Then I send them to get water and keep watching. They're learning even when they're not on the field.

Half Time

Whistle goes. I walk onto the field and high five every player. Doesn't matter what the score is. Come on, let's go. Everybody sit down, grab a drink.

And then — no parents. I mean it. There is nothing worse than a parent fussing around trying to find water in a bag or wiping someone's face. Get out of here. They'll figure it out. Nobody's going to die of thirst in two minutes.

First question: any injuries or issues? Second: here's how we did on Goal A. Here's how we did on Goal B. Specific, short, tied to what we talked about before the game. Then I give the lineup for the second half and we go. That's it. Clean, fast, back on the field.

If there's a couple of minutes to spare before kickoff I'm not standing there doing a tactical deep dive. I'm walking around, giving individual attention. Hey, that was a nice bit of play. I see what you're trying to do there. Keep going. Not coaching — connecting.

After the Game

Shake hands. Every time. "Thank you for the game, Coach." Even if the other coach was a nightmare the whole way through. Especially then, actually. I don't say "good game" — I just say thank you. Then I thank the referee. Without them, we don't play. It's consistent, it's clean, and it sets the tone for your players watching you do it.

Huddle the team. Walk shoulder to shoulder in front of the parents, clapping. Thank you for coming, thank you for the support. Quick recap on the goals — what we did well, what we'll build on — and then we're done. Get your stuff. Go get some food.

Monday Morning

This is where a lot of coaches stop doing the work. Don't.

Send a message to the families Monday morning. A short one. Thank them for their support. Say something real about the game — not the score, the goals. Goal A was switching the play — here's what we were going for and here's where we got to. Goal B was forcing turnovers — we did it well in the first half and dropped off a little in the second. That's it.

If you've got game film, share the link — but give them a task. Ask your players to send you two timestamps where they saw Goal A or Goal B happening. Now they actually have to watch it. Now it means something.

When families have something specific to look for, car rides change completely. It stops being "why is that kid always playing" and starts being "you guys were really going for it with the press today." That's not nothing. That's you quietly educating the people around your players. And when they start to understand what you're building, you've got everyone pulling in the same direction.

That's the whole game day system. It's a lot when you look at it all at once, but when it becomes your routine it runs itself — and your players will feel the difference.

Listen - Heads and Volleys Podcast, Episode 93

@LeeDunneSoccer