some Youtube videos to literally learn the rules and some coaching strategies.
What I didn't know: Almost all of this team was the dominant team the previous year. The previous coach had a fight with the league about something I don't remember and he and his son left in a huff. But a few of the kids he left behind were very good.
At the first game, I learned that the kids had positions they always played the year before (the "good" kids playing forward and center, the girls and the unathletic boys were hidden in the back as defenders). At the first game, I had parents and grandparents complaining at me during the game because I put their kids in different positions and played them differently than the last coach. The yelling wasn't overly aggressive, so it didn't really bother me, but it freaked my wife out who was convinced I was doing something wrong because a few parents were upset.
But as in most areas of life, winning cures everything. These kids were so good despite me acting as their beginner coach. Our average score was about 8-1. I let the kids play the positions they wanted to play at the beginning of every game, but I moved the girls and non-athletic kids up to score goals when we were way ahead - usually by about half time.
Every kid got to score goals and try different spots on the field The parents chilled when they saw their kids were having success, having fun, and having chances to score.
I'm glad I did it. I learned to appreciate parents that take time to coach kids sports. I can't stand parents who take kid sports way too seriously.