After moving to a new area, we joined the local YMCA and immediately signed both of our kids (6 y/o girl, 3 y/o boy) for sports. In this case, they will both be playing soccer.

Since my shore duty is quickly rapping up, I'm looking for every possible opportunity to connect with the kids before going back to sea. Therefore, I decided that I would volunteer to help coach.

I've played sports my entire life. I've played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track on organized teams and played most other sports casually. I know a ton about sports (probably much more than I should), but I've never coached at any level. Therefore, I was just hoping for some advice from the crowd.

I have to imagine that 3 year olds playing soccer looks a lot like a huge mob following the ball around, but I'm sure that there is some sort of leadership involved. I'm sure there is plenty of experience with this issue out there, so if you could offer up any advice, I would love to hear it. Thank you in advance.

Good for you. Your kids will dig it that you are coaching. I coached 3 and 4 yr old soccer ( I know very little about soccer) and had a blast. You are right it is this mob that follows the ball all around wailing at it.

If you can get them to understand the object of the game is to kick the ball into the net consider that success.

Goofy games that include kicking the ball are good and anything that gets them running around works. My teams favorite drill was chasing me around the field while I sang the "You can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man" song.

Most important thing to remember though

IT"S ALL ABOUT THE POST GAME SNACKS!

Good luck and enjoy.

Get a whistle.

Seriously. When the kids are getting silly -- which happens, fine -- the last thing you want to do to restore order is to yell. A whistle works great. Kids instinctively respond to that.

With the littlest ones, they really seemed to love drills where I played along. I remember one where I would put everyone in the box and have them dribble. I would be the "monster" and chase them and try to steal the ball.

Another drill -- I would have them line up, each holding the ball. I would take the ball, throw it as far as I could and call out a way to return with the ball -- sometimes a soccer skill (dribble left footed) sometimes something silly (bunny hop with the ball on your head). They loved that.