Do the motivational soccer patches really work? Below are some of the emails I have received from coaches about our motivational patches � there are over 150 of these on SoccerHelp. You can read more at Testimonials for our Motivational Patches on SoccerHelp "The patches are the absolute best motivational tool I have found in seven years of coaching three daughters. I currently coach a U12 Girls team in the toughest division of our league." --Coach Chad, CA, USA "David - Long time not talk to! I just ordered 100 more patches. My U14 girls went 8 - 1 last season, giving up one goal all season in the only game we lost (1 - 0). We are off to another good start, with 7 - 0 and 5 - 0 shutouts so far. --Coach Tony, GA USA Thank you so much for your prompt attention to my order. The patches are wonderful and the girls on my junior high team are so excited. We had camp last week and only one girl from the team did not earn a perfect attendance patch - unlike last year when I had an average of four or five missing. --Coach Joan, Pennsylvania At one point in the tournament, my great attacker got kicked in the face, but never broke stride and almost knocked one in from outside the box. At the break, he ran up to me and declared, "I want my Blood Patch now. I'm not waiting until after the game." He played the whole second half with the patch clutched in his fist, and did a great job keeping the score where it was. Both of my teams finished undefeated, so thanks again for the great resources and patches. They work great! --Coach Dan I sent a note to my parents explaining the patches program and mentioned that if anyone would like to chip in to help with the cost it would be great. I've already gotten a very positive response and people saying they'd be happy to chip in. I sat with my girls at practice last night and explained the patches program to them and gave them a handout with a picture of each patch and what it takes to earn them. Wow. I was really suprised by how excited they were about them!!!!! They were really, really psyched. I knew they'd think it was cool, but they were SO excited. I'll let you know how it all goes, and how it translates on to the field!!! --Coach Sandy, U11 Travel David, I just wanted to let you know that the girls love the SoccerHelp patches. I give them out every Monday at the start of practice. Now it�s kind of humorous to see the girls really counting their goals and assists and making sure that I know exactly how many each had during the game. Most of them didn�t even know what an assist was at the start of the season or how important they are to the team. Now they love practicing their passing. I�ve been using the patches for goals, assists, tough defenders, and hustle. My daughter scored 2 goals in the last game and she couldn�t wait to get home from practice last night so my wife could put her patches on her school back pack! Thanks again. Sincerely,
Do you have to iron on the patches for them to work?
Do parents help pay for them?
What ages do they work for?
Are there other motivational uses for them?
Examples of the Patch Programs other coaches have used and the handouts they have used
Symbolism of the Patches that You Can Use to Motivate Players and Promote Teamwork
--Steve Hi SoccerHelp, When I took over a U9 girls team, they had not won a single game in the last 2 years. Not only that, the team could not score any goals. This year, we started using patches and we have won our first 2 games by comfortable margins. We have emphasized how the players can earn them (e.g., team work, skills, hustle and defense) and we have had a tremendous response from our girls (and parents). Attached are a couple handouts that we use to help us manage the patches which other coaches may find useful. Since we keep winning, we are in need of more patches. :) --Coach Sumer, Texas "Johnny, a 10 yr old, was a WILD MANIAC for the first half of the season. Kicking balls, disrupting practice, made you think twice about being a coach. We had given everyone a Green-Practice-Patch after our first practice. He did not EARN another practice-patch till well after the middle of the season. The FIRST time Johnny behaved fairly well during practice, we awarded him with a Green-Practice-Patch, and told him why, "because you tried hard, you were focused on learning the ball-control drill, and behaved during practice. I'm happy to say, Johnny has earned a patch 5 practices in a row!!" --SoccerHelp Coach 1. Attackers and Support: I handle the "problem" of selfish play by rewarding not only those who score goals, but those who assist. This rewards feeding and passing, so those who assist can earn the same patches. Coach Dennis 2. Defenders: I reward defenders with the blue star patches. The blue stars are "star defender" patches for great plays like: blocking a penalty, or catching a ball in the air for a keeper, or a defender clearing in a very critical play or a defender pouring their heart and giving 110%. --Coach Dennis These patches are awesome! I had a parent from my team last year come up to me yesterday. She said that her daughter "heard" that I give out patches and she was disappointed that she was not going to be on my team because of them! Thanks SoccerHelp! --Coach Bryan, California My kids love the patches! This is my very first year ever coaching soccer, and I'm having a blast! We give the light blue patches to every kid on the field when we score a goal. We stress the team concept. Everyone gets a patch because someone had to throw it in, someone had to pass it, and someone had to score. The dark blue goes to every member on the field when we go an entire quarter without letting the other team score. My kids are the envy of every team in our league! I'm sure I will be ordering more! --Coach Chris, Delaware I bought soccer patches for my daughter�s soccer team last summer from SoccerHelp. I had to place a couple of orders last year for the soccer patches. They proved to be a HUGE incentive to the girls. The patches were so much fun for the girls that I thought I would try to find some for her softball team. Thanks for a great product! --Coach Tisha, CA, U.S.A. Wow! The Soccer Patches have been GREAT. The girls really work hard to get those little patches. --Coach James, TX, U.S.A. You can add me to the testimonials. I have 4 kids, have been coaching soccer for about 10 years now and the patches have been one of the best motivators I have ever used. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find football or baseball patches similar to your soccer patches would you. I want to be able to do the same in those sports that I coach also. --Thanks, Coach Jeff, Durham, NC "For the last 2-3 years I have been using the your iron-on patches and was the only coach in my league to use them. My daughter (8 years old) was recruited by the travel team and the coach of my daughters new team saw how my team last year had shirts full of the patches and asked about them. When I told him most of the them were for attendance at games and practices he was impressed that all the girls had about equal amounts of patches and I told him that's how I was able to coach a good team, because I had good attendance. Last Friday my daughter had her first practice for her new team and not only did the coach have the patches for the girls (which by the way it seems he recruited almost all of my girls, lol ) but he told me he also joined the SoccerHelp Premium site. So that is my testimony as to how well these patches work . Thank you again for all your help in the past years and years to come." --Coach Jim B. Hi SoccerHelp, I have been coaching soccer for the last 6 years. My boy's team is having their best season so far and I believe it is due to the patches I started giving out after the third game of the season. Since then we have played much better soccer and are scoring like crazy. We've scored 10 goals in the last two games alone. My girl's U-9 team struggled until recently and they too have come around. They connect the patches to what they are supposed to do on the field. I give them patches for everything from crosses to drops to lucky goals and throw-ins. These patches have turned my girls team around. We only scored 3 goals last season. This season we have scored 20 goals so far and 5 in the last game, beating a team we lost to earlier. The whole team gets gold stars if they score 5 goals or more and both teams have scored 5 in the last 2 games....thanks Soccerhelp. --Dave, NJ USA, U-11 Boys Select/U-9 Girls Select, Premium Member "Just wanted to thank you for the website and all the information contained therein. Two years ago I didn't know anything about soccer, and now my U9 girls' team has a two year record of 17 wins and 4 losses. My parents were excited about how well the girls played, I received many complements on how well they were coached, and most important, my kids had fun. I attribute much of my success to your SoccerHelp Premium and the patches. The website gave me the knowledge to coach, and the patches gave the girls the motivation. I'll be a member for as long as I coach." --Mike, Washington USA, U9, Premium Member I just wanted to provide you some feedback on the soccer ball patches! I found your website searching for soccer drills and thought I would place an order to see if my U14 Girls team in Lexington, KY would think about them. WOW! what a great motivational tool that is very affordable. I use the patches to reward great attitude, passing, assists and goals scoring. I made sure that every girl received at least one patch and they LOVE them!!!! --SoccerHelp Coach Hi. I committed to coaching my daughter's U10 soccer team last year. I have never played soccer, and, frankly, probably have only watched about 3 games my entire life. Anyway, obviously needing help, I searched for any resources that would bail me out. We had a decent team at the time, they had won 3, lost 3 and tied 2. I was hoping to just do that well under my watch. We were playing against teams coached by coaches that had previously coached travel teams, premier leagues and ODP teams! Long story short, most importantly, we began using the patches for hustle, bravery and sacrifice. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BIGGER MOTIVATIONAL RESOURCE THAN THE SOCCER PATCHES! You wanna know what happened, right? Well, this was the first year that they were giving out trophies...actually, one trophy.. for first place only. Not only did we win our U10 division, we were undefeated! (7-0-1) The 'better coaches' were absolutely upset about losing to us...after all, they 'knew more', they were more experienced, there was no way they should lose to someone who had never even played! Now we have moved up to U11 and we have begun the season 2-0. I cannot thank you enough! You guys rock! --AB, U11, Premium Member