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January 2014
NSCAA Convention
Philadelphia 2014
Tony McCallum
FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
Philadelphia, PA, USA
NSCAA Convention 2014
study visit to the NSCAA Coaches Convention which was held in Philadelphia to observe,
record and report on some of the latest developments in coaching from across the world.
The group, from various levels of the game in England, attended the Convention and
benefitted from a personalised programme that included meetings with NSCAA and US
Youth Soccer as well as interviews with some of the leading practitioners at the event.
The opportunity allowed the coaches to recognise developments in coaching practice and
how this links to the FA coaching pathway and can supplement coach development in
England
The study group members have compiled a number of reports from the trip which will be
published in a series of articles that will be shared and published through the FA Licensed
The full report
which follows gives an insight into the different areas that the group observed during their
visit and the key messages that can be taken and applied into coaching practice.
Coach Biographies
Tony McCallum FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
• Tony presently works in the field of coach education and coach development. His role at
the FA is in support of coaches working across the FA Coach Education programmes
supporting coaches from entry level, through the FA Youth coaching strand and onto
FA/UEFA A Licence.
• He is the Senior Regional Coach Development Manager for the South, which includes
London, the South East and South West and has been in this role for the past 7 years.
• Tony previously attended the NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia in 2010 to observe the
varying array of content delivered in the support of coach development.
Coach Biographies
Shaun Hemmings London - FA Level 2, FAYA Module 1,2,3
Shaun holds the FA Level Two qualifications in both the Outfield and Goalkeeping strands as well as
currently undertaking his FAYA Mod 3. Shaun is currently in his sixth year of coaching, working primarily
within the Foundation Phase as a grassroots development coach in West London after experiences in
Italy and the Czech Republic. Shaun's attendance at the convention was primarily aimed at further
enhancing his knowledge of different sporting cultures/coaching styles.
Sinead McSharry Women's Assistant Coach Hamilton College, New York
• Sinead McSharry College Women's Soccer
Program after serving as the Recruiting Director at Husson University. Sinead is originally from
London, she studied Sport Science at Greenwich University and has
Exercise and Sport Studies at Smith College in the United States. She holds her UEFA B Licence, FA
Goalkeeping Level 2, NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1 and has coached at various youth clubs including
Manchester United, Western United Pioneers, Seacoast United Blackbear and Odyssey Sport NY.
Prior to her move to the USA she was Head of Girls PE at Hayes School, coached for Millwall FC in
the Centre of Excellence & played for Millwall FC in the FA League.
Coach Biographies
Gary Bye - FA Licensed Safeguarding Tutor and FA/UEFA B Football Coach
• Currently studying BSc Coaching Science & qualified FA Level 3 (UEFA B) Coach and Mod 1, 2 and 3
FA Youth Award. Fifteen years of football coaching has involved work with children & young people
from diverse backgrounds in football both here & abroad. Throughout that time has successfully
coached teams from U6 to U18 grassroots boys & girls, along with successful male & female adult
teams.
As a FA Licensed Safeguarding Tutor , Gary, regularly delivers Life skills & Safeguarding sessions to
scholars in Professional Academies at Elite level, grassroots players & best practice for those adults
responsible for the welfare & safeguarding children whilst participating in all aspects of football &
sport.
Ceri Bowley Youth Development Phase Coach - Swansea City FC (FA/UEFA B - FAYA Mod 1/2/3)
• Ceri is currently studying a PhD at Cardiff Metropolitan University and has experience as a youth
coach from grassroots through to professional academy level, where he holds the position of Youth
Development Phase coach at Swansea City FC. Ceri is also part of the FA Club Mentor programme
.
Coach Biographies
Myles Bethell - Norwich City Community Sports Foundation FA Level 2 Licensed Coach
• Completed the FA Level 1 & 2 qualifications and now looking to progress to UEFA B License. Currently
working as a part-time coach with Norwich City Football Club Community Sports Foundation "working
in the community" programme for 4-6 year olds.
Myles is also a qualified Civil Engineer having secured an Engineering Degree whilst attending
Loughborough University where he also coached the local U12 Team.
Tom Wells - Southampton FC Saints Foundation Coach - FA Level 2, FAYA Module 1,2, GK Level 1
• Tom is in his second year at Southampton Solent University studying BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching. He
has been coaching since he was 17 when he started volunteering at his local multi sport clubs, he has
been balancing his studies and coaching youth players at with various coaching companies and
organisations in the UK and in the USA. Tom was recently accepted into the FA Tesco Skills Mentoring
Programme; a partnership between Southampton Solent University and the FA and he currently
coaches with Solent U18's as their goalkeeper coach.
Conference Topics
1. DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression (Pg 12)
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director, Croatian Football Federation
2. An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development (Pg 18)
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
3. Creativity in the Final Third, Playing With a Number 10 (Pg 31)
Geoff Pike, National Coach Educator & Jamie Robinson, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
4. Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision (Pg 36)
Mark Wotte, Performance Director Scottish FA, Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach,
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
5. Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football: The Myth of Narrowing the Angle (Pg 42)
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
Conference Topics
6. Offensive and Defensive Transitions - Key Moments in the Game (Pg 49)
Miguel Cardoso, Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach, Technical Coordinator of Professional Academy
7. Team Building Creating a Defensive Pattern (Pg 56)
Miguel Cardoso, Shahktar Donetsk U21 Head Coach Academy Technical Coordinator.
8. Team Defending: A Progressive Method to Implement Defensive Principles (Pg 60)
Jason Pendleton, Head Boys and Girls Coach Blue Valley Southwest High.
9. The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper (Pg 64)
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
10. Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture (Pg 72)
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC);
Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA;
Special Guest Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
Conference Topics
11. Coaching Opportunities New York Red Bulls (Pg 80)
(Pg 85)
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota Youth Soccer
Peter Rivard, Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
13. Midfield Play (Pg 91)
Dick Bate, Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
14. Team Management for Coaches (Pg 98)
Jerry
15 Pg 104)
Lynn Kachmarik & Clark Power National Outreach Director for Play Like a Champion Today,
Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame
Conference Topics
16. Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players (Pg 109)
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
17. Age (Pg 120)
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
18. Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills: "The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players (Pg 132)
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America
Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and Player Development
19. Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger (Pg 144)
Ric Granrud, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca NSCAA Club Standards Consultants
20. Study Group Summary (Pg 154)
Tony McCallum, FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager (South)
DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director,
Croatian Football Federation
Introduction:
• A scientific and analytical approach is what Romeo Jozak, Technical Director to the
Croatian Football Federation, passionately believes is the best way to approach and
maximise player development.
• Since taking his role as Technical Director, he has utilised three key methods to drive his
approach to building players subconscious reactions through genetics, past experience,
proper repetition
automisation
match-play and free up thought processing for creative and complex decisions or
scenarios.
DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director, Croatian Football Federation
three specific session progressions focused on:
• Isolate effectively technique training given a game based reference (e.g. positional
approach and position taking);
• Passive passive defenders are added to shadow and drive the session to the desired
scenario solutions (e.g. player movement off the defenders or body positions to open up field
of vision);
• Active live game-play situations where the previously established solution patterns should
achieve the desired outcome around active defending.
• The purpose of the session was to build on previously established individual techniques, such
as body position and receiving techniques, into phases of play to suit the attacking process
and the transitional phases of play.
DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director, Croatian Football Federation
Key Learning Points:
• The importance of giving players a high incidence of proper repetition and levels of
experiences to establish better technique and build in subconscious decisions to free
up thought processing enabling creative play and reactions to complex decisions and
situations;
• The progression of session type from Isolated...to Passive...to Active in order to build
players up from their individual technique, thus isolating weaknesses (e.g. weak foot,
incorrect body position etc) by focussing on keeping the right body position and choice
of technique to increase a players field of vision and available options;
• The importance of linking sessions, even Isolated or technique sessions to game-play
situations and scenarios to develop better decision making
DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director, Croatian Football Federation
DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progression
Romeo Jozak, Technical Director, Croatian Football Federation
Key Learning Points:
• A coaching style to encourage players and develop them in stages both individually
and as a unit.
• These learning points can be linked effectively to the method and style of coaching
more traditional to the English game, whilst also understanding the requirement to
plan an effective training scheme to progress sessions through from Isolated to Active
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler,
U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
• Bayern Munich have managed to steal the title of the most revered club in Europe from Barcelona in the last couple of years with a consistent display of fluidity and power which saw them clinch the Treble of Bundesliga, German D.F.B Cup and UEFA Champions League in the 2012-2013 season.
• With the arrival of Pep Guardiola, the club has arguably progressed to a higher level with
a run of over 50 competitive games unbeaten this season. Part of what has made the current Bayern model so attractive is that just over half of the first team squad are home-grown players, with the spine of the Club being cemented through the development of Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger & Thomas Muller, whilst Tony Kroos, David Alaba & Holger Badstuber have also become vital members of the first team squad following development through the youth setup.
• It was no surprise therefore to see a significant turnout of coaches attending the Lecture
presented by Bayern U16 Head Coach & Coach Educator Sebastian Dremmler, in an attempt to understand what attributes can be used to help create a predominantly home-grown team capable of becoming World Club Champions.
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
• It is well known that at the start of the twenty-first century German Football was in a state of transition after a run of disappointing results at France 1998 and the European Championships of Euro 2000. German football was in need of a makeover, with the transformation clear over the last fourteen years as the German National Team has reached at least the Semi-Finals of every Major International Tournament since 2006 with club teams also achieving a high level of success.
• Bayern Munich can claim to have done their part in facilitating this growth in performance, as over 50 players have come through the Bayern youth system to forge a playing career within the top two Bundesliga leagues since the turn of the century. This however could only have been achieved with the partnership between Bundesliga clubs and the German Football Association (Deutscher Fussball-Bund, or D.F.B) who decided that new implementations were needed at youth development level.
• The consistent success of both Bayern and the National Team can in recent years can only be seen as testament to the work done within the talent identification programmes introduced to German Youth Football in 2003.
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
•
highlighted during his presentation the club are currently in the process of finding a new training facility due to the undersized training ground at the Säbener Strasse sight, with only five pitches (three grass, two synthetic) available to accommodate all of the Bayern
• Adjacent to the Academy Head Office however is the Apartment House, where Schweinsteiger, Owen Hargreaves and Sammy Kuffour all learnt their foot-balling trade alongside their education. This apartment block provides accommodation for academy players who live too far away to commute for each training session, therefore eleven qualified tutors are available to help the players with their educational needs.
• This aspect of youth development provides a key factor in the advancement of not
• The Bayern Academy system also looks to replicate many of the aspects visible within
the education system, with coaches remaining in their respective age bracket year on
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
• The formation of a school program in 2007 in association with the Academy system has allowed Bayern to further strengthen links with the local educational authorities, meaning that young athletes are provided with the opportunity to train alongside their academic studies, often before and after lessons.
• Whilst this provides opportunities to spot further talented players, this close association is also due to what many German clubs, not just Bayern, feel is a moral obligation to
• This moral obligation has been seen across many areas of the club as Bayern places a strong focus on their scouts (Under 8 through to Under 13) searching within the Bavarian area in conjunction with the D.V.B talent development programmes, where technical skills and tactical knowledge are developed between the ages of 8-14 to local players.
• This is then supplemented within the Club Academy as the club looks to endorse a Freedom to Fail philosophy, with players developing at a steady pace alongside their physical and intellectual development. An interesting note is that, where possible, Bayern look to play their academy teams a year up until they reach U17 level. The focus here is to challenge players to get better against possibly bigger, stronger opponents.
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
• Sebastian was asked by one of the coaches in the audience how the club had adapted to the change of management within the First Team, with Pep Guardiola replacing Jupp Heyneckes at the end of the 2012-2013 season. Sebastian responded by saying that although there will inevitably be subtle changes within the higher echelons of the club. It
• There was one notable point raised in relation to how the change of management had affected the mind-
-19 age bracket was thus:
Eight Defenders, 14 Midfielders, No Strikers!!! Spanish Flair & Versatility combined with German Efficiency The results thus far seem to suggest that this has been a devastating combination.
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
Key Application • The German System has developed an incredible camaraderie between not just
education and football, but also between the Academy Clubs within Bundesliga 1.
• Do we as English Coaches still place too much emphasis on our young footballers to put their heart and soul into the game in pursuit of the Holy Grail - to the detriment of their education?
• Are our grassroots players ready for life after football? For even those who experience a playing career in professional football it is widely acknowledged that professional players (even accounting for advancements in fitness and technology) will retire at some point between the ages of 35-45. Where can our players go from there?
• Do
• "We believe it is not good for a nine-year-old to play [regularly] for a professional football club because it changes the reasons why he plays football," says Sebastian Neuf, a member of the football school's management at Freiburg F.C
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
Key Application • A further indication of this attitude is the view of Bayern in relation to releasing players to
other clubs another club. Naturally the question was asked as to whether this a concern to Bayern - offering talented youngsters for other clubs to develop and obtain the benefits. Sebastian answered with a view that seems to reflect the general consensus of those in Germany. It is all about developing the player, for one day that player could represent the national team.
• The German system has acknowledged a move towards players who are more technically sound rather than those who are simply physically stronger than others at a young age. They also highlight the importance of giving players time to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Do we as English Coaches still place too much emphasis on Lombardian Attributes? Despite the move towards aspects highlighted within the Future Game there is still evidence that grassroots teams look towards what I call Playground Football, where the biggest and strongest are picked within teams to ensure short-term success by simply using their physical attributes to bully smaller children out of games.
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
Key Application • German Football, along with many other European Football Nations, places a huge
emphasis on the coaches within the youth academy being qualified and educated to a high standard (It was highlighted following the 2010 World Cup that Germany has over
• A huge part of coaching education comes from experience coaching in the field, whilst
other education can be obtained from studying sport through Higher Education. • This is believed to have aided the development of German Coaching.
• But do we as a nation still fall into the notion of simply believing that because a person
played the game professionally; they are automatically going to be a better coach then someone who has extensive experience coaching but no professional experience of playing the game?
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
An Overview of the Bayern's Youth Development
Sebastian Dremmler, U16 Head Coach and Coach Educator, Bayern Munich
Summary • The German Football Association felt they had hit rock bottom in Euro 2000 - with
arguably the toughest moment of that campaign being their first competitive defeat to England since the 1966 World Cup Final.
• They took huge steps which required an element of RISK in their hope of creating a plethora of home grown talent from which to pick a national squad. Fourteen years later however there are many who believe that the German National Team has a strong chance of becoming the first European Nation to Win a World Cup on South American soil.
• As highlighted above a huge factor in this has been the unification of German Youth Football towards one common goal. For the Good of the National Team!!!
Year No. Of German Players in First Team Bayern Munich Squad
2010 4
2012 5
2013 4
2014 10
Bayern Munich Youth Academy – Weekly Training
Requirements Age Group Sessions Per
Week
Players Per
Squad
Match
Conditions Under 8 – Under
11
3 11 7v7
Under 12 3 14 9v9
Under 13 – Under
15
4 18 11v11
Under 16 – Under
19
6 22 11v11
Bayern Munich Academy - Player Development
Age Group Key Principles 9-11 Years The ‘Basics’
Co-ordination
Fun
Small Sided Games (1v1, 4v4)
12-16 Years Basics and Match Technique
Understanding Defensive & Offensive
Traits
Position Games (9v9, 11v11)
Maintaining a sense of Fun
16-19 Years Learning Under Pressure – adapting
these skills to a competitive
environment
Age Group Leagues Competing U8 – U11 City-League (Munich)
U12’s U13’s Bavaria League
U13 Private Games and
Tournaments
Staff Positions within the Bayern
Munich Youth Academy Sports Director Head of Scouting
Co-Ordinator (Under 15
to Under 19)
Co-Ordinator (Under 9
to Under 14)
School Director School Programmer
Head of Junior
Development
Key
Player Movement
Ball Movement
Part-Match Environment 5v5 with four wing players/wing backs (2 per team) in
possession, then look to explode and offer support.
Technical Points Two Feet Try never to KILL the ball!! Always keep it moving where possible (An Aggressive First Touch). In own half of the pitch maximise space. In the opponents half imagination!!! Visual Cues where possible
Creativity in the Final Third With a Number
Geoff Pike, National Coach Educator,
The Football Association Jamie Robinson, National Coach Educator,
The Football Association
Introduction:
• Geoff Pike and Jamie Robinson progressed into coaching following successful careers as
players within the English leagues. Following various coaching roles, both Geoff and Jamie
now hold Coach Educator positions within the FA.
• The session conducted by Geoff and Jamie illustrated a possession based approach playing
through the thirds; quality passing and intelligent movement and support off the ball;
penetrative, incisive and varied attacking play; speed in transition phases; allied to a tactical,
controlled approach to defending the preferred style of play established by the FA.
Creativity in the Final Third - Playing With a Number 10
Geoff Pike, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
Jamie Robinson, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
The session was based on three stages:
• Unopposed coaching patterns and movements;
• Opposed varying the constraints (numbers, space, etc) to establish decision making and
problem solving based on the coached philosophies (patterns and movements) ;
• Live live game-play situations where the previously established solution patterns should
achieve the desired outcome around a game situation.
• The primary purpose of the session was to introduce the principles of playing through a
number 10, introducing suggested movements and patterns to offer solutions to likely game
situations. In addition, the session touched on raising player awareness and decision making,
key attributes of a number 10.
Creativity in the Final Third - Playing With a Number 10
Geoff Pike, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
Jamie Robinson, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
Creativity in the Final Third - Playing With a Number 10
Geoff Pike, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
Jamie Robinson, National Coach Educator, The Football Association
Key Learning Points:
• As well as taking the ideas and principles of the session away, the main learning points
focus on coaching style and methods paramount to achieving the desired outcomes
defined by the FA Philosophies.
• Players learn most through success. However, it is worth remembering that players can
develop and learn at a higher level through limiting this success (e.g. 4v2 coaching the 2
to retain possession).
• Chaos can be used to breed learning and success, as it introduces higher levels of
awareness and decision making in order to succeed.
• The importance of creating a conducive environment to learning and ensuring
everything ties back into the game and game situations.
• Setting realistic expectations for the level of players available, and tailoring goals and
objectives to suit individual needs.
Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision
Mark Wotte, Performance Director
Scottish FA, Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
• Mark Wotte, former Head-Coach at Ismaily SC, Academy Director and
Head-Coach at Southampton Football Club, Technical Director of
Feyenoord and current Performance Director for the Scottish FA,
delivered an insightful lecture on Elite Player Development Strategy in
is looking very bright. Behind it all Mark is working around the 10,000
hours of football for young talented players to become elite, a
professional player using a performance strategy to increase the
standard of coaching to produce the next home grown talents to come
out of Scottish football.
Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision
Mark Wotte, Performance Director Scottish FA,
Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
• At the core of this development is the National youth team pyramid:
National Team
U21
18xU19
24xU18
36xU17 + Development Squads
36xU16 + Development Squads
36xU15 + Development Squads
48xU14 + Futures Squads
2 Regional Squads
7 Performance Schools
32 Scottish FA 20/20 Centres
Grassroots Football
Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision
Mark Wotte, Performance Director Scottish FA,
Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
• early achievements have been the 7 performance schools, which coach around 3000 players
Attitude Athlete Accountability Ability and
Awareness. They use PIMS which is short for Performance Information Monitoring System; this has
is that they are 100% free for the players and they are cost effective for the Scottish FA. Whilst at the
regional squads and are coached specifically by coaches not ex professional players. Mark has
increased the number players playing U14 and U15 football but the staff too including, sport scientists
and sport psychologist. The aim increase high standards of Scottish football. National youth teams
have been playing against better countries such as Germany and Holland, rather than teams like
Cyprus. Wotte has seen first hand
U19 teams qualifying for more elite rounds in competitions. This could be down to the style of play he
has introduced switching to a 4-3-3 formations which he says is and players have had
.
Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision
Mark Wotte, Performance Director Scottish FA,
Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
Elite Player Development Strategy in Scotland: The 2020 Vision
Mark Wotte, Performance Director Scottish FA, Former U19 and U21 KNVB National Teams Coach
Michael Oliver, Chief Scout, Scottish FA
• The introduction of the Club Academy System or CAS has seen clubs rated on a 1 to 6 star rating on
the basis of planning, facilities, qualified coaches, support systems etc. This creates more
transparency between club and country, improved audit process, more value for money and players
have more contact time with their club, where they can develop.
• Interestingly Mark talked about finding players in the rest of the U.K. that are eligible to play for
Scotland, players who might have mums, dads or even grandparents who are Scottish, to come and
play for Scotland. This can only increase the talent pool for Scottish football.
• Lastly Mark compared their vision to other set ups of national teams in Europe, such as Holland, where
they have teams from as young as U6 all the way up to U21, however with the new performance
pyramid Wotte is focussing on what he calls the
• Ball possession by the opponent
Transition to ball possession
Ball possession of ourselves
Transition to ball possession
Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football:
The Myth of Narrowing the Angle
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
• Paul Barron has coached at some of the most prestigious clubs in English
football such as Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United after retiring
from professional football where he played for teams including Reading Stoke
extremely well, even though he was suffering a few injuries from a cycling
accident prior to the convention. His field session was focusing on the myth of
narrowing the angle, footwork and positioning to deal with modern football.
Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football:
The Myth of Narrowing the Angle
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
• Paul started with a quick ten minute warm-up using four goalkeepers, who worked
in pairs. They were using 1 touch passes over a distance of 8-12 yards and working
in boxes of around 3x4 yards. As the warm up progressed the goalkeepers stared to
use different types of distribution from their feet, volleys, half-volleys and more
powerful ground passes. This increased the physicality of the warm-up to prepare
for the loading of the main practices. With use of the FA Four Corner model, this
also focussed on the techniques basic handling, cup and w whilst practicing
passing and receiving in tight spaces, which is tactically relevant to how
goalkeepers play. What I liked was that is mentally challenging, working in a small
area and made the goalkeepers manage their mistakes by improving their set
position and body shape to receive the different distribution. Furthermore, this
competitions between the pairs which Paul Progressed onto. For example, the pair
who could make 10 clean passes and saves first was the winners.
Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football:
The Myth of Narrowing the Angle
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
• Paul progressed onto the main part of his session where he used all 4 goalkeepers
again working in pairs again. Paul described the use of a triangle for this exercise,
where there was a point in the middle of the 6 yard line and the two remaining
points being the two goal posts. For shots on the angle the goalkeeper would move
along the side being advanced slightly by a couple of yards. This created what Paul
called with a server around 12-15 yards away. You can see how
this flowed nicely from the warm-up. Servers started with volleys and progressed to
ground striking allowing the goalkeeper to practice a range of saves, w, cup, mid
range, scoop, collapse and low diving saves. After 1-2 sets the goalkeepers then
switched sides into the next set using quick footwork. Paul focussed on having the
goalkeepers set for the next shot, by having a good set position, leaning forwards
not backwards and having their hands set as well. The exercise was intense realistic
and really made the goalkeepers concentrate to keep calm and controlled.
Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football:
The Myth of Narrowing the Angle
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
• Key Points:
• A quote that stuck with me from the session was
. Pauls used this when a goalkeeper made a mistake. I think this allowed the
goalkeeper to remember what he did incorrectly which allowed to him to learn from
that mistake, it is something you could use when coaching your goalkeepers in your
next training sessions.
•
corner of the field or 3g pitch, where space is limited. You can train multiple
goalkeepers or work 1 on 1.
• As its game related, your 4v4 conditioned games can encompass this, strikers are
only allowed to shoot on the angle, and therefore the ball must be played wide
Footwork and Positioning to Deal with the Modern Football:
The Myth of Narrowing the Angle
Paul Barron, Goalkeeper Coach, Nottingham Forest
Offensive and Defensive Transitions Key Moments in the Game
Miguel Cardoso,
Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach, Technical Coordinator of Professional
Academy
Introduction:
•
Porto in Portugal. Following this appointment he subsequently developed more towards the
role of a fitness coach, most notably with SC Braga. Whilst at SC Braga, and also at Deportivo
La Coruna and Academica Coimbra, he worked as Assistant Coach before taking up his
current role as Head Coach and Academy Technical Coordinator at Shahktar Donetsk in 2013.
•
the two transitional phases being the most critical to success:
• Offensive play;
• Defensive play;
• Transition offence to defence;
• Transition defence to offence.
Offensive and Defensive Transitions - Key Moments in the Game
Miguel Cardoso, Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach,
Technical Coordinator of Professional Academy
• Miguel believes strongly in a four step game model (tactics, method, principles and set pieces)
but emphasises that are the basis and platform for development given that game
scenarios are unknown so all decisions need to be based on set principles. In relation to
e.g. to shorten space, high press in pairs etc.
• Miguel uses a small sided game situation to introduce these principles to the players as well as
coaching techniques and tactics based on the principles.
•
retention and transitional control from defence to offence.
Offensive and Defensive Transitions - Key Moments in the Game
Miguel Cardoso, Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach,
Technical Coordinator of Professional Academy
Offensive and Defensive Transitions - Key Moments in the Game
Miguel Cardoso, Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach,
Technical Coordinator of Professional Academy
Key Learning Points:
• The importance of making quick decisions to benefit the potential overloads in the
transitional phase of defence to offence, and to recover in the transitional phase of
offence to defence.
• The importance of having an established playing philosophy and making the
outputs of coaching sessions match these philosophies.
• Encouraging the high pressing of the ball if it is lost, based on the principle of the
best moment to recover the ball is immediately after it is lost.
Offensive and Defensive Transitions - Key Moments in the Game
Miguel Cardoso, Shakhtar Donetsk U21 Head Coach,
Technical Coordinator of Professional Academy
Key Learning Points:
• In the transition phase from defence to offence, play the ball forward if possible, if
not look to switch the play to the opposite corridor. If neither option is available then
keep possession by playing it back.
• In the transition phase from offence to defence, pressure the ball thus reducing the
opportunity for play to get out (e.g. nearest player presses the ball with the team
shape covering to defend and press zonally).
Team Building Creating a Defensive Pattern
Miguel Cardoso, Shahktar Donetsk U21 Head Coach
Academy Technical Coordinator.
Introduction
• coaching style is to utilise small sided game situations to unlock and instil
behaviours into individuals and the team unit to be utilised in a full game situation.
zonal press system for the team unit. To establish
this, he breaks down the positional and support play in a small sided game situation, with
the numbers altering to suit the positional and technical requirements to defend (e.g.
either win the ball back or close it out to safety). Once the most productive or beneficial
action is instilled in the individual player, Miguel then develops and increases the activity
by introducing further players to create pairs and onwards into the bigger defensive unit.
• Miguel develops sessions from (i) instructive and isolated (i.e. coaching the movement
without having active or live play); through (ii) passive movement (using controlled
attacking play/movement to coach the defensive response); to (iii) active live play
requiring individual and unit decisions based on the established principles, building
these from a small unit into a full team unit.
Team Building Creating a Defensive Pattern
Miguel Cardoso, Shahktar Donetsk U21 Head Coach
Academy Technical Coordinator.
Team Building Creating a Defensive Pattern
Miguel Cardoso, Shahktar Donetsk U21 Head Coach
Academy Technical Coordinator.
Key Learning Points:
• The importance of having a positive playing philosophy and making coaching sessions
output match these philosophies.
• Establishing individual technical and positional requirements through small sided games,
before increasing into a larger defensive unit.
• Offering a defensive out-ball if they regain possession, which buys into your philosophies
(e.g. long diagonal for a point, ball retention for a point etc).
• Using the progression of sessions to engrain desired principles so that unknown game
scenarios and decisions will be based on those principles.
Team Defending: A Progressive Method to Implement
Defensive Principles
Jason Pendleton, Head Boys and Girls Coach Blue Valley Southwest High.
Introduction:
• Jason Pendleton has been a high school soccer coach for 18 years holding his current
position as Head Boys and Girls Coach Blue Valley Southwest High since 2010. During
his coaching career he has been recognised with a number of prestigious awards
including the NSCAA Kansas State Coach of the Year and NSCAA Midwest Regional
Coach of the Year.
• Jason progressed open sessions which related to individual aspects of play designed
to establish desired movements and techniques before progressing these into the
bigger picture of a team unit and active match play.
•
on these patterns and facilitating their transfer into the wider full game scenario.
Team Defending:
A Progressive Method to Implement Defensive Principles
Jason Pendleton, Head Boys and Girls Coach Blue Valley Southwest High.
Team Defending:
A Progressive Method to Implement Defensive Principles
Jason Pendleton, Head Boys and Girls Coach Blue Valley Southwest High.
Key Learning Points:
• The importance of correct body and player positioning individually and as a larger
unit.
• The importance of communication and how this can lead to making the most of
transition phases.
• Using sessions to create smaller pictures or patterns from the game which players
can use to recognise and solve complex situations in a full game situation.
• These can transfer into the English game by ensuring the planning of session and
player progression to develop smaller patterns of productive play. This will then
become natural activity and easily transferred into the full game scenario allowing
players to solve the scenarios and problems encountered in the desired and most
productive manner.
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer
Association
Introduction
• Jennifer Pfeiffer discussed youth goalkeeping and covered all areas of development:
technical, tactical, physical and psychological. Looking at the path of goalkeepers in the
current scope of soccer from the professional level back to the youth level and how we
develop them with current trends and coaching philosophies.
• What is the view from a youth goalkeeper?
• How do we build sessions with the goalkeepers and what traits will make them successful
beyond the youth?
Professional development for you and them
• Coaches who is the best in the world? In your country? How about in your region? In the
other goalkeepers are developing. If you find a good goalkeeper locally go and watch
them train. Analyze the best!
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
• Key Learning Points
• Best practices:
• 1. Goalkeepers are field player first with support position and ability to use their feet.
They will get scored on by a pass back and you must be willing to accept it as a coach to
learn build to the bigger game. Last World Cup the GKs touched the ball with their feet 7x
more than their hands 7:1
• 2. Teach the GK basic saves around their body with low balls, mid-range, then high
balls. Every catch they should be able to name and use as reference for games. Only dive
or get on the ground when their feet cannot get them there to make the save.
• 3. High balls are a later development aspect so be patient on the high balls. The GK has
to identify the shot, drop step to get behind the ball, time the jump to catch at highest
point, catch the ball in the air, and land on their feet. Lots of decision making first before
catching the ball - high coordination, then range of learning to catch vs. tip vs. parry. Plus
they have to make a decision to be brave to come out in a crowd of players. It is a large
amount of information to process for the younger players and newer goalkeepers.
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
• Key Learning Points
• Physical:
• If you cant find an age appropriate goal to use for training/games have the goalkeeper
focus of the saves in and around the body. Technique of basic shapes is important.
• PREVENT INJURIES. High level of shoulder injuries when goalkeepers reach the college
level. Overuse mostly have them cross-train, perhaps in another sport in the off-season.
Eric Cressey has a good shoulder prevention program www.ericcressey.com. Outside of
hips, concussions and fingers are other common injuries.
•
a whole session on diving. Know good work to rest ratios, or best yet, try your own
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
• Key Learning Points
• Tactical:
• 1. Staying on the ball line at all times and the connection to your backline. You can go
outside of your goal box and penalty box to stay connected to your team and it is
expected on the big fields to move up, down, right, and left. The space between your
defense and your goal is yours to own and control.
• 2. Accountable for distribution after the save. How to distribute, different options,
when it is on, and how to organize to build out of the back instead of players running
away from you. Which foot to aim, how to spin the ball, etc.
• 3. Simple communication and organization to be taught early. Call for the ball coming
at you. Name to organize: Jen ball, Julie 27, step to 18,
etc. Understand what the backline shape looks like and who is shooting on
you. Immediate pressure to the ball and organizing players in front of you will create less
shots and make your job easy to stay on your feet.
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
U7 U8-U10 U10-U12 U13-U15
Introduction Dynamic Stance Positional Play Positional Play
ball is toy Set Position Angle Arc Soccer player balance Ball line concept Positioning for flank identify flank attacks
spacial awareness Vertical position early cross
fun 3rd of Field 2-goal situation
confidence 3-goal situation
Basic Handling Basic Handling Basic Handling
basket catch side contour collapse diving
contour catch high contour extension diving
scoop collapse diving point blank saves
deal with crosses communication
breakaway reading the game
thrown/kicked service-all heights breakaway advanced tactics
thrown or punt services Distribution Distribution Distribution
Bowling drop kicks improving for consistent playing back pass sling throw spins
volley from hands push/baseball throw
goal kick
NSCAA and US Youth Soccer Curriculum
• Key Learning Points
• Final point:
• Learning aides. Have them keep a logbook (where did we lose the ball? Who took the
shot? Where did it score?), watch video of themselves (Camera never lies!), evaluations
and support of family, friends, team and coach.
• Stay positive and have a sense of humour as a GK coach.
for the future who enjoys the position mentally as a challenge. Get less shots each game,
stay on your feet more often, and continuous connection to your team as a support
player in last line of defence and first attacker to score.
The Lifetime Development of a Goalkeeper
Jennifer Pfeiffer, Illinois Youth Soccer Association
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC)
Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
Introduction:
• Building a strong team culture based on a leadership programme where every player has
the opportunity for personal success, is vital to creating successful teams as this fuels
overall performance.
• As a coach at Elite level she believes that three key groups of people need to be involved
in the development of Team Culture namely The Coach, Individual Players & the Team
and then goes on to define their roles in creating a strong team culture.
• A strong team culture is underpinned by three key fundamentals:
• Leadership
• Team Philosophy
• People
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC) Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest
Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
• Coach selects the players for the team based on individual behaviours and performance
driven by the overall need to create a winning team. However, players need to feel valued
and wanted whilst clearly understanding their personal roles in the team. Players need ti
have a say in how the team should run.
• Leadership Key aspects to consider
• Leaders need to inspire - Leaders need to have Followers
• The Coach should identify and create Leaders who raise standards
• The Coach should set high standards for players to achieve/aspire
• Players must take responsibility for their own behaviour
• Create a culture of healthy competition between players
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC) Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest
Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
• Leaders shape the culture under the influence of The Coach
• Team Philosophy What are the core values and vision of the team? In essence the DNA
of the team that defines a clear Team Identity. This should not be confused with rules or
outcome goals.
• People Factor Very important to identify the right people to be part of the team.
• Pat Summit (Tennessee Basketball Coach)
• Know the past and present experience of individuals
•
• In bringing all the above factors together the coach needs to create a favourable player
environment by developing personal and professional relationships with their players. In
order to do this all the presenters were unanimous in advocating the coach should be
HUMAN!
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC) Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest
Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
Practical Ideas for Coaches to create optimal environments
• Train your Leaders so that the influence continues when The Coach is not present
• Memorise Team Philosophy by publicising it and linking tasks/agenda/routines
• Be creative but intentional in routines that underpin the team culture
• Reward positive behaviours praise either in private or public
• Always be available
• Walk & Talk with a different player each day learn to value what the player values
• Gain information about individual players and refer to it in future conversations
• Appropriate physical touch in coaching (Berkley 2010)
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC) Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest
Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
Gain Competitive Advantage by Mobilizing Strong Team Culture
Donna Fishter, Leadership Coach & Team Architect (Donna Fishter Consulting LLC) Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach UCLA; Special Guest
Michelle Akers, Former USWNT, FIFA Player of the Century.
Practical Ideas for Coaches to create optimal environments
• Creating extraordinary moments for reference soccer or social
• Recognise gender and culture differences use positive reinforcement and behaviour
•
performance. Once they have obtained information from the players, Coaches should
analyse and combine it with their own reflection and information to build the team
philosophy.
Coaching Opportunities
New York Red Bulls
Coaching Opportunities New York Red Bulls
Head of Coach Recruitment Marguerite Ferrell
• Major League Soccer club NYRB have redesigned and established their player
development and coaching infrastructure to a more European / UK style hierarchal
pyramid structure.
The top of the pyramid being the professional 1st team, fed by a 2nd tier Academy
system, with player development from 3rd tier Regional Development Schools and player
identification through a 4th tier training program delivered in the local communities.
• The ethos behind this is to engage with the local community and raise the profile not
only of The Club but of soccer as a sport in the USA.
• The Club ethos seeks to develop coaches who in turn develop better players.
Coaching Opportunities New York Red Bulls
Head of Coach Recruitment Marguerite Ferrell
• The key differences:
• Coaches are treated as equals with an openness to share best practice from the Training
Program Coaches right up to 1st team.
•
• Coaches are encouraged to work across age groups and ability levels
• Club has a funding program for professional development and Coach qualification
•
recruitment process in USA with any certainty of a job and Visa regimes are restricted but
not impossible.
1st Team
Academy
Regional Development School
Training Programs
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota
Youth Soccer Peter Rivard,
Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
Introduction:
•
Dame University and delivered to Parents and Coaches of players signing for school and
club teams in Minnesota. A two and a half hour workshop underpinned by academic
research and referencing designed to improve player experience and optimal
performance by addressing Coach and Parent behaviour in a soccer environment.
• All attendees receive a certificate on completion and some Clubs are now insisting on
their Coaches attending before being appointed.
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota Youth Soccer
Peter Rivard, Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
Key content:
• Adult behaviour was identified as being an issue in player development and match official
retention in youth soccer. Research was undertaken with youth participants and the
programme designed based on both the results and existing sports research.
•
the impact that negative adult behaviour can have on children and young people. For
achievement goal theory and motivation of young players, both intrinsic and extrinsic,
goal setting, reflective practice boundary setting and conflict management.
• Competence, Care, Choice all three are
developed over a period of time by each player within a nurturing environment created
by coaches and parents
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota Youth Soccer
Peter Rivard, Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota Youth Soccer
Peter Rivard, Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
Key content:
•
group tasks throughout the delivery.
• Both tutors argue that whilst governing bodies can deal with disciplinary offences by
-offending behaviour as the focus is purely on
the negative e.g. what NOT to do.
•
Athlete
sport and away from the sport environment.
Andy Coutts, Director of Education for Minnesota Youth Soccer
Peter Rivard, Director of Coaching for Woodbury Soccer Club, Minnesota
• The key learning points in relation to the English game sit somewhere between our
Safeguarding Children in Football syllabus and the Respect programme.
• The strengths lie in the interaction and challenging adults to reflect on the impact of their
behaviour based on academic research and then offer practical advice for improving the
environment for youth players to participate in.
• Further research is currently being assessed to prove the theory that the programme
improves optimal performance.
Midfield Play
Dick Bate Cardiff City FC
Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
Key points from the delivery of the session:
• A session consisting of a warm up, two technical progression practices and finishing with
a game play practice designed to develop midfield players.
• After the warm up phase all practices were opposed.
• Working in The Four Corners:
• Technical/Tactical
• Psychological
• Physical
• Social
Midfield Play
Dick Bate
Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
Key points from the delivery of the session:
• Technical/Tactical
• Movement off the ball into space
• 1st Adjustment of body to receive is key to speed
• Player to control ball with back foot and improvise pass with front foot e.g. outside of foot
or toe to maintain momentum of play
• Adjust flight trajectory of ball by adding spin to assist player receiving the pass
• Can receiver play off 1 or 2 touches
Midfield Play
Dick Bate
Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
Key points from the delivery of the session:
• Psychological
• Encourage players to accept the ball
• Encourage receiving players to accept pressure from defenders and then destroy
pressure by making the right decision e.g. pass or dribble in 1v1 or 2v1 situations.
• Encourage players to know when they are going to get the ball anticipate or risk?
• Encourage players to know when the ball has been played
Midfield Play
Dick Bate
Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
Key points from the delivery of the session:
• Physical
• Player movement is key to retaining possession
• Encourage players to experiment with moves e.g. step away or feints before receiving the
ball
• Encourage awareness, players looking around their immediate area and moving into
space to receive
• Social
•
e.g. coned bases are covered at all times
• Communication encouraged during the practice
• Vary the roles that each player undertakes during the session
Midfield Play
Dick Bate
Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
• A simply set up series of practices but the quality of the overall session was in the attention to detail of information given to the players.
• Interestingly, all practices apart from
the warm up were opposed and the session flowed with very little intervention from the coach, ensuring maximum playing time throughout but still addressing the development needs of both individuals and the team.
Midfield Play
Dick Bate
Cardiff City FC, Former Elite Coaching Manager, The FA
Team Management for Coaches
Santa Clara U23
Introduction
•
soccer consultancy called Elevate Soccer Solutions.
• Key points from the delivery of the session:
• Management is more important than some aspects of coaching
• Sometimes it is not the training aspects that need changing, it maybe something else off
the field that needs developing.
• Managers and Coaches need to develop a holistic approach.
Team Management for Coaches
Introduction
• Core Values
• As a Manager be yourself! Define your style and philosophy. Identify core values and
reinforce them.
• Preserve the core but stimulate progress, e.g. through Education, Innovation, Community
Service and Diversity.
• Commit to excellence in all aspects.
• Personal responsibility respect and embrace opportunities for growth and success.
• Working with players
• Goal setting SMART Action Plan for both team and individuals
• Build the plans around periodization daily/week/phase/season/year/career/life
Team Management for Coaches
Introduction
• Encourage personal reflection
• Develop technical, tactical, mental and physical attributes alongside life skills
•
• Pre- Season
• Incorporate team building activities away from soccer
• Designate phases through the season/year to maintain focus and performance
• Team
• Teaching key life skills is important
• Leadership harness and develop each player as an individual
• Develop Team Spirit on a neutral site domain
Team Management for Coaches
Team Management for Coaches
Summary
• Stay on task and control the controllable to best advantage
• Many aspects of this lecture are starting to or have been introduced into the English way
of running English football teams at all levels. Whether this is formally in the mantra of
the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) in the professional game, or content delivered
in the FA Coaching Certificates or new FA Youth Award modules to Grassroots coaches.
• The emphasis of this session identified the influence a manager should exert on the
overall team set up but never excluding fresh ideas and innovation that develops the
players and team both on and off the field.
Coaching that Lasts a Lifetime
Lynn Kachmarik & Clark Power National
Outreach Director for Play Like a Champion Today, Educational Initiatives,
University of Notre Dame
Link Report 1 - Parents and Coach Together Presentation
Introduction:
•
Kachmarik and Clark Power who asked questions about topical subjects to stimulate
debate centred around psychological development of players at all levels.
• Key content:
• Motivation of young players is key
• Do sports foster character?
• Coaches need to adopt skills and strategies in player development
• Competitive attitude virtues related to achievement such as effort and courage
Lynn Kachmarik & Clark Power National Outreach Director for Play Like a Champion Today, Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame
Link Report 1 - Parents and Coach Together Presentation
Introduction:
• Identify courage and praise the player for showing it
• Soccer values deliver values for life
• Causes for concern in soccer programmes
• Parent and coach touchline behaviour can have a detrimental effect on player
performance and has become an issue in maintaining participation levels.
• Soccer coaches experience pressure from key stakeholder to produce winning
programmes in High Schools, Colleges and Clubs.
• Lack of direction and supervision for Directors of Coaching
Lynn Kachmarik & Clark Power National Outreach Director for Play Like a Champion Today, Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame
Lynn Kachmarik & Clark Power National Outreach Director for Play Like a Champion Today, Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame
Link Report 1 - Parents and Coach Together Presentation
Introduction:
• Coaching has a recognised problem with child abuse and recruitment, limited
background checks.
• Limited education for parents
• Mandatory training does not change behaviour
• A strong approach to moral development was needed to create a better learning
environment for players focussing on the integrity of the sport, sportsmanship, fair play.
character.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Introduction
• Brazil will be in the spotlight this summer as la jogo bonito (the beautiful game)
converges on the country for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Of course this is not the first time
that Brazilian football will be subjected to worldwide observation; as the culture
-time greats
such as Pele, Luis Ronaldo and Zico have played in the famous yellow shirts. So how do
you look to create the next Denilson, Thiago Silva, Carlos Alberto? Marco Teixera -
Executive Football Manager at Fluminense F.C - was on hand to offer some insights.
• One of the first points highlighted by Teixera was the impact of the arrival of the New Club
President Peter Siemsen in 2011 which led to new funding for youth development. This
has allowed Fluminense to further develop their academy, leading to some fine statistics,
with currently 60% of first team players having come through the Academy system (The
target was 30%). There are currently 300 Academy players (half of these are based
at the Vale das Laranjeiras Training center - where they are provided with education, food
and health care.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Introduction
• For many clubs in Brazil the reality is that they are often forced to sell their best young
players. In the last three years 10 Fluminense players have been sold to clubs in Europe,
China and the U.S.A. Ricardo however explained that the club simply embraces this
aspect and has used this to shape the clubs development plan for its players:
• Recruit
• Development
• Expose
• Perform
• Transfer
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Introduction
• Alongside
Eastern side of Rio, which include:
• Technique
• Ability
• Raw Talent
• Speed
• Intelligence
• Attitude
• Family Background
• Behaviour
• This is then supplemented by the Academy Methodology
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Academy Methodology
• Technical
• Tactical
• Psychological
• Physiological
• Lifestyle
• The fifth point is arguably the most crucial point, as Fluminense looks to ensure that their
athletes are provided with the understanding and knowledge to become not simply
exceptional football players, but also members of society. For of course even in Brazil, the
sad reality is that many will not be plying their trade in professional football.
• The club, as highlighted earlier, looks to try and ensure a high number of their Academy
players reach the first team. To ensure that the club never stands still though; the club
often looks to change the coach with the First Team every 2-3 years.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
• An interesting area of Academy development is the provision of Futsal with young
players, with Under 7 through to Under 17 encouraged to participate in the abridged
version of the game, with smaller sided games & more individual touches on the ball seen
as the primary way of increasing and developing technique within a confined playing
training.
• Once players have progressed to the later stages of the Academy (contracts start at the
age of 16 and Fluminense currently has 100 players registered to the club) Fluminense
looks to provide their players with an insight into the pressures associated with being a
professional footballer, both on and off the pitch. This early understanding is then
supplemented at Under 20 Level, where the Academy players often train with the First
Team Squad.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
• reputation as a strong development club is shown in its numerous
partnerships with other clubs which has also allowed the development of 50 Football
Schools (or Guerreirinhos) throughout Brazil as well as branching out into Mexico and
Chile, providing the club with an opportunity to scout potential talent across Central &
South America.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Key Application
• The focus of education alongside Football is one that many nations feel is an essential
aspect of a balanced lifestyle for young athletes.
• The Fluminense system replicates much of that suggested within the Future Game, with
the idea of small sided games and multiple touches on the ball being a viable way of
creating stronger muscle memory related to football. Do we as coaches still maximise
opportunities for children to develop this muscle memory though, or are we still
advocates of the quick fix principle using bigger, stronger players as the baseline for
success. Could a move towards Futsal traits be one of the answers?
• Do we take enough care over the mentality of our players as they progress through
adolescence? An example of this in the English game has been the change of attitudes
towards youth players performing tasks such as cleaning the boots of senior players. This
used to be seen as a suitable form of initiation for young players but with the removal of
player power?
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
• Fluminense place huge emphasis on the development of good social attributes within
their players and earning their trade. Do our young players have these same priorities?
Do they exhibit the traits that we would like to see from ourselves?
• Do we as youth development clubs and coaches have the right priorities? As Ricardo
highlighted Fluminense, despite being in the top professional league in Brazil and
challenging for trophies the Academy focus is to develop their home grown talent in
the hope of these home-grown players either joining the first team or moving to another
club. With the influx of money currently in the English game this philosophy, particularly
towards the upper age groups within Academies, runs the risk of becoming too result-
focused instead of attending to the continuous development of our domestic athletes,
even as they approach adulthood.
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense FC- Building your Youth Academy and Developing Players,
Marcelo Teixeira, Executive Football Manager, Fluminense Football Club
Summary
• Fluminense F.C is based in Rio; the heart of Brazilian Football and where the World Cup
Final will be played later this year in the iconic Maracana Stadium. Brazilian football has
been revered throughout the History of International Football (a prime example of this
being the view of the 1982 World Cup squad despite failing to win the competition). Part
of what has made the Samba Football Brand has been the freedom for Brazilian youth
players to express themselves through Samba skills. Could this be the key to the England
national team returning to the pinnacle of World Football. The Freedom to Express.
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director,
United Soccer Leagues
• 13 is an awkward age in the life of young athlete. By this point both boys and girls will
have started to exhibit signs of adolescence. From physical changes in the body through
to the emotional mannerisms and behaviours that are notorious with puberty. At this
time when very little is certain in their lives it is crucial for young athletes to have
something they can enjoy, something that is whole, safe and familiar. Is football or sport
in general the answer to those issues? Peter Mellor, the National Technical Director for
United Soccer Leagues, offered us a glimpse into what he feels are the key aspects to
ensuring the healthy progression of an athlete, both in body and in mind.
• Peter started by providing a rather dispiriting statistic; In that 70% of American athletes
drop out of sport altogether by the time they reach the age of 13. This is not simply
unique to America however, as in England there is a significant drop out between the ages
of 14-17. Considering those physiological, psychological and even social changes that we
for the long term physical, and potentially mental health of American society.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
• Peter used the example of a young female athlete that took part in football for seven
years and quit at the age of 14. One of the main reasons she highlighted for her removal
from the game was the fact that she did not enjoy the game as much as she used to. She
felt a fear of failure, the coaching was too serious and the time commitments required
would not line up with her schedule. These traits and issues are not new however.
Research by Ewing & Seefeldt (1992) suggested that reasons for dropout were inherently
associated with the level of fun associated with the game. So how can American coaches
ensure that their athlete(s) continues along the conveyor belt towards the elite stages of
the game? Peter started by outlining some other traditional aspects of the American
youth system which have cited as possible reasons for drop-out:
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Traditional aspects of American Youth Athletes dropping out of sport
• Psychological burn out (the pressure of winning, training constantly, living, breathing the game).
• Siblings (Possibly performed to a high level; the pressure that comes with living up to that)
• Winning is Development (Lombardian Attributes)
• Online Ratings (Statistics in American Sport is widely noted, therefore adding to intense pressure
to succeed).
• Cost (Set alongside the cost of an education, which goes first? Sport or Education?).
• Competitive Teams too Early (Pressure to win introduced at a young age).
• Coach with limited Experience (Unable to provide the support needed at this crucial age).
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Peter then moved towards some suggestions that he feels could benefit the long-term
development of athletes not just recreationally, but from an elite basis also
• Could these characteristics be the way to a more sustainable talent pool?
• Club Curriculum & Philosophy having an outline and purpose to what, when and why
you are coaching.
• Fun or serious Fun!! (Can we maximise opportunities for athletes to enjoy the game?).
• Emphasis on technical development if not, why not? How does this fit in with the club
curriculum and philosophy?
• Appropriate travel distances for matches maximising opportunities for children to play
without impacting their other activities.
• Restricted number of competitive tournaments a year? Limiting the pressure to perform.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
• Train to Game Ratio for children under 12 years Are children provided with the
opportunity to develop away from the match environment where there is inevitably
going to be more pressure on them to perform.
• Train to Game Ratio for children over 12 years are we eliminating the risk of overtraining
and physiological burnout as the body begins to change and adapt?
• Educating the Parents and communicating key points from the Club Philosophy (e.g.
pressure from the side-lines, respect for officials).
• Allowing players to compete in other sports maximising physiological development
during the key growth periods.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
• Freedom to Fail players given the opportunity to risk! Make mistakes and learn from
them.
• Freedom of Position not shoe-horning players into traditional positions (e.g. big and
strong equals central defence or goalkeeper).
• Playing with Friends (Players being given time to interact with those who have the most
social impact in their lives).
• Cost - are we as coaches and
managers able to provide the most cost-efficient way for children to play the game.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Key Application
•
a club curriculum? A baseline with which to reassure parents of how, when and why you
coach their children the way you do.
• Freedom to Fail As children hit adolescence they undergo physiological changes which
they are still adjusting to. This often includes a growth spurt which naturally affects their
control of a ball. Do we as coaches allow for this physiological development when
assessing performance in training?
• ? Is this through your own
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Key Application
• Playing with Friends the adolescence stage is seen as the point at which an athlete can
sink or swim in their development towards the elite stage, but do we allow our athletes
the opportunity to socialise? The opportunity to let go (of all the pressures that come
with sport) for a few hours of the day with some of the most influential people in their
lives can be crucial to ensuring that when a child turns up to training, they turn up eager to
play instead of resenting the lack of opportunity to see their friends and possibly skipping
training as a consequence.
• Continuous Professional Development Are you as a coach constantly educating
yourself in areas that you are not yet versed? There is the chance that at some point in
your career you may well be dealing with athletes in this crucial age bracket. Can you
ensure you provide the optimum support and have the right answers for the questions
that will be asked?
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Summary
• Sport is a wonderful outlet for many children who are experiencing possibly the toughest
period of their lives. The need to create a social identity, the physiological changes, the
psychological and hormonal imbalances all account for an increasingly turbulent period
in their lives where they do not always feel adequate; they lose that sense of being
special that is often so apparent in childhood.
• Sport is often that opportunity to let go of all the stresses and strains and simply interact
with other athletes/friends in a fun-filled environment that promotes healthy living.
When sport loses its fun elements however then these values are gone, incentives are
eliminated and children have to find some other way of letting loose. This could easily be
through drugs, alcohol or crime - all of which can easily create long-term harmful effects
on the lives of those affected.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Summary
• Of course if you are a young footballer looking to reach the highest echelons of the game
then there will always be pressures associated with every pass, every slide tackle and
every penalty kick. A strong mental attitude is the crucial element in this instance but can
we as coaches ensure the promotion of a healthy mind through demonstrating good
attributes and support for our young athletes. For if a young athlete can maintain a strong
mental attitude during one of the most unstable periods in their lives, then surely they
give themselves the best chance of succeeding on the field.
Pivotal Age
Peter Mellor, National Technical Director, United Soccer Leagues
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills: The Pathway to Developing Creative and
Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license,
Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy
Director of Coach and Player Development
Introduction •
Cup the target over the last few years (particularly in European Football) has been how to replicate the technical proficiency and capabilities that the players within these leagues and national teams have shown over the last six years.
• Part of the reason for this interest is due to the high number of home-grown talent currently operating within La Liga and the Bundesliga 1.
• What does it take though to produce a group of players who can not only control the ball, but also maintain possession when a passing option is not available and opponents are closing you down? Erwin Van Elst, Academy Director of Coach and Player Development at the Meulensteen Academy and associate of former Manchester United coach and Fulham Manager Rene Meulensteen, provides the insight of the organisation.
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
•
suggesting that it
• Legends such as Johan Cruyff & Diego Maradona are obvious examples but it was also
1982 that entranced the world so much so that despite not winning the World Cup; these teams are held in almost as high esteem as those that have lifted the famous trophy.
• The youth of today is not as equipped to properly make the difference on the pitch and the Meulensteen Academy looks to provide children with the opportunity to understand the power of technique in a positive, exciting way. This is exemplified by their own adaptation of the Four Corner Principle.
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
• learning by exploration. So much so that in every session children are provided with 20-30 minutes where they simply look to understand the football.
• The Academy views this as crucial in developing and enhancing the muscle memory in young children, allowing them to one day become the BOSS OF THE BALL!!
• But of course it is not simply the case of teaching children the skill. It is also crucial to provide an understanding of when to use those skills within the game environment.
• One of the key initiatives towards developing this in America has been the implementation of the United States Technical Championship, which will be taking place in America for the first time in 2014.
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
The Purpose of the United States Technical Championship So why bring the Technical Championship to America? - Erwin explained that it was a way of counter-acting the traditional values of American sporting society that it is felt are not applicable to successful, technical football. Outcome Based + Team Orientated + Tactically Complex = Technically Insufficient
In essence, the U.S.A lack players who can win the key 1v1 battles that can define a game of football.
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
• The Dutch youth tackle fundamental skills and many believe this is a key ingredient to their success in developing young talent. If the American system can look to add technical efficiency to their inherent will to win could this be the step towards
• Two simple ingredients to this technical recipe were to create an age appropriate philosophy alongside encouraging creativity.
• The traditional blueprint of 10,000 hours is not applicable in this instance. It is simply a case of creating an environment where they want to come back and explore further.
•
• ENCOURAGE THE WILL, COMPLEMENT THE SKILL THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS TO TECHNIQUE TRAINING!!!
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
• Finally Erwin provided us with an insight into the format of the technical championship and how the above principles are incorporated into creating BOSSES OF THE BALL!!! The format follows a general principle of Three Hours training, incorporating the following components:
• Control of the ball when receiving at an angle.
• Control of the ball when receiving from the side of the body.
• Control of the ball when receiving from behind the body
• Control of the ball when receiving from in front of the body.
Following this three hour window the players are then placed into small sided games ranging from 1v1 up to 4v4. Where the principle and goal is quite simple:
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
Key Application • The Freedom to Fail to develop top-quality skills requires failure in order to learn
from our mistakes and adapt our technique to achieve the desired outcome. Can coaches ensure they provide the right teaching environment to maximise this freedom. Our immediate reaction post-risk. Do we encourage? Or do we criticise? Do we applaud the effort? Or do we drop our head into our hands and growl to the heavens.
• Linked to this of course - is the art of Teaching Failure to our athletes. Accepting
simply progress to the next stage of continuation. A child that becomes frustrated upon failure and then subsequently receives no support from their coach is potentially going to feel they have let themselves down, possibly even the coach and their parents also. This of course can then lead to disillusionment from the game.
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
• Being the Boss of the Ball this requires an all-round understanding of receiving
priorities as highlighted by the format of the technical championship. Can our players understand the requirements to receiving the ball from different heights and different angles, can our players use their imagination and ingenuity to control a ball that is not in the primary position for receiving (e.g. using the outside of the foot or even the heel)?
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
Rene Meulensteen's Moves & Skills:
The Pathway to Developing Creative and Confident Players
Erwin van Elst, UEFA B-license, USSF B-license, Meulensteen International Instructor, North America Meulensteen Academy Director of Coach and
Player Development
Summary The importance of technical efficiency has been highlighted over the last six years with the consistent performances of Spain and Germany in International Tournaments, alongside the fact that the Two Biggest players in World Football at this moment Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have mastered the art of technical skill so efficiently that performing step-overs is as simple to them as taking a penalty kick. Of course all coaches would wish to create and develop players that can demonstrate this level of adroitness. The key with skills as coaches is to encourage a long-term principle. It takes time to become the BOSS OF THE BALL!!! But for those who are encouraged to continue experimenting, to persist with their examination of this spherical object that will at most weight approx. 450grams, they have the potential to become MASTERS OF THE GAME!!
Meulensteen Four Corner Model
Physical
Speed Agility
Co-ordination
Tactical
Awareness
Understanding
Mental
Personality
Attitude Winning Mentality
Technical
Basic Skills
(Moves, Turns, Tricks)
Key Principles of Meulensteen Training & Technical Championship
Purpose Challenge Encourage Play
Repetition Enjoy & Learn Quality Intensity
Fun!!!!!
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger
Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston
& Michael Rabasca N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
The Premier League has become the most publicised professional league in the world; with matches broadcast in over 200 countries worldwide. A
the league registered as English. To compare this with other countries: In Spain, approx. 60% of players competing in La Liga are home-grown. In the Bundesliga, 50% of all players competing weekly are German Nationals. Players are beginning to get involved with the game at younger and younger ages, and research suggests that the window of opportunity for children to maximise their fundamental knowledge of the game comes between the ages of 5-11. So what can we do to help our young athletes advance their knowledge and potential? In one of the lectures of the N.S.C.A.A conference in Philadelphia; N.S.C.A.A Standards Consultants Ric Granyrd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabera were on hand to provide some thoughts.
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
A Good Club Format and Game Principles Ric Granyrd Ric started off by highlighting the move towards small sided games allowing for greater touches of the ball. The practicality of this being that the school selection system in American does not look to pick players until U11, in accordance with the transfer through middle school and junior high school, this leaves a fair amount of time for experimentation.
second suggestion was to ensure that when parents and children first arrive at your club, the philosophy of the club was clear to see and the organisation of the club was as transparent as possible. Examples of this included Administration = Club Handbook Available for parents and coaches to obtain, providing
key indicators of the clubs targets and trajectory. Training = Club Curriculum Also available to parents; a curriculum allowing parents to
understand the key principles of training. The key here is to ensure that parents are aware of the attributes targeted for players ahead of the team selection at U11. These include: Technical Proficiency Tactical Awareness Enjoyment Desire to Improve
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
The Educational Content, creating a classroom environment Patrick Johnson Patrick Johnston then stepped in to provide an explanation as to how all the above aspects
The curriculum structure should allow for a relay of information and an overlap in content (during sessions) to aid retention of information. One
nd title. Patrick was particularly interested in the attitudes of the two teams pre-match whilst waiting in the tunnel. The Brazilian players were enthusiastic, interactive and energetic. The Germans were unyielding and steadfast in their focus ahead of the biggest game in their lives. Which attitude would you prefer to have?? Of course, the classroom environment at school is not quite as popular an area as the football (or soccer) field. Patrick therefore highlights the pivotal points relating to teaching techniques. The traditional classroom environment is seen as children sitting at their desks staring at the teacher as they lecture for hours on end and the children begin to lose focus.
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
To avoid the football pitch becoming a similar environment Patrick emphasises the importance of trying to AVOID Lines and Lectures methodical. Of was inevitably going to be addressed. To which Patrick highlighted quite an interesting rationale: To win a game of youth football, all you need is a good goalkeeper and a good striker. (With children known to constantly bunch around the ball in the interests of ego-centrism. This is certainly a fair suggestion). The target however is to create players with good technical ability who instead of simply
intricately move the ball between the thirds to create goal-scoring opportunities for all players. The view of the Coaches was that children should always be given an opportunity to just play. Provided with the opportunity to experiment and enjoy the game for what it is FUN! An example of a good blueprint for this format was the Matrix Soccer Academy founded by Charlie Jackson, former coach at Blackburn, Manchester United & currently associated with Manchester City.
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
Education for All Michael Rabasca To conclude the presentation Michael Rabasca stepped in to talk the coaches through the importance of using all the previously highlighted attributes as the key for universal education between parents, players and coaches. A key area was the suggestion of providing a pressure free environment.
• Collaborative scheduling with parents to ensure optimum playing opportunities for their
children.
• No -
• Appropriate Side-line Management both from coaches and parents.
• No player and match statistics means this is a highly effective way of eliminating the FEAR of FAILURE).
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
Examples of Game Principles in the American Youth System Under 6 Under 7 Under 8 Under 9/10
3v3/4v4 4v4 6v6/7v7 8v8/9v9
No GK NO GK GK Allowed GK Allowed
30 mins (adaptable) 40 mins 40 mins 40 mins
From here Michael provided an example of some of the rules he likes to introduce within both training and matches to allow players opportunities to develop lower-body muscle memory within the game: • The Halfway Line Rule on Goal-Kicks opposing teams retreat to the half-way line,
allowing teams to attempt playing out from the back without the threat of immediate pressure from opponents.
• No Direct Free Kicks encouraging the use of movement, ball retention and scanning
from players. • No Goalkeeper (NO HANDS) or to facilitate the use of a goalkeeper a box rule, giving
the keeper freedom to observe the pitch and look to play the ball by feet or by hand.
Finally Michael highlighted the key educational rules that have been introduced for coaches looking to be involved in youth football. Academy Directors would have to achieve the U.S.S.F (United States Soccer Federation) National Youth License whilst Coaches must hold a minimum of the Module One Youth U6/U8 Certificate (The American Equivalent of the FA Youth Award).
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
Key Application • Does your club have a Handbook or Curriculum that is easily accessible for players,
parents and coaches? It may sound obvious but in grassroots football particularly the crux of ensuring the faith of parents within your coaching is often the presence of a clear philosophy and principles behind your sessions. Ensuring that your young players have the opportunity to develop at a suitable and methodical pace.
• The Classroom Environment a huge part of this comes down to Behavioural
Management but the key question is Do you as a Coach allow your players the opportunity to lose focus? It is very easy to lecture about football for long periods, but it is the general consensus that young children can only hold focus for a period of 30 seconds to 1 minute. Are your sessions and your interventions appropriate, fluent and fleeting?
• Players before Matches although the example provided by Patrick was relevant to the highest echelons of the game it is worth applying to the grassroots game. • Are your players enthusiastic before (and after) playing matches? Whilst it is
generally acknowledged that children often forget about results shortly after the final whistle performance in matches is often seen as a social parameter (particularly with children)in the school playground.
• Are we as coaches doing all we can to ensure our players enjoy the game (regardless of result), establishing continued endearment with the sport and guaranteeing that these players will pursue with the game throughout adolescence and into adulthood.
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
Player Development Strategies at U10 and Younger Ric Granryd, Patrick Johnston & Michael Rabasca
N.S.C.A.A Club Standards Consultants
Summary
Spain and Germany have in the last decade set a very high standard in European Football of producing efficient home grown talent which has seen the two nations become contenders for the major international trophies. These development through not just the player development, but also the coaching development and education. German football revamped its strategies in the early 21st century and started to reap the rewards as early as 2006. Many would suggest that the current Spanish model was originally sparked by the work of Dutch Legend Johan Cruyff Over the last six years the Spanish model has become revered throughout World Football but it always needed a starting point. Can English Football find its starting point? As we look to find our way back to the top table of International Football.
NSCAA Convention 2014 Study Visit Summary
Tony McCallum
FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
NSCAA Convention 2014 Study Visit Summary
Tony McCallum FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
• The convention yet again provided a wide array of workshops, seminars and practical
sessions which were delivered to support the NSCAA membership and the wider
coaching workforce in the game not only in the US but across the world.
• The event provided the study group with an opportunity to observe a number of sessions
and bring away some key messages that could be considered and incorporated into
coaching practice.
•
friendships and new relationships being strengthened and created.
• The size and scale of the operation to host in excess of 8,000 coaches over 4 days
presents a logistical challenge but all those who attended seemed to be able to access
relevant content to support their development.
• The presenters delivered their respective sessions with knowledge and understanding of
their topic but posing the one simple question to those attending how will you use it?
NSCAA Convention 2014 Study Visit Summary
Tony McCallum FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
• A pleasing observation from the convention was that a number of the messages that the
FA highlight with regards to the areas of coach education, player development, football
development and safeguarding were recognised and referred to by other organisations
and practioners indicating that although the game maybe played and organised in
different parts of the world , the same things occur and need to be addressed how to
manage and support the development of the game its workforce-its players-its
• The content that the study group have compiled are personal observations and
reflections of the events that they attended; as practicing coaches looking to develop a
greater understanding they will no doubt utilise the findings and the experience and
continue to develop themselves on their coaching journey.
• For further details and information with regards the NSCAA and the 2014 Convention
visit www.nscaa.com
NSCAA Convention 2014 Study Visit Summary
Tony McCallum FA Senior Regional Coach Development Manager
Thanks to the following people who made the study visit opportunity a reality;
• Ian Barker - NSCAA Director of Coaching Education
• Roy Gordon NSCAA Convention Committee Chair
• Monique Bowman NSCAA Communications Coordinator
• Jamie Houchen Head of FA Learning
• Lisa Hollis
TheFA.com
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