Welcome to my blog. The idea and principle behind this blog is to share ideas, for myself to learn and reflect off sessions and possibly learn from other coaches.
As I write this blog, my U12's girls team have just won 9-0 in a match that they totally dominated. A parent on the side said to me whilst the game was going on..."and you will still find something to say that they can improve on". Yes, I will. My role is to develop and girls of 11 years of age have not yet developed properly and there will always be something for them to work on. I am by no means negative with my girls, I push them to their limits but I guarantee that every training session they will leave with a smile on their face.
My methods of management may not always be admired, but I have a great relationship with the girls I coach. I always plan my sessions in advance in a specific structure. When they turn up on a Tuesday evening for a session, they know that they will be doing the same topic in a more advanced situation when they turn up for Friday's session. They also then know this will be my focus and what I am looking for at weekend. For example, throughout the past week we have looked at our shape when we haven't got the ball and judging by the clean sheet, even outsiders can tell we are hard to break down.
During pre-season, we had a friendly to kick things off before we had even begun training. It was our first attempt at 9aside against a team that was at least a year older than all of our girls and in some cases 2 years older. Considering we had no practice, we put up a good fight but did eventually lose the game 2-1 in what was a very even contest. On the sidelines however, I was frustrated. Not because my team played badly, but because I could not give any feedback to my players. Asking them to keep their 9aside shape when they have been playing 7aside for the past 2 seasons when we have never even attemped a 9aside training session would be extremely difficult. My back 3 were as flat as a pancake, but what else did they know? I had no rights to critique any of them when none of them had played 9aside before...Which will now take me to my point...
How many grassroots coaches at weekend do you see shouting:
"BILLY, YOU'RE UPFRONT!"
"CREATE SPACE, ISAAC"
"GET GOAL SIDE OF YOUR PLAYER, KATIE! NO, NOT THAT SIDE, THE OTHER SIDE....OH NEVERMIND"
Meanwhile, they child is thinking "Well, what is upfront?". Have you told them their role? Do you want the player to press the back 2 defenders? Do you want them to not getting sucked into the crowd when defending? I have witnessed coaches with my own eyes shout "ABI, YOU'RE PLAYING UPFRONT". That's fine, if she understands what that is. But considering she was defending in her own penalty area, took one look at you and moved backwards 2 yards, that does not tell me she knows what you mean. In a situation like this, it might require a more simplified instruction such as "Halfway line, Abi". Be more specific and then explain why you have asked her to do that.
You cannot expect a grassroots footballer to know what you mean (especially at a young age) when you tell them to play upfront. If you are going to give them the freedom, let them play...But by putting them in positions and then shouting at them without telling them what their role is...is beyond me.
The best of all is when I hear coaches shouting "Get goal side!!" and the amount of blank expressions on players faces is just a picture. You cannot shout instructions if you have not coached it. How can you give feedback on something if you have never coached it? How can you critique someone if you have never coached it?
And most of all, how will it make your players feel when they have no idea what their coach expects of them?
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