The Coach Diary Football Blog

Category: Irish Grassroots Football

  • U17s National League

    U17s National League

    The u17s National is on schedule according to inside reports. A list of scheduled meetings which are taking place on 22nd, 23rd & 24th April in relation to the League will be held on:

    • Tuesday, 22nd April @ 7p.m. FAI Abbotstown
    • Wednesday, 23rd April @ 7p.m. Tipperary St. Michaels FC
    • Thursday, 24th April @ 7p.m. Sligo Clarion Hotel

    The talks will be held by Ruud Dokter (Director, High Performance), Niall Harrison (Emerging Talent Programme, National Coordinator), Fran Gavin (Director, Competitions Department), & Pat Duffy (Underage coordinator). Ruud Dokter and Niall Harrison will be giving a presentation on the night and this will be followed by a Q&A session.

    Any Club with an interest in the National League U17s is invited to attend the meeting.

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

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  • Best Practices written for US Soccer Coaches back in 2006

    Best Practices written for US Soccer Coaches back in 2006

    I got sent this from Marcos Simpson during the week. It is from a report written for US Soccer Coaches back in 2006 by US Soccer Education Department

    This report is both a practical guide and a thought-provoking discussion about how best to coach football (soccer) to young children and young adults (U6 to U18). This report was written for US soccer coaches, but again all the best coaching practice or can be transferred to everywhere in the world.

    The article starts here > At the core of “Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States” is the belief that there is not just ‘one way’ to teach soccer to players, nor is there just one style of coaching. These player development guidelines highlight that there is a broad spectrum of styles and methods for how everyone experiences the game. Some of these factors come from a player’s background, while some of them are a product of a player’s own personality.

    “Coaches should avoid the impulse to “coach” their players from “play to play” in order to help them win the match”

    At the youth and junior levels, however, there is a set of fundamental principles that should be considered by anyone coaching soccer. The starting point of these principles is that young soccer players require a certain amount of uninterrupted play, which allows them to experience soccer first hand. These young players should be allowed the opportunity to experiment, and with that, succeed and fail. A coach’s long-term goal is to prepare a player to successfully recognize and solve the challenges of a game on his or her own. It is vital that the coach approaches soccer with this in mind.

    Extracts from the report 

    …..at the younger ages (6 to about 10), soccer is not a team sport. On the contrary, it is a time for children to develop their individual relationship with the ball. The fact that younger children are placed into team environments is not their fault. Do not demand that the more confident players share the ball. Encourage them to be creative and go to goal. Do the same with the rest of your players. Work to bring all your players up to that level of confidence and comfort with the ball. Coaches should avoid the impulse to “coach” their players from “play to play” in order to help them win the match.

    “In general, young soccer players require a certain amount of uninterrupted play. This allows them to experience soccer first hand. They should be allowed the opportunity to experiment, and with that, succeed and fail”

    Coaches should not be telling their young players to “pass rather than dribble,” to “hold their positions” or to “never” do something (like pass or dribble in front of the goal).

    Remember that the level of skill and competence that a 9-year-old exhibits is no indication of the skill and competence that he or she will exhibit at 16 or 18 years of age. You cannot predict which 9-year-old will develop into a real player. Therefore, work to encourage all your players to be competent and comfortable with the ball. This will give all your players the same opportunity to reach their potential.

    Work during practice to move all your players forward at their own pace. Do not be concerned with match results. Be concerned that all your players want the ball at their feet and they want to score. If you can accomplish this, you have successfully allowed your group to grow as soccer players. Unlike practice, you cannot add more balls/goals during games to give kids more chances with the ball. But you can emphasize certain themes for the players to focus on, such as getting involved, attacking the goal, taking chances, and then spend the length of the game reinforcing these points.

    There is not just “one way” to teach soccer to players, nor is there just one style of coaching. There is a broad spectrum of styles and methods for how each of us experiences the game. Some of this comes from our backgrounds, while some of this also is the product of our own personalities. At the youth and junior levels, however, there is a set of fundamental principles that must be considered by anyone involved with soccer. In general, young soccer players require a certain amount of uninterrupted play. This allows them to experience soccer first hand. They should be allowed the opportunity to experiment, and with that, succeed and fail.

    This approach will give your players the green light to experiment and be creative – qualities that, unfortunately at the younger ages, are often discouraged on game day, in the name of being safe and winning.

    Article taken from Footy4kids

    >END

    Some interesting and some very relevant ways to approach coaching kids in football. Your thoughts?

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

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  • Let me set the scene…….

    Let me set the scene…….

    This is a typical scenario on the sideline of a kids sport games each and every weekend. Before he/she arrive at the park that morning. Children wake early excited about playing for their team. Meeting their team-mates and putting on the clubs colours. They dream about scoring a goal, a try, a point, a basket! Most of all they look forward to playing, having fun and being part of the team. They hope the outcome is a positive one, they play to win and they try their best. Unfortunately for many children the dreams are not realised.

    Let me take you to a kids football game. Imagine you’re standing on the line watching on. Toni is a u9s player, who loves football and dreams of playing for his national team some day.

    (Loud adult noise from the sidelines overpowering the noise on the pitch)

    “Pass the ball! Get rid of it! Ah jaysuz Toni; for feck sake pass the bleedin ball!” (At this point the 9 year old in most cases is related to the loud voice, nervously tries to pass the ball to his nearest teammate but instead, it awkwardly bobbles off the side of his foot and out of play. The lads father is screaming even louder.) “TONI what’s wrong with you? (Take him off, he mutters under his voice) Are you that stupid? I’ve been screaming at you to pass the ball! Do what I’m telling you to do, I know what I’m talking about! Concentrate on the game! Stop giving it away and don’t let the fella put you off! Be hard, be strong!”

    (The little lad looks beaten and quickly glances over to the sidelines at his father before he hangs his head in shame and try’s to run after the ball, trying to make up for his father disappointment. He father continue to talk him down in front of the other parents and makes reference to other players on the pitch;who’s parents are not present at the game.)

    Moments later an opposing player cleanly tackles Toni and takes the ball away from him. The referee’s whistle is silent but the line erupts with noise. Toni’s father roars at the ref.) “ah FFS you blind or what? That’s a foul! How can that not be a foul? Referee do your job will you! That kid should be off”. (With that the opposing line start to get involved and screams can be heard directed at Toni’s father.)

    “Shut your mouth, you’re at the whole game”, screams an opposing parent. (Toni’ dad gives them the v sign, the ref approaches him) “How can you not see that, foul?” (The ref tells him to calm down. The father doesn’t back down). “I wouldn’t be shouting if you just did your job!” (The referee glares at the man and warns him to keep his mouth shut otherwise he will have him removed from the park. Suddenly it has become very quiet on the pitch, as the game comes to an abrupt halt. Everyone is looking on, even the teams from the game adjacent) Toni and a number of players from both teams stop and watch the altercation unfold. Toni is cringing in embarrassment, looking for a way out. He’s just wants to go home now. He begins to walk towards the line with his head down. His father is still arguing with the ref. Toni stops under his dads nose and looks up) “Dad, stop! Please your embarrassing me. It’s just a game and I want to go home now”. (Toni’s Dad backs off and the game begins again without Toni on the pitch) “Toni, what did you give?” (Toni looks away as if he didn’t hear his dad) “TONI, I’m talking to you, if we lose this game it’s your fault” (Toni sits amongst the gear, places his chin on his knees and looks on. A tear rolls down his cheek, which he wipes away with his finger. His father looks down at him, tuts and shakes his head in disappointments.)

    I’m sure we can all relate to this situation. It happens every week and will happen this weekend and next weekend and the weekend after until we educate adults how to behave on the sidelines. This is another well intentioned mis-guided adult. Many parents like this, get caught up in the moment of the game. It becomes all about them and less about the children that play. Pressuring their kids to perform and understand like adults do. Forcing the process each and every week.

    What’s the outcome? Children playing below their potential, being afraid to make mistakes and not having fun. Eventually dropping out of the game for good and holding resentment towards their father, for life.

    We know that every parent wants the best for their child. However we are now controlling so much of what our children do and giving them very little freedom to explore. Unfortunately, far too many parents don’t know exactly what they should and shouldn’t be saying to be the most helpful, they don’t now how to behave on the sidelines.

    This is a relatively new issue with so many adults now attending kids games. Many of these parents say and do things before and after games and this actually puts the child off. It also increases their anxiety and even before a game has started they’re already fearful of making mistakes. Most of these kids never reach their true potential. Do you want this for your child? If the answer is NO! Stop all the shouting!

    Next week I will discuss the parent role in kids sports.

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

     

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  • Silent Sideline, the aftershock!

    Silent Sideline, the aftershock!

    Apologies for the late post, the site was under maintenance.

    After experimenting with the first ever-official Silent Sideline in Ireland, including clubs from abroad. The response has been overwhelming positive. Original there were over 100+ clubs and that number has grown dramatically over the weekend with many GAA clubs getting on-board. Parents from other codes took it upon themselves to stay silent for the duration of their children’s game and although the clubs didn’t participate they also wanted to be apart of something unique.

    On a personal point of view, I’m delighted with the response from the adults and their willingness to at least try and say nothing for what was only an hour in most cases. In our own game; I spoke with encouraging words about 4 times. When we went a goal down, when we brought it back to 1-1 and then 2-1 and at the final whistle. I was able to see so much more by being able to focus on more. When we focus on the person in possession, that’s all we see. To see the real picture, take a step back away from the line. Even move to higher ground if possible. In order to properly understand the big picture, we need to stop becoming obsessed with one small section of the game. Which leads me to what you the adults said about the weekend:

    The Feedback:

    “Just wanted to say Congratulations and a big Thank You for #SilentSideline. We observed it at the Cutbush U8 soccer match in Kildare. The kids really enjoyed it. My own son and a couple of other boys said that it was ” much better” than having the parents shouting. My son said that he enjoyed the game more and was better able to concentrate as he didn’t “have to look at the parents”. It was noticeable that the kids were able to communicate with each other on the pitch much more easily. I also found it a lot more enjoyable as a parent and enjoyed clapping instead. I’d really like to see this being introduced for all of the games.” – Joseph Fallon

    “The event proved a huge success and we had Ciaran Gallagher (Derry City, Goalkeeper) drop in to support our event. The parents were very generous in their praise and can I take this opportunity to congratulate Antonio on his organisation of the “Silent Sideline Weekend”. Look forward to working with The Coach Diary in the future”. – Jonathan Adair Buncrana Heart FC

    “I must compliment you on this idea, which I believe was a resounding success for our players. It was fantastic to only hear the players communication among themselves with no pressure from the side lines. Naturally enough it’s a strange feeling for adults not to get involved but from my own stand point it was very evident that the young kids very much thrived being allowed to make their own decisions & mistakes without fear of retribution. Well done to all behind this initiative”.Robbie Giles Ashbourne United

    “Just wanted to drop you a quick mail to let you know that I absolutely loved your Silent Sideline idea this weekend. I was at an U12 Castleknock v Cabinteely match on Saturday morning and it was really nice to hear the kid’s voices for a change – calling for passes etc. and really working together as a team! In the past, I can admit to being a bit loud with my “Common Cabo” chants on the side-lines, but from now on I will be one of the silent types and will be encouraging more to do the same”.- Rob Waters

    “Overall it went very well. Weather was good and kids enjoyed being out on the grass again after playing all winter on astro. We had 4 pitches and 60 kids I read out a piece from your website on what was expected from the coaches and parents and Chelsea (age 9) read out ‘a players message to parents’ which we also got on your site. All the kids got a wrist band and all the parents got a flyer. I was busy rushing around making sure every game went smoothly, but 3 or 4 times I notices parents clapping…….. which I never noticed before. Majority thought it was great but one parent commented on the occasion having no atmosphere”. Trevor Gorman Kilmacrennan Celtic FC

    “The comments from the Coaches, players and parents where in general positive, there where a few comments that where interesting Our parents on the sideline seem to have became very aware of the negative comments from the opposing sideline and remarked on it.. Maybe in the past they would have reacted to the negative comments. The coaches where delighted that the only instructions the players received where from them. The players felt free to play and make mistakes without negative feedback. (This was not a instant reaction, it was into the second half of the games before the burden of sideline pressure started lifting).

    One of games highlighted the negative side of our game..the opposition manager constantly berated his players to such an extent that the ref warned him about his behaviour. This carried on until the parents and the coach became in a heated argument on the sideline in front of both teams of players (11 and 12 year olds). Shocking behaviour!!!! Overall I feel very happy with the day despite the weather, we will be running with the initiative next weekend”. – Robbie – Trim Celtic AFC

    As you can read from the comments above, shows why the weekend was so successful.. If anything it got people talking about it. Some coaches felt a bit frustrated, some parents felt it strange not being allowed to shout out encouragement. The weekend was about trusting the kids to make their own decisions. They must be able to try and figure thing out for themselves. Many children never discover how to play properly because of all the shouting and most will go through their entire sporting life without reaching their true potential. The players need more playtime like the play they had last weekend.

    You will find more comments in an article I did for the Score.ie 

    Some the comments I got from the players:

    1. “It was like street football with jerseys on” u10s
    2. “The first time ever my dad didn’t scream at me and I scored twice. First two goals ever for the team” u12s’
    3. “I really enjoyed the game. I made mistakes and no-one pointed them out. I was able to get on with the game and focus on my performance” u13s
    4. “I’ve been playing football for 7 years and that is the most noise I have heard from our players. Today we played like a team because we were allowed too.” u17s
    5. “I much prefer it like this. I hate it when the parents shout at me” u10s
    6. “I was able to concentrate more than ever before” u10s
    7. “It felt strange at the start hearing no noise from the line. After a few minutes all I noticed was my team mates talking, we started to coach ourselves” u12s

    Summary

    Majority loved the idea and could see the benefits on the day. Some of the other comments I got were: “I found it hard not to instruct and felt I should be able to instruct, i didn’t like it.” From my experience if you prepare your team well, you won’t need to instruct that much. If and when instructing, wait until the player can’t affect the game and don’t scream and shout. Another way of getting the message across is through another player on field when the game has stopped or the ball is not in play. A sub can also be a way of communicating to players. Many adults stressed that the silence “took the atmosphere out of the game.” The game belongs to the kids not the parents and/or coaches. Just because the sidelines are silent and not noisy doesn’t mean there is no atmosphere, in fact the atmosphere in youth sport is created on the pitch, unlike in professional sport where the pro’s expect an atmosphere – after all we pay good money to watch them perform. We can’t compare what we see on TV (pro sports) to what we see on kid’s sports field. One is a child the other is a paid professional athlete. Just because Jose Mourinho acts like that on the sideline that doesn’t meant it’s ok to act like that during kid’s sports. Comparing is just ridiculous. The noise generated by the adults etc on the line is generally confusing and thwarts the decision making of the players, particularly down at the youngest ages and it also thwarts what you really see.

    “Children don’t see what you see. They see what they see.” TCD

    At the weekend we had an u17 team get involve with the SSW and the coaches from both sides respected the campaign. I spoke with both sets of players and they both enjoyed the experience. One player said, “I’m with this team 7 years and that is the first time our coach has said nothing, I really enjoyed the game”. One of the coaches did stress that he would have preferred to instruct some of his players as they needed guidance. I suggested to try and get a message across at half-time or if a players wasn’t performing he had 4 more waiting to get on, use your subs.

    “95% of children who play sport, play for recreational reasons”

    I hope coaches, manager, parents will reflect on this experience and take on-board the feedback from the players and the power of observation. You actually see so much more by saying less and focusing more on the game and not the player in possession or the player about to receive possession.

    Finally, this weekend the 5th & 6th April 2014 sees many clubs trying the Silent Silent campaign for the first time, due to the bad weather last weekend. If you are one of the these clubs please get in touch or if you need any guidance just email me. I ask every single to coach/manager to control the screaming parents on the sideline or if you’re a screaming coach, be in control of your own emotions. Children shouldn’t have to play sport in fear of making mistakes. When they make mistakes, they should be able to process the errors themselves not have an adult ridicule them for it. That’s how we all learn, by doing, processing and implementing.

    “The manner in which we have sought to micro-manage our young children’ at every free moment. It is nowhere more evident than on the touchline of a kids football game”

    So well done for participating. It’s not easy saying nothing; for sure the players are also grateful. Going forward I suggest you try the following:

    • Try organising an internal Silent Sideline at least once a month or
    • Try to work with one team within your club every-week;
    • Make sure the opposition are aware of what you”re doing;
    • Try organise Silent Sideline Blitz that could also be fun;
    • Get lollies and hand them out to the parents & coaches;
    • Rope your pitches and include designated parent zones;
    • Get some signs to keep people informed;
    • Time yourself on the line and see how long you can stay quiet for;
    • Encourage and praise more;
    • Talk less and observe more;
    • Control your line more;
    • Don’t question and call out at every single decision;
    • Stop shouting words like, ‘How is he’, ‘offside’, ‘ah ref’, ‘hard’, pass-pass….you get what I mean;
    • It would be great if leagues rewarded Sidelines for their behaviour. The referees could easily implement this with a fair-play award given to the best-behaved line after each game. Including being quiet. What about a financial reward?
    • Don’t be afraid to try this. Kids absolutely love it and you will too!

    Just some ideas going forward. The next Silent Sideline weekend is planned for September 2014, date tbc. Please use every opportunity between now and then to keep calm and stay quiet. Let us not forget, youth sports is supposed to be an enjoyable “game” organised for and played by kids. Its’ purpose is to teach game/life skills, tactics and a love for sport. It should always be fun. Unfortunately, the reality of today’s youth sport experience is vastly different to ours. Misguided adults, both parents and coaches are inadvertently and selfishly distracting the child-athlete from what’s really important and, in the process, killing his/her joy for the game. Over coaching and winning at all cost mentality needs to go. My aim is to try and educate people that there is another way, a better way!

    Pictures to follow next week, in the meantime send on your picture or clips of the SSW to info@silentsideline.com

    See also www.silentsideline.org 

    You can also download SSW PDF here >Silent Sideline Weekend Press Release -signed and click to view the Silent Sideline Video 

    Thanks for participating!

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

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  • Silent Sideline & Don’t x the line….Respect the game!

    Silent Sideline & Don’t x the line….Respect the game!

    The weekend is finally here, so that means it’s Silent Sideline Weekend. Last year I tried to organise a Silent Sideline and got laughed at. That didn’t stop me!  This year after two months of non stop Silent Sideline PR, the weekend has finally arrived. With over 100+ clubs, thousand teams and 10,000+ players getting involved, this will be the biggest Silent Sideline ever organised in a single country (please don’t rain). Not forgetting the many teams from UK, Canada, Greece, Portugal, South Africa and even Brazil that are taking part. The way we coach in kids sport is changing….. Join the party!!

    How is it going to work?

    This weekend, make sure all the noise comes from the kids. Please chill out and watch them play. How you behave at seniors mens football match and how your behave at a kids football game should not even come close. Too many adults see it as the same thing. When I played football, we didn’t have all the adults attending games. We would be lucky to have even one. Over the last ten year more and more adults are arriving at kids sports games without a notion on how to behave. Adults don’t know what’s it’s like to play a game with 40+ people screaming their views of the game at you. I think if we did, we wouldn’t be behaving in such a barbaric and foolish way. Ultimately this weekend is about education the adults that it’s time to shut up and let the kids play.

    “It was extraordinary,” “I went to about half-a-dozen games across the weekend and the best way I can describe the atmosphere was to say it was like going to a school play. The only voices you heard were children’s and the only contribution from adults was the odd round of enthusiastic clapping. It was completely unlike what normally goes on in our parks at the weekend.” Neil Yates The Lancashire FA’S County Welfare Officer after their recent Silent Sideline Weekend.

    Things to do:

    1. The first thing you need to do as a club taking part is inform the opposition and make they are aware of what this weekend it about.
    2. For more information direct them to the blog.
    3. Next up, is your own members, inform before Saturday and give them as much info as possible.
    4. Try and rope the pitches or put down restriction lines. This will help keep the adults away from the playing area.
    5. Create an atmosphere. Selling lollies is a fun way to keep people silent.
    6. Most important make sure everyone is staying silent and having fun.

    A few year back I went to the FCB Academy to watch Barca’s under 8s play. The kids played without any sound coming for the parents watching. The parents who attending training were told to watch from a distance and not instructs or even comment on how their kids were doing. Each parents is told to remain silent and observe. If they breached this rule their child could be evicted from the club. Amazingly the coaches also gave minimal instruction during the match and they would never direct whilst the player was in possession of the ball. FC Barcelona’s message is Play, Try, Grow and Improve.

    Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen, recently stated “that footballers cannot learn how to make their own decisions if they are used to receiving instruction from the touchline”

    Without doubt the vast majority of parents mean well and want their children to be happy and successful. They are willing to sacrifice their time, energy and financial resources taxiing their kids to and from training, paying for additional training, volunteering for team and club functions and spending countless hours on the sidelines at tournaments and games. Unfortunately, far too many parents do not know exactly what they should and shouldn’t be doing to be the most helpful, they don;t know how to behave. Despite having positive intentions and their child’s best interests at heart, these parents say and do things before, during and after games that distract the child from focusing on the actual game, increase his/her anxiety level and, as a consequence, sabotage his/her overall level of play. Many kids eventually leave sport until adult life, due to this.

    Don’t x The Line:

    This weekend also see the 10 year anniversary of Don’t x (cross) the line. Running since 2003 in the UK and 2009 in Ireland

    The five aims of the campaign are:

    1. To eradicate aggressive and abusive behaviour from players and spectators.
    2. To promote zero tolerance of defamatory comments or language, be it racial or discriminatory, towards referees, fellow players and other supporters.
    3. To promote an environment for sportsmanship and fair play in underage football.
    4. To provide education to adults and young people on the importance of respect and tolerance in football.
    5. To encourage safe participation for players and spectators.

    This weekend Referee’s in the LOI and English Leagues will be wearing the Respect T-shirts during the warm ups. The campaign is being supported by the PFA, The FA and FAI. @DXTL @PFA.

    Mal Lee the founder of DXTL spoke to TCD recently:

    “I was involved in grassroots football for well over 20 years; throughout those years I have witnessed first hand aggression, verbal abuse, racist comments, bullying, and now the smoking of illegal drugs on the touchlines of some Junior Leagues. Not just on Merseyside, but leagues throughout the Country, I have witnessed children crying because their parents are involved in fighting with the opponent parents, referees abandoning games and walking away from them, never to return to the game because of threats and abusive comments directed at them”.

    Mal went on to say:

    “Together we must protect our children and referees, and bring the sportsmanship and fair play back into grassroots football”.

    The DXTL campaign in Ireland is run by Paul Martin from the FAI. Paul and the FAI have backed the Silent Sideline Campaign and see both as a great fit towards making kids football a better experience for all. If you want more information on the DXTL campaign you can email Paul Martyn at paul.martyn@fai.ie. The DXTL packs are also available for sale through Paul and currently being discount for the 10 year anniversary.

    This weekend is going to be a big one with both campaign running side by side and having the support of the FAI and IFA is also very very positive. Looking forward to the next one already!!!!

    Check out the little video I made for the Weekend. My first attempt at it, so hence the editing errors and not smiling enough. Like us all, I’m still learning! 🙂

    Silent Sideline Video

    Here’s to a dry weekend, no rain and no kids getting upset!

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

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  • Why A Silent Sideline?

    Why A Silent Sideline?

    Maybe the word Silent is not the correct word to use because encouragement with always benefit the players. Especially when you use the Sandwich approach. The focus behind the weekend is to educate coaches and parents about the power of observation. Alex Ferguson once said “The very best coaches are great observers”

    The weekend it’s about giving the game back to the kids. Allowing them to learn the game in a natural manner by letting them make decision by themselves. Letting the game be the teacher on match day. It’s certainly not about taking the atmosphere out of game but instead trying to encourage less coaching from the line. Which in turn puts the kids in control of their decision making for the duration of the game.

    “Too often we neglect the journey in our eagerness or anxiety about reaching the goal”

    Pauls Swanson purpose of observing was three fold:

    1. To underscore the importance of observation (see previous post on Observation) as a primary coaching tool.
    2. The game day analysis sheets were a way to get coaches to think about appropriate themes they might not otherwise focus on.
    3. Most of my coaches, on some level, feel like they need to be trying to constantly “fix” things by telling players what to to during games, instead of letting the kids play and more objectively thinking about things they could work on in training. It’s my biggest problem. I have always told them they need to observe, so I finally created a tool for them to do that.

    “The one thing that best summed up what separated the best coaches from the rest, was their highly developed skill of observation.”

    Why Children Learn Faster Than Adults:

    Certain tasks children can perform better than adults. For those of you who appreciate the longer scientific answer this is because in adults the prefrontal cortex of the brain, where working memory is stored, is more developed than in children. A developed prefrontal cortex means that adults are hampered by a functional fixedness, causing adults to see a spade as a spade i.e a tool for digging. Or let me put that another way for you sports coaches out there…an adult sees a tennis racket or a shuttlecock as exactly that. However the under-developed prefrontal cortex in a child allows children to be far more inventive than that, as their prefrontal cortex is not limiting their ability to be creative and flexible. You’ll probably know this as “thinking outside of the box”.

    So this is why a child can see a broomstick as javelin (yes that was me as a child) or the mattress as a trampoline. As a result, children are often better than adults at solving tasks that require a creative solution, such as being set a challenge with limited equipment. Put another way an adult’s brain is designed to perform, but a child’s brain is designed to learn. With that in mind (pardon the pun) it doesn’t take a child genius to work out that knowing that children’s brains operate in this way must have some useful benefits for a coach. (Thompson-Schill et al, 2009)

    What the children see on a sports pitch and what you see is completely different picture. Standing in the middle of a pitch and standing along the sideline gives you an entirely different view of the game. The sports pitch can in some case be the only place a child has the opportunity to experience freedom, make mistakes but even that is taken away by the consistent actions and demands by adults from the sidelines. It’s no surprise that gaming is more popular amongst kids than team sports. When kids play computers games, they don’t have an adult hovering over their shoulder telling them how to play and kids master those games pretty well and they certainly don’t have to worry about making mistakes.

    Here are a couple points to remember:

    • Mistakes are part of the process and kids shouldn’t be ridiculed for trying.
    • Children develop at different stage.
    • The level of abuse, bullying and over coaching in kids sports is now at an all time high. Time to stop.
    • Screaming is Not just invading the children’s playtime, they’re preventing children from learning the game in a natural manner.
    • We need to educate adults on stages of development and stop forcing the process.
    • As ADULTS we expect far too much from children at a very young age.
    • We must not forget; we are talking about children not adults.
    • We need to get away from the Yell and Tell culture.
    • Allow them to be children, enjoying all the FUN elements of the game, so that they can mature into the adult game gradually and naturally.
    • It is better to give positive encouragement, refrain from criticism and leave the instructions to the coach.
    • I think a lot of kids will benefit from this even if they are use to hearing encouraging words every weekend.

    Children are given instruction at a very young age, everything they do is organised & planned. They have little or no time for free play. In many ways, we are teaching them that they can’t learn by themselves nor to we provide the environment for them to learn alone or even learn with play.

    “Feedback is more valuable than instruction. Use problem solving, ask questions rather than technique instruction, to help your child learn to play sports. Too much instruction can actually lead to a longer learning curve for children. Kids learn best by discovery not continuous instruction.” TCD

    How will this help the players: 

    1. Instead of being distracted by the stream of noise and instruction that usually exists, the kids on the pitch get the opportunity to communicate with one another, this also gives them time to think and focus on what they are about to do. It also builds team cohesion.
    2. Children must be able to master each step along the way to becoming a happy footballer. The Games should be natural and fit like their shoes.
    3. Less voices means less confusion for the kids. Often they cannot actually hear what is being said, and it is confusing when there is more than one voice to listen to.

    This culture of over-coaching and too much “input” from the sidelines actually thwarts the decision-making ability of young players, which is a very important part of their development if they are to make it to the higher levels of the game.”

    Here are some interesting Stats about the game in Ireland:

    • On average 50 kids go to England every year, 18 sign contracts
    • 94% who are good enough to get deals with an English club, don’t get as far as a second contract.
    • 75% come home and never play at League of Ireland level.
    • Liverpool Academy stated: 98% of players who are taken in by the English academy fall out by the time they are 18
    • Only 0.021% of u21’s players currently playing in the Barclays u12 league will make it to the premier league.

    Remember that your number 1 aim as a coach is to make sure the players you coach fall in love with the game.’ Having fun, is one way of doing just that. Be patient. Not all kids progress at the same rate. And learning the game of football takes more time than most people realize. Allow them to be children, enjoying all the FUN elements of the game, so that they can mature into the adult game gradually and naturally.

    Watching kids play sport should be fun for everyone including the parents and coaches.

    ‘Let the kids play’

    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

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  • Silent Sideline Weekend Update

    Silent Sideline Weekend Update

    Just spend the most productive few days at the Running School becoming a Master in DMS which is Dynamic Movements Skills. If you have’t heard or seen DMS, then check this out > DMS. Dynamic Movement Skills will be coming to Ireland soon. The results after just 6 sessions are incredible. More to follow.

    Silent Sideline

    This week I will be marketing the hell out of SSW. Friday I will be talking on the Grassroots Soccer Show at 7pm on Dublin City Radio, followed by Johnny Lyons on 98FM’s “Now That’s What I Call Sport” at 9am Sunday and then onto Today Fm with Matt Cooper on Wednesday 19th March. I’m still looking to get the support from various leagues and clubs around the country including the DDSL Although I’m told I should have an answer from the committee very soon. No sign of the SDFL getting involved just yet, but hey we still have two weeks. In any other leagues need some more information please don’t hesitate to ask.

    In saying all that, I have you and the clubs support; the most important people in this entire campaign. After the kids of course. The Silent Sideline Weekend family is growing by the day and with two weeks to go there is still time for more to get involved. If you need any flyers or are interested in purchasing a SS Pack, email us below.

    Remember: Criticism is bookmarked in a child’s head in big red writing. It’s not good for their self-esteem and in lots of cases, kids will walk away from the game for good. No-one likes to be shouted at, not even the little kiddies!.

    Don’t forget to send on your video clips (short) and pictures of the weekend. I will be doing a video montage or everything I receive. So please, be adventurers!

    The Party Is Getting Bigger…

    Ashbourne United, Ardee Celtic, Ballymun United, Blayney Academy FC, Blessington FC, Brookfield Celtic, Buncrana Hearts FC, Carlton and Rothwell Ginants JFC (UK), Cashel Town Schoolgirls, Castleknock Celtic FC, Castle Villa AFC, CarlowJuvenileLeague, Carrick United AFC, Coerver Coaching Munster, Cherry Orchard FC, Corofin United FC, DDSL, Douglas Hall AFC, Drogheda Town FC, Dunboyne AFC, Dunshaughlin Youths, East Meath United, Fettercairn YFC, Fingal County Council Sports, ISRS Dublin (Refs), Harolds Cross Y.C, Hartstown Huntstown FC, Howth Celtic, Jobstown Celtic, Kilbarrack United FC, Kildare League, Kildare Yown AFC, Kitchener Soccer Club (Canada), Laytown United, Liffey Celtic Underage, Liffey Valley Rangers, Lusk United, Malahide United AFC, Metropolitan Girls League, Moyglas (TSSDL), Naas AFC, Nireas Paros FC (Greece), NorthDublinSchoolboyLeague, Nor’West Optimist Soccer (Canada), Passage AFC (cork) Peterhead BC Phoenix (UK), Palmerstown FC, Rivermeade FC, Rivervalley Rangers FC, SandyhillShangan, Shannon Hibernians, Shankill FC, Skerries Town FC, Stamullen FC, Strand Celtic FC (Sligo) St.Francis FC, St.Kevin’s Boys, St.Malachys, St.Pauls Artane, Terenure FC, Tipperary Town Ladies Soccer, Trim Celtic AFC, Wayside Celtic FC, Wicklow District Schoolboys League, Woodlawn Sportslink & Your club next…

    If you can’t have fun then maybe it’s time to re-think what you’re doing. I really like the point by Mark O’Sullivan an Irish UEFA A coach working in Sweden: 

    “Many think that kids can only learn in adult organised environments (school, Organised Sports), what is worse is that kids are now starting to believe it. Modern organised football training has led to a coach led culture resulting in passive kids who don’t take control or ownership of their own development. The safety option is not to have learners as it is a longer process that rarely gives short term results and in the culture of the coach and early elite development there is very little patience.” – Footblogball

    Please support the campaign, to help improve participation in Kids Sports.

    Sign Up Now

    SATURDAY 29th & SUNDAY 30th March 2014

    Fill out my online form.

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    I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading. I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary 

    Email this page