You are on the right track.

Do not worry about upsetting the players for pulling them off the field. Let them know at your next practice that this is going to be used as a learning tool and for their protection in case they are hurt or lazy. You can be hurt in soccer by being lazy.

Make sure to explain to the parents you would like all your players to make their school team. Inform them that players that are perceived as lazy or with non-chalant attitudes will not be chosen by their school coach. Accordingly, you are adopting a new procedure when you see non-performance or continual failure to apply the skill set, tactics, or strategy you have taught the girls. Let the parents know exactly what your procedure will be. You will be surprised by the positive reception you receive from the parents.

Make sure that within 1 minute you or your assistant is discussing why the player came off the field. Do not give them time to brood and think negative or you will lose them for the rest of that game.

Explain you really want them to do good and here is what you have to correct. Now go and get some water and stand by me. You will be going back in to show me you can correct what we just talked about.

They will appreciate the opportunity to show you they can do it and will beam when you compliment them on doing it correctly.

I have had players I used this with for years and saw major improvement. I have seen them several seasons after they went to another team and they regressed. They explain to me their new coach never corrects their flaws and they are less qualified players because of it.

I had a U11 player come to me 3 seasons ago to try out. She had failed to make it to travel in 3 tryouts with other teams. I saw her potential and developed it by using the above. The next season she decided she wanted to play with her local team and friends and tried out for the local travel team. This season she will be playing in 2nd division WAGS that is made up of mostly very good teams.

Her parents came to me recently and told me how she had regressed since she left us. She still wants to be with her friends but is paying a price to do so. She played in a tournament with us that we won in November. Her skill set has diminished so much I would not pick her back up for our ODSL team.

Good coaching and training makes a major difference. Having good players is paramount but someone must mould them. Use the "off the field you go" to get your players where they need to be skill wise.

Good luck,

Let us know if this helps.