I don't give as many coaching clinics as I used to but over the years I have met many coaches starting out looking for tips on how to plan practices. It is probably the area that causes the most stress.
Even after all these years, I sometimes struggle with wanted to make sure I plan our practices that will keep my players engaged and motivated but also work on the specifics topics I want covered. Below are a few general tips on planning out practices. There are very basic and simplistic and probably common sense for anyone coaching for a while. The training area The reality for most club coaches at the youth level is that you often find yourself sharing a field and therefore have to plan a practice in a manner that is not game realistic. The important thing is to find ways to maximize the space available and always make sure to tie it into game realistic situations. Before the players arrive you should get into the habit of checking the field for hazards. Make sure there is no broken glass around, (especially in public parks) and if you are using goalposts ensure they are securely anchored and not damaged. You should also try to avoid rutted or bumpy areas. Equipment
Help is essential if your transitions from one activity to the next are to go smoothly but – and more importantly – what will you do if a child is injured when you’re on your own? Who will supervise the others while you administer first aid? And what if the child has to go to hospital – you can’t leave the others on their own! It is sensible to have an assistant of the opposite sex if you are training mixed sex teams. Make sure your athletes know that they must:
Be on time! – nothing is more frustrating than to have athletes turning up five or ten minutes after you’ve started explaining a new activity to the group. Don’t allow it – athletes who keep turning up late without good reason should be taken to one side and told why their timekeeping must improve and parents should be told that they must try to get their athletes to the training on time ( where parents are still involved) Remember….
Nothing is more likely to create discipline problems then a coach who fumbles their way through a session with no clear idea of what they’re going to do next. Spend ten minutes or so before every training session considering exactly what it is you will be trying to achieve. Have one clear objective (to improve passing technique, training shielding the ball etc.) and think about how you will organize each activity. Then: 1. Write your objective down on a small piece of paper or a notebook that you can refer to during the training session then 2. Make a note of how you’re going to teach the skill or technique to the athletes and finally 3. Write down how you are going to warm them up and what equipment you will need. The teaching part of the training (number 2 in the list above) should normally have three distinct phases: Individual/Fundamental: Players working individually or in pairs on desired technical or tactical topics. (Your chosen objective may be impossible to instruct in this phase. If this is the case, use this phase to reinforce fundamental technical skills and start coaching your topic when you move to the small and large group phases.) Progress your activities from low to high pressure. Start slowly and gradually increase the speed at which the skills are performed. 1v1 and 2v2 games are ideal in this phase. Small Group/Match Related: This is the phase of training where coaches need to show the greatest amount of creativity. Here we create competitive games (usually 2v2 to 4v4) that have imposed conditions/restrictions that allow the team to easily learn and experiment with the chosen topic. Players are under increasing pressure when compared to the individual phase. Four vs. four games are the preferred method of teaching in this phase. Large Group/Match Conditions: Bearing in mind what was said earlier about large sided games, we now let the game be the teacher. You should be aiming to create fun, competitive games, 5v5 up to 11v11. Remember, the smaller the number of players in a game, the more each player gets to touch the ball and practice what they have learned earlier in the session. This is also an opportunity for coaches to watch and evaluate their team’s performance under match like conditions. Coaches should also be asking themselves, “Are my players using the skills they’ve just been taught?” Coaching the practice When introducing practice, make sure you’ve scaled it to your group. Make sure it is appropriate for the age. U10 boys can not drive balls 40 yards in the air, so crossing attack at U10 should finish on the ground, there will not be any lofted balls to the far post from the opposite touch-line.
Relax, smile, and have fun. Your demeanor should say “this is cool”. Take it to the game. Get to a game at the end to see your topic played. Stop the game if the players aren’t doing what you want them to do. But don’t stop the game too much – beware of over-coaching and don’t be afraid of letting your athletes think for themselves.
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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