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Ten Tournament Tips

Play SOCCER Magazine
Spring 2005

Liam Power- Power Soccer School of Excellence


1. Research the best tournaments, field quality (cut grass, any grass?), opposition, organization, officiating, medical services offered. 

2. Take into account individual family budgets.  Time, car mileage, food, hotel and entertainment add up to make tournaments an expensive proposition. 

3. Use tournaments to give all of your squad playing time.  Tournaments provide a perfect opportunity to do this.

4. Set an objective for the tournament.  Winning is not the only objective you can have!

5. Enforce a curfew, tournaments are busy and players need their rest to play. 

6. Opposing coaches will scout your players more easily at tournaments.  Prepare your players for strategies employed by opponents to put them off their game.

7. Allow free time; let the kids do social stuff. 

8. Plan for injuries, they tend to occur when the playing load is heavy.  Make sure you have ice!

9. Emphasize to your parents that they are supporters and not game officials and coaches. 

10. Choose tournaments carefully, spread apart and not too many!  Less is more.