Coaches and Volunteers

Our organization could not exist without the countless hours donated by our parents and friends.
Thank you!

Introduction to Coaching at BYSA
Many of our Recreational and Travel coaches are parents/volunteers that may or may not have experience playing or coaching soccer. This section of the coaches corner is specifically intended to provide a baseline understanding for beginning and intermediate coaches that will ensure both players and coaches get the most out of their seasons. For any coach planning to head coach a travel team, we recommend you visit the Massachusetts Coaching Education Page and consider getting a coaching license that applies to the age group you are coaching. BYSA will reimburse all course fees. 

Fundamentals of Coaching
We ask all coaches and assistant coaches to review our 'Fundamentals of Coaches' presentation that coincides with the age group they are coaching. These will give you a brief overview of coaching skills and strategies that will help you best lead your players in practices and games. 

Practice Plans
In accordance with Mass Youth Soccer, BYSA recommends following practice plans where specific skills are repetitively taught in small to large size game situations. To enable our coaches, we have collected a number of practice plans for you to use based on your age group HERE.

Concussion Awareness
Each coach, assistant and parent should have a general understanding of the signs of concussion. Heads Up to Concussions is the CDC Website for Traumatic Brain Injury that offers training, education, certification and more.

US Youth Soccer - Laws of the Game
Each year soccer rules change. Whether you are a soccer newbie or a seasoned coach, it is always good to understand the rules of the game. 
US Youth Soccer Policy on Players and Playing Rules
Changes from 2020/2021 Season

Contacts to Help You
BYSA Director of Player Development - Todd Davis, [email protected]
BYSA Director of Coaching - Shaun McDonough, [email protected]

Resource Library
The Coaches Toolkit - Developed in 2005 by Tom Turner, the OYSAN Director of Coaching, the Coaching Toolkit provides a series of best practices of player-centric approaches to coaching soccer. There is a tremendous amount of information, articles, Twitter handles and websites that offer our coaches as much information as they could want in our RESOURCE LIBRARY.