COACHING PRIORITIES (Part 2)

The sharing initiative continues with more recommendations and discussion points by Coach Jeff Tipping, Emeritus Director of Coach Education for the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) to help coaches of American players in their teaching priorities:

Development by Osmosis - Learning from older players.

Playing with and against older professionals is one of the most effective ways for young players to learn and develop. It is very fashionable to play a couple of older professional players (30/32 years of age) in games alongside the young professionals (u18s, u20's etc.) In addition, clubs will, often, use older players coming back from injury to play in junior games. There is a sprinkling of older players in many of the youth games specifically to enhance the learning experience of the younger players.

Sadly many American clubs cannot do this simply because all the older players have gone to University at the age of 18 and many have not come back after graduation….so there are few people for the 14/15 years old left to learn from. However, I have worked at clubs were the coaching staff is young enough (30+) to play with and against the older age groups within the club (say the 16 year olds) who mix in with and against the older players. Other procedures could be developed to enhance the younger players learning from playing with and against older players – having local college players to come and help with practice is one way of improving young players by osmosis.

Using substitution as a motivational tool.

There is enormous competition for playing time within youth and professional squads and the coaches will, often, use the substitutes as a "Threat" to players on the field who are playing poorly. The coach gets the subs off the bench so the players playing in the game see the subs warming up alongside the field a couple of feet from the game. In a system when subbed players cannot go back in again this move by the coach can be a notification to specific players on the field that you are going to have to do better or you shall be subbed! The American system allows free substitution so the threat is not quite as sinister but modifications can always be improvised by a united coaching staff who are in agreement about player performance.

Early Movement – Early Support..

Players moved to support a team mate “Before” the ball reached that team mate.     So…player A passes the ball to player B and, as the ball is rolling from A to B, player C is already moving into position so that player B can pass the ball to him first time or, at least, early. Combined with early verbal communication this enabled players to play one touch. A certain portion of each practice playing 1 touch soccer can enhance this habit. Verbal communication is, also, to be encouraged.

Early Decision Making and the importance of Small Sided Games.

Due to the positions they occupy there are certain patterns of play which occur in every game to players. Players must be exposed to those patterns of play in practice and master those patterns. Consequently, in a 6 v 6 practice game a right back should be positioned on the right side of the field which corresponds to the position he plays in the 11 v 11 game. Right backs receive the ball sideways on in a game as they are in a flank position. Central midfielders receive the ball facing their own goal…which is a completely different receiving skill. The positioning of central midfielders in small sided games should reflect this. Players are aware of their options with the ball before receiving it. See number 3. Frank Lampard’s body positioning (sideways on) and constant scanning made him one of the finest midfielders to ever play the game.

Ability to receive a hard pass.

Players rarely bobbled a ball even when passed with lightning speed. Although our US players have improved in this area they still make too many first touch mistakes. A common mistake novice player’s make is to receive the ball with a loose ankle i.e. with the big toe pointing down. To make the foot rigid the big toe should be pointing up which will lock the ankle and give the player a better receiving surface and more control over the ball - also important for passing with the inside of the foot. This is one of the most common mistakes I see when watching our young players and must be addressed early in a player’s technical development…the consequences from not correcting this malady are dire. Players who have receiving flaws shall have a very difficult time playing at a significantly sophisticated level.

Repetition.         

Two walls featured here - one in Brazil and one at an English Premier League club. Players are expected to spend an enormous amount of time doing very basic routines kicking the ball against a wall. We were astonished to see the willingness of Brazilian players to perform, what appears to be, extremely basic skill repetition day in and day out. The Brazilians used their wall every day, sometimes for 30 minutes. The big question is, “Are our players willing to do basic repetition?”

The Coaching Team.

It would not be unusual to see 5/6 staff coaches at an Everton U18 game…plus more in the bleachers watching the game. This is not always possible in American clubs but the understanding that the coaching staffs are a team which works together must be emphasized.

Moreover, it is, absolutely, essential that the coaching staff must have an understanding of “correct” technique.

Read the Whole Report…

Jeffrey Tipping, Jeff Tipping.com                       

jeffrtipping@gmailcom 0(11 44) 1 695 421 701 – UK (001) 816 213 6755 - USA

Koach Karl’s Notes: 

Thank You! Coach Tipping for sharing your insights with FUNdamental SOCCER!

 I am hoping that YOU (the reader) will join this discussion because your input may help improve another youth soccer coach …Priceless..!

 Finally, I pray that everyone will take care of themselves and their loved ones!

 Your FUNdamental, Koach Karl (Karl Dewazien)

• Emeritus State DoC of California Youth Soccer Assoc. 1979-2012
• Author - FUNdamental SOCCER Books Series (***New e-book Just Published)
• Producer - ‘FUNdamental SOCCER -Practice’ DVD.
• Clinician at: www.fundamentalsoccer.com