THE COACHING MAG Issue One
August 2014
FREE Coaching session plans *Exclusive* Dan Abrahams Interview Tales of a football coach Top tips for coaching Foundation Phase Things we've learned this time
This time in 'The Coaching Mag'
9 *Exclusive*
interview with Dan Abrahams
12
Passing and receiving session plan
6
Healthy competition in youth football
14
Tales of a football coach 16. Introducing 'The Inclusion Way' 19. 'The Wildman of Oz' 20. Top Tips (Foundation Phase) 21. Things we've learned...
Welcome Hi all and welcome to the first ever edition of 'The Coaching Mag'. The magazine is aimed at grass roots coaches looking for some new ideas, consolidation of existing ideas and just to spread the word about the great things happening in the grass roots game. My name is Steve and I am the head coach and company director at Inclusion Coaching and also a coach at a leading Category 2 Academy in the South West of England. I have spent 7 years as a voluntary coach in my local community working with children from U6-U18. I currently hold my Level 2 coaching licence and have completed Module 1, 2 and 3 of the FA Youth Award. Back to the magazine, you can expect intriguing and engaging articles written by not only myself but sports science graduates, UEFA B and A licensed coaches and last but not at all least the engine room, grass roots coaches. We will look to tackle the big issues, from how can we effect our national teams development to how can we deliver a fun, educational and safe football environment for our children to play the beautiful game in, head on. We hope you enjoy the read and come back for more in Issue 2 due November 2014. Until next time... Steve
Youth Football
Healthy Competition
What do we see as 'healthy competition'? A league season? A cup competition? In the game of football these are the two staples of any 10 month period. Manchester United, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Swindon Town, Salisbury City, Devizes Town and every other team playing in the football pyramid play in this format of the game. With a season running from August to May through the cold winter months. How does this relate to the youth Grass Roots youth game? Hands up if you have ever had a child fall over and bump their knee with the following sound of screaming in pain to then 10 seconds later see the child laughing and running around. This happens because children live and play in the moment worrying about what is happening right this instant. If we relate this to football, who has ever had their team come off the pitch after a defeat but had one child chuffed to bits because he scored a goal or beat a player or even made an assist or tackle? With this in mind, if we now look at the season, do we think the children are thinking about what the outcome in may will be? Or are they thinking about beating a player 1v1 or scoring a goal or completing a pass without really worrying too much about the result. Obviously there comes an age where this does begin to matter to the players, usually around 12 years of age if the adults involved in the game haven't already created the win at all costs culture. This means that for the first 7 years (approx) of the childs footballing life they are worrying about the individual gains and intrinsic motivators to improve their game.
Youth Football So how can we effect the players at a young age and not kill the 'competition within the game? Firstly if we start to look at matches as 'practice opportunities' this starts to change the way we approach games. The children are learning the techniques, skills, team shape, etc at training, and when and how to implement them in a game situation during matches. The way I have linked the two in the past is through little individual challenges based on the topics covered in training so that the children can start to appreciate how it fits together. Maybe one for the first half and one for the second or, depending on the child's perceived ability, one for in possession and one for out of possession. This allows for competition to be present and the player to develop at a rate suited to them. This, in my opinion, is 'healthy competition'. We found that by taking this approach the children all developed together at a rate individualised to them and 'results' came without that being the primary focus. This then allows for confidence to build and more risk taking by players, thus developing more creative and inventive players. As the players start to get older, possibly 8 or 9 I would look at introducing unit (def, mid, str) challenges alongside the individual ones and then as they reach 11 or 12 look at team challenges. Obviously these ages are just a guide and as every player and team is different, some may progress quicker, some may get there slower. Why not try it out and see what happens, remember a child's youth football career lasts up to 11 years, if we do it right, so there is time to experiment, for yourself and for the players.
Looking for a good quality, good value, new kit this coming season? Look no further! With ERREA full kit (11 aside) deals from Just ÂŁ300 and the possibility of a cheeky visit from the man himself at your end of season presentation* there is no need to go anywhere else. Visit www.inclusioncoaching.com for the full range. Contact Steve on (07525) 491985 or (01380) 699486 (08:00-14:00) Youth Kits also available! *subject to availability
Psychology This issue we got to sit down with Lead Sports Psychologist Dan Abrahams. We asked Dan some of your questions, here are the answers. How do I build confidence to be comfortable coaching a new group of players and coaching in front of a crowd, parents etc. (Jordan Wildman, Inclusion Coaching) The answer to this one is two fold really. First it is your preparation, go through your session mentally, visualise your session, know your plan. During your planning, prepare for things to go wrong e.g. what will I do if I feel pressure from the spectators, what will I do if a child
misbehaves, what will I do if a player doesn't understand what is being asked of him etc. The second thing you can do is control your body language, try and stand tall and use gestures, look to control your vocal range in
context with what is happening in the session. If you worry during the session you may become with drawn and quiet and close your body, physically, to the stresses. Try to keep your body open as this will help you manage your behaviours and those of others around you. Finally always stick to your own coaching philosophy. How as coaches are we able to help players returning from injury that worry about becoming injured again, so play more cautiously? (Dean Parsons, Bristol City FC Academy Coach) This is always a challenge for any coach. The first thing to say is that the process should start early and can be managed while the player is injured. Encourage the player to visualise his best games, his dream games, his most committed games.
Chemicals released into the body by mental stress can actually slow down the players rehabilitation Once the player is back on his feet, ease him back into training and communicate with the player that if you play cautiously you are more likely to reinjure yourself. From here you need to make sure that the player understands what committed looks like through your coaching and communication styles. Again visualisation of the players best, most committed and even dream games can help with confidence and to eliminate the cautiousness in his game. As a striker, how do I mentally train my brain to forget things i.e. missing a chance? (Sky Bet Championship, Centre Forward) The first thing is that the more you focus
Psychology on forgetting things, the harder it becomes. This is a problem not just for Elite players like yourself, but at all levels of the game from Grass Roots to the Premier League. To combat this try to focus on the correct things, positives. This starts before a game, before a training session. Make the decision to be nonjudgemental. Give yourself a tangible goal for the game. To score isn't tangible as there are other factors out of your control that decide whether you score or not. Something like 'to keep good body language' is a good one or to keep finding space and positions to have opportunities to score is another. Keeping good body language and playing in the moment can help you to not so much forget but move on from the missed shot or misplaced pass or drop from a gk. Talk about it daily, train in the same way, focus on putting what you do in training every day into your
match day performance and be non-judgemental of yourself and your performance. How do you affect a player with fantastic talent and great athleticism but poor body language when he makes a mistake, slumped shoulders etc? (Trevor Challis, Bristol City FC Academy YDP Coach) Unfortunately some people find it easier than others to change their mentality, As a coach you shouldn't be too hard on yourself for not being able to make a huge difference, you should though make sure that you have covered all bases, if you have the facilities, individual video analysis might be the way forward. Don't just do this once though, do it often, film training as well as matches. Put the player in situations where he will fail whilst being filmed and also where he will succeed so that when watching back he can
see how his body language changes. Insist on an improvement in body language and see if this affects the player and improves his confidence and performance following a mistake on the pitch. I always say you become what you do in training so taking this approach with the player during training sessions will hopefully help the player to be more aware of his body language. My team are a good passing side that see results and success but are very reluctant to run with the ball and take risks. What can I say or do to affect this and help them to recognise opportunities to run with the ball? (Aaron Chivers, Devizes Town Youth FC) As I have said earlier, players become what they do in training. Put pressure on your players during training and insist on them making runs, condition the game so that they have to do so. Look at
Psychology the environment that is being created for the children, is it results based? If so the children are more likely to play the style that they know will get them wins. If you are serious about wanting your players to develop their running with the ball then they need to have the freedom and permission to play with risks. It may take for you to tell your players 'we may lose today but I want you to play with a style, regardless of the
outcome'. Give them a goal that is not focused on the result but on the process. As Nick Levett at the FA says, 'Strive to win, but in the right way',improved skill, technique, decision making etc. This is the same challenge all over the world in youth football, Spain, Germany, England, Holland. Encouraging children to play with freedom with process related goals is a good way to start solving the problem.
Abrahams on Facebook.
Don't forget to visit www.danabrahams.com 'Helping people perform'
Thank you Dan for Sharing your time and expertise with us here at The Coaching Mag. For more from Dan you can follow him on twitter @DanAbrahams77 or search Dan
Both Dan's books Soccer Brain and Soccer Tough are available at Amazon. Soccer Brain: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soccer-Brain-Coaching-Developing-Mindsets/dp/190912 Soccer Tough: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0957051190/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=U
FREE SESSION PLAN: RETAINING POSSESSION
Youth Football
TALES OF A FOOTBALL COACH In each issue of 'The Coaching Mag' we will be featuring a post from Tales of a football coach. In this issue we are looking at Diversity in coaching and whether working with lots of different teams, groups and ages can make you a more well rounded coach or if it dilutes your product. This post was originally published back in January of this year.
“So it's now been 2 weeks since I started with the FA to deliver the 'Mash Up' programme at a local secondary school and I have just got in from my third session. Slightly different to my usual work with 5-11 year olds, and what an enjoyable experience it is turning out to be. The whole culture of the programme really allows the guys and girls to play freely in a fun environment. As an example of this, the provision for music to be on whilst they play a football match with a focus and challenge is fantastic. Another great way to get the youngsters interacting socially during the sessions is to allow them to decide which challenge out of a selection they will do each week. Finishing off with a keepy-up challenge every other week has also allowed me to see just how supportive these young people are to one and other. With year 9's actively encouraging and supporting year 7 and 8 children to have a go and improve week on week. The challenges go from scenarios of league champs V relegation all to way to 'is it on' where you can only pass forward, fantastic for developing the decision making and movement skills of the young people. One of my favourites is '5 goals, 5 ways' in which there is 4 set goals and one of their choosing, if the team score all 5 before the allotted time is up they win the game, a great way to encourage team work and practice of all different types of finishing including weaker foot, volleys and headers. I am finding that being able to work at a community level in the foundation phase, now with the older children and the young adults at U18 level, as well as my work at the Academy with the U8's and 11's, I am really starting to become a more well rounded coach that is able to deal with more scenarios and draw on my experiences of all the different age groups to be more effective in each of them when dealing with the children and helping them to problem solve within the sessions. My advice to all coaches at all levels would be to get out and coach as many different teams at as many different ages and as many different levels as possible. Especially early on in your coaching career. Then when you settle on an age that your are best suited it will be an educated decision and you will ultimately be a better coach and be able to deal with the different spectrum of maturity within your group or team.� Until next time.....
Introducing...
Here is a brand new revolutionary program designed by Inclusion Coaching to create the best technical players as well as developing creative independent decision makers through choices given when learning to play 'The Inclusion Way' To encourage a little ownership, every child registered to 'The Inclusion Way' will receive their very own Umbro Neo Sub-Zero ball to complete the program (this ball must be looked after, inflated and fit for purpose to progress through each stage). Once the program is complete the child will receive a free pass to an Inclusion Soccer School of their choice! The program couldn't be better with a choice of developing ball control (keepy-ups), passing, shooting (volleys) and skills (dribbling). To make it even better if you complete your chosen program within the school year started then you can try your hand at a second program with a 25% discount, complete that and try a 3rd with a 50% discount, complete that and try to complete the quadruple with a 75% discount! Complete the 'quadruple' and receive your very own personalised official Inclusion shirt. To complete each stage your child's coach must see them complete the challenge 3 times in succession. There will be time given to practice at every Inclusion session including after school clubs, PDC's, Soccer Schools and of course the best way to get better is to get out in the garden and practice, practice, practice!!
International Inclusion Coachings Jordan Wildman is currently coaching his way through a 9 month stay in the land down under. We caught up with Jordan to see how he is getting on and what differences he has seen from home.
TCM: Hi Jordan, just a quick one to kick off, describe yourself a a coach in 3 words...
TCM: If we look at the FA four corner model, which is the most heavily developed corner in Aus?
JW: Determined, enthusiastic, Ambitious TCM: So how did the trip come about? JW: My trip to Australia came about as part of a summer job. Towards the end the guy I was covering for came back from uni so we started talking and he mentioned his experiences in Armidale which made me want to go to Australia whereas before i had my heart set on going to America. TCM: How are you finding the climate? JW: At the moment its winter so the climate is very similar to an English spring. Today it has been 17 degrees which is a nice temperature. I prefer the warmer climate. TCM: OK, so how does that help or hinder the kids playing football? JW: I haven't seen the temperature hinder the performance of the lads however the cold may be beneficial as it gives them a break from playing in very high temperatures. TCM: So moving onto attitude, is there much of a difference towards training and learning? JW: I would say the training may be a little more old fashioned with some coaches preferring to make the players do shuttle runs and fitness work even though it is mid season. The attitude from the kids however is that everyone wants to learn. I am currently coaching The Armidale Schools second team and I have had to take a few sessions on my own meaning that I'm 18 and coaching guys that are 16/17/18 however they all respect me and understand that I am trying to improve them whereas in England I don't think that may not be the case and that I might not receive the respected as a coach.
JW: . I feel the physical side of the players is the most developed, however in the games it is not utilised. Here at the school all the kids are very well developed as their diet is loosely kept an eye on meaning that although they are not forced to eat healthy most food available is good for a sportsmans diet. Another reason i think this is the most developed could be because in the junior school they have equipment like a jungle-gym with monkey bars etc. In England i feel this will not be allowed because about a month before I was here, 3 kids broke their arms falling off however it is still working on their strength, balance, coordination etc. When I say I don't think it is utilised in a game I mean that referees are on the whole inexperienced and struggle to differentiate between a strong challenge or a dirty challenge meaning that they sometimes hesitate when tackling. TCM: Have you seen anything new, in terms of coaching, that you haven't seen at home? JW: Currently I haven't however I've not been here long enough to watch several different coaches. TCM: Finally, would you recommend a trip abroad for any young budding English coaches? JW: Yes I definitely would. The opportunities I have been given out here are incredible. I wouldn't be given the opportunity or seen as capable to take charge of a late teenage team in England. Also I have already began to develop contacts that hopefully I can learn a lot from. TCM: Thanks Jordan and we look forward to catching up with you again in the next Issue.
Youth Football Top Tips for coaching children 6-11!! Build a base of technique. ●Use a ball for every activity. (Including warm-ups and cool downs) ●Training session could consist of 30% constant/ unopposed practice, 30% variable/opposed practice and 40% SSG's. ●
structured however you like.
Equal playing time and position rotation recorded on template. ●Try not to TOUCHLINE COACH during U6, 7 or 8 matches. ●Give match day tasks to individual players (u9-11) and the units (u10-11) ●Plan match day squad prior to the match, starting line up, what subs will happen when etc. ●Give subs tasks. ●
e.g. watch the other team and see what they are doing well or watch our players to give feedback at half time (much more powerful coming from their peers)
Manage mistakes by allowing for self correction and praising the positive things players do during games. ●
●
Praise for effort, regardless of outcome, and the child will try again.
Youth Football Working w ith differen e h t n i t g k r o r ups, teams o w s d e d s a n n d ages could lead e focu l n's mi r e r o d m l i t o a mo r e Ch are ua d d i v n i a w d t e ll n i -rounded c n oach. mome nning each ue or cup. i g a w on the le n a h t battle
Things we've learned this time!
If we praise nd risk taking a creativity context) t h ig r e h t n (i more is r e y la p e th gain likely to try a 't sn even if it doe come off.
We al l l e ar looking f n more by or the an swer to a ques tio finding it n and not from lear than we do ning the answer itself.
Next time in 'The Coaching Mag'
- The benefits of equal playing time
- More 'Tales of a Football Coach'
- More top tips - The impact of birth bias
- How to effectively warm up and cool down youth football players
- More free session plans - More things we've learned
Next issue available November 2014