Helping Your Kids Gain Confidence on the Ball

Hey everyone, welcome back to Inside Scoop! I’m Neil Crawford, your host and the founder of Anytime Soccer Training. If you’re new here, this is the show where we dive into soccer pathways around the world and help parents navigate the crazy journey of youth soccer. And of course, this podcast is brought to you by Anytime Soccer Training—the only program with over 5,000 follow-along training videos to help your child build confidence and skill at their own pace.

Today’s episode is a short but important one. A parent reached out with a question that so many of us can relate to—how to help her two boys gain confidence on the ball. One is 10, aggressive, and reads the game well but sometimes gets nervous with the ball. The other is 13, technically skilled at home but struggles to bring that confidence to the field. Sound familiar?

I break down a few key points:
✅ Why parents often misjudge their kids’ strengths and weaknesses (and how to be more objective)
✅ The importance of focusing on broad development themes instead of reacting to every game
✅ How extra touches at home build technical ability and confidence in a way that isn’t always obvious
✅ A simple way to track progress without overloading your child with feedback

This episode is packed with practical tips, plus a little bit of “preaching” (you’ve been warned!). If you’re trying to help your child take more initiative and build confidence in their skills, you won’t want to miss this one.

Hit play, and let’s get into it!