I Don't Know

Unless you have a lot of experience coaching, you will often come across new situations, questions you can't answer, etc.  Be okay with that.  You may get heat for you decisions but keep in mind that you're learning.  And you're in charge.

I had a situation where I hadn't coached an All League game before.  This is where the best players in the league are selected by the league coaches and they play another league.  I knew this was a new situation so I reviewed strategy with another coach and asked another coach to help me out in the game.  During the game I consulted the assistant and took many of his suggestions.  After the game I got an earful for something I did.  I was very upset after that, but then reason set in and I realized - not being a world class level coach with years of experience - that it was a new situation, and that I needed to be okay with that.

If you know that you don't know as much as you could, are humble enough to get feedback, and make decisive decisions - be comfortable.  So here's some advice:

If someone asks you a question and you don't know the answer, say, "I don't know".  Be confident in that answer.

If you're in a situation where you're unsure, find someone or some resource to help.  Good coaching is more about bringing the right resources to the situation than it is knowing everything.  And guess what, you don't know everything.

Be decisive.  There will be situations where you're unfamiliar with something, have listened to input, looked it up on YouTube, and have thought through it - then act.  Proceed with confidence.  Don't look back.

Keep a notebook and take notes.  Take notes on what you did in games, practice, question you got, etc.  Just the act of writing helps to think through things.  And in years to come you may be glad you wrote it down.

Respectfully listen to the feedback.  Sometimes it will be good, sometimes it will be emotional eruptions.  You don't need to listen to it go on and on.  Separate the emotion from the content.

Pray for wisdom.  God does provide wisdom on soccer.  Even soccer!