Whether you are new to the sport of soccer or you are looking to sharpen your foot work skills, the soccer dance is a good way of getting your legs moving, knock the rust off of your touches and get your momentum back for skills advancement. Set a daily goal to do 20 or 100 and add this skill with the others in our IZFC series of soccer fundamentals. The soccer dance: 1) All you need is a soccer ball (or any ball) 2) Stand in front of the ball with the tip of one foot touching the ball 3) Hop onto the other leg and touch the ball with the tip of your other foot 4) Continue this motion as a dance, alternating feet touching the ball 5) Set your own goal to do 20, 100 or even 1,000 See more at www.izvents.com/izfc
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By Lawrence McLelland ‘Little Hesitation with Great Organisation.’ Efficiency with our time is a common theme when asking around about the term organisation within coaching & teaching. So I’m going to ask you to think how do you best use your time when organising for a session? Here’s a few examples below:
In a world when many of us have little time to prepare & organise our sessions, (which can sometimes only be 1 hour/1hr 30mins!) utilising some of these examples given should allow us to spend more time focusing upon more crucial aspects of the session, such as:
It’s always easy to look at it and say “I’m not a naturally organised person” or “that coach always seems to be more prepared than me”, but using the above examples could provide you with a base to work from, become more naturally organised and allow your players to improve as much as possible! And let’s not miss the final jigsaw piece which allows all of the above to become complete – Self-control. Without this trait, all of the previous points are fruitless. Think of any experiences from your life where you have had to show levels of self-control. Eating, working, chores – these all have a link to organisation. Try this recommended book for the topic of self-control and using to do lists to organise. I’ll finish this first blog with a question and I’d love people to get involved with from their own experiences/examples within coaching or any walk of life – What’s the main challenge for you when it comes to organising? Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this blog- Steven Sweeney – @StevenSweeney85 Mark O’Sullivan – @markstkhlm Harry Fletcher-Wood – @HFletcherWood James Mannion- @rethinking_ed Lara Mossman – @laramossman Article originally published at https://lawrencemclelland.wordpress.com/2017/01/13/3-ways-to-improve-your-organisation-when-coaching/
Lessons in working with standout athletes learned from The Beckham ExperimentBy Jon Isaacson In youth sports there are stars, some are such because they have developed physically quicker than their counterparts or perhaps they are simply able to run and chew gum at the same time while their peers can't seem to master the fundamentals of co-ordination. While some of these young stars will soon fade there are those rare individuals who seem to have the game at hand at a young age. A talented youth player can be a challenge as many come with an attitude to match as well as a management team (i.e. the parents or family members) that may not always have input that is in the best interest of the team. The reality of the superstar and their impact on teams whether in the business, professional sport or youth competition realms is a dynamic that all leaders need to understand. Celebrity and sports is a common modern narrative that many youngsters (as well as parents) aspire towards even though it is arguable whether an individual can successfully navigate an elevated status of both their personal brand while maintaining their professional excellence over an extended period. The Beckham Experiment by Grant Wahl (2009) reads as a what-not-to-do when you’ve acquired an international mega star the likes of David Beckham, and though that tale played out in professional sports it carries many lessons that can be applied to youth athletics as well. As a coaching team, it is important to have a leadership identity, whether you have the pleasure of staying with a team of young players from their entrance into the sport on into their developmental years like we have or if you are coaching new teams each year, understanding your identity as a coach is key to a successful experience. The parameters of the culture for the team will be represented largely by the broader organization you are a part of, if you play in an inclusive league that does not keep score like the YMCA, this should provide an easy discussion where superior players either need to contribute to the team as a whole or should pursue other leagues suited to their talent level. If you are coaching in a more competitive league or at a youth club sport level then you will need to be prepared for all of the expectations and potential ego that comes with players as well as parents who think they are the next prodigy. For those players who think they are superstars but have average skills at best, allow nature to take its course and do not protect them from the pace and scenarios of the game, read more on this concept in our IACN segment Embrace the Pace (HERE). Establish your identity as a coach so that you are competent in your sport, confident in your approach and can effectively partner with athletes as well as parents to reach mutual goals. The team identity and culture will develop from your vision and the execution of your values. It is clear within The Beckham Experience that the Los Angeles Galaxy did not have the experience and had not completely thought through the dynamics of what bringing an international superstar to their team would require and the celebrity of Beckham was allowed to overtake the culture of the team. It is always best to outline the vision of the team, the culture under which the group will function and the expectations of all individuals (which in youth sports includes parents) at the start of the season (or even before the season starts) rather than trying to piece things together once they are already off the rails as was the case with the Galaxy. If you read the book, you can replace David Beckham’s management team with parents and you can see how a lack of clarity in defining roles can quickly lead to voids in accountability within the team. While youth sports teams may not have the potential for financial gain that was a significant factor in the experiment with Mr. Beckham, the euphoria that comes with winning can lead coaches, parents and even players to buy into the do whatever it takes to win philosophy such as is so humorously portrayed by Will Ferrell in Kicking & Screaming where the team starts chanting, “Pass it to the Italians,” once they pick up the two meat cutting young soccer Phenom’s. If a young player is an exceptional talent this should not be held against them but those who are supporting that athlete should place them in positions where they can be developed at their level, challenged to grow and have experiences with other players who have similar aspirations. A beginner league where no score is kept and every player is supposed to get equal playing time may not be the best fit for that stellar individual unless the coach, parents and player recognize that this is a season where they are working on particular skills or aspects of the game. Through our experiences in coaching teams, many of our players have become standouts in their sport, these players choose to stay with the team but we have worked with all parties to create a clarity that these players will work towards distributing the ball, work on their weaknesses and will have the same commitment to play all positions as everyone else. In soccer we challenge these players to work on developing with their weak foot and on progressing in advanced concepts while coming alongside newer players as under coaches on the team. In basketball this is a similar challenge, forcing those players who are above average to work on dribbling with their weak hand and perfecting their form as well as advanced development concepts. When the roles and purpose are clear the experience can be positive for everyone. We expect the most out of our stars to lead by example both in their attitude and contributions to the team. Phil Jackson is a coach who excelled at dealing with mega star personalities first with the Michael Jordan lead Chicago Bulls and then with the Kobe Bryant charged Los Angeles Lakers, his experiences led him to comment, “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.” Every team that hinges their turn around and success on the acquisition of a star player soon finds that most problems are not solved by an individual. With The Beckham Experiment and the LA Galaxy there is so much more that rests in the column of what could have been than in the account of what transpired for the good of the team in the three seasons David was involved. For a team to be successful it needs to operate on clear vision, values and principles that are carried out from top to bottom. Superstars need a solid structure around them as much as any other player does, it is only with a strong organizational framework that all parties will have the greatest chance for success. Managers need to manage. Coaches need to coach. Parents need to parent. While stars may get some fringe benefits as well as some special treatment, at the end of the day all players need to play regardless of how famous they are. When everyone understands their roles and focuses on being the best they can be in that role, even if that means sacrificing personal glory for team achievement, within this combined effort is the recipe for sustained success. Have an identity as a coach. Create a clear culture as a team by including roles and expectations to players as well as parents early in the season. Develop your vision as you execute upon your values and always remember to have fun. For more discussion on The Beckham Experiment, read Remember That One Time David Beckham Played American Soccer (HERE). About the author: Jon Isaacson is a freelance writer assisting organizations to translate their mission and vision into story. In addition to working full time, raising a family and volunteering as a youth coach, Jon writes, speaks and serves as director of local facilities networking group LFMC.
When planning, structuring and executing your practice plan - embrace the pace and competition of the game. By Jon Isaacson Practice is essential and should incorporate the paradigm of going through a routine of the fundamentals to ensure that players master core skills while incorporating enough variance to keep players interested in the time set aside. If our team is not growing in their comprehension and development then we are wasting their time as well as our own. The foundational key to coaching success with regards to practice begins with having a plan (HERE). Whether we are drafting our practice plan or we are in the midst of making our time as productive as possible, there are a few key elements that we should keep in mind for keeping our players engaged from start to finish. Allen Stein, who was with Stronger Team and now Pure Sweat, notes that the most common mistakes that youth coaches make are, “Practices aren’t age appropriate (physically, mentally or emotionally). Practices aren’t purposeful. Practices aren’t fun.” The first principle of executing a productive practice is the consideration that drills should be conducted in the pace and scenario of the game as much as possible. By structuring our practices with game pace and scenarios we have a presiding principle that provides purpose for coaches and players, we can develop skills within age appropriate segments as the player on player competition reveals the areas that need the most work and the game pace keeps things moving. The first game of any season is often the most challenging. Whether this is your first time coaching or not, a new season is a new start and provides the first barometer for the preparedness of the team. Truth be told, we often pray that our kids will struggle if not lose their first game. While that may be a terrible thing to admit, kids often are more confident in their individual and team skills than they should be and a healthy opening loss can be fertile ground for focusing their efforts come next practice. Conversely, a win (especially a blow-out) at the opening of a new season may perpetuate unfounded confidence and create obstacles to youth player’s cognizance in the need to work on principles of the game. Beyond the first game, player preparation for game pace and scenarios are often obvious in how youth athletes respond to basic functions within a game - where there is panic, players freezing on the field/court and/or athletes making rash decisions often this can reveal a lack of speed or real world situations in practice. In that first game, often new coaches and players are overwhelmed by just how fast the pace of the game hits them and how unforgiving youth athletes can be. We started a recent season as returning coaches with players who were familiar with the game and had two seasons under their belts playing with each other and had made the mistake that we would focus too heavily on specific skills in set scenarios. That first game of the season, even as a relatively veteran youth team was brutal, not because our players did anything wrong but because we as coaches had ill prepared them for the pace of the game. It was clear early into the first quarter and our staff of volunteer coaches all noted to each other that we needed to immediately change our approach in practice to incorporate game pace and scenarios even when working on specific skills. There is no substitute for practicing with game relevant speed, situations and competition. As noted previously, we often hope for a challenging and close initial game (if not even a healthy loss), the opening game discussed in our previous paragraph demonstrated to our coaching team that this is just as important for returning coaches as we may be tempted to believe our own prior success and not be as hungry as we need to be as leaders of the team. Pace in structure – as noted in previous segments, our practice plan and structure should incorporate transitions that are long enough to cover the topic but not so long as to unnecessarily bore our subjects. We often recommended transitions of about 10 minutes per discipline as we will cover that skill multiple times and in multiple ways both in individual sessions as well as throughout the season, keeping youth players engaged over the course of the practice is essential. Have a plan, execute your purpose and keep things fun. I believe in more drills of shorter duration and being very careful on how we have them spaced. Follow physically or mentally difficult drills with easier ones and vice versa. Use many competitive drills, especially in shooting. Imitate game conditions as much as possible. – John Wooden Pace in execution – some skills require explanation and static drills for introduction of a new principle, but the verbal explanation and the duration of that static application should be limited to only what is necessary. As much as possible all skills should be explained, demonstrated and practiced in game like pace and with game like competition. Often coaches want to isolate players to allow them to develop but the truth is that without the application of competition that shows a youth player they are struggling with particular skills there is little incentive for them to change their poor habits or negative patterns. As coaches, we often will be the guard of a struggling player to allow our adults to regulate how much pressure we apply as well as reward effort by players who are developing at a slower pace, but at some point young athletes need exposure to competition to challenge their growth. Practicing at incremental pace and competition are useful tools as long as there are elements in practice where kids are allowed to play at one hundred percent effort with the speed, situations and competition of the game upon them. I wanted to practice at game speed. We would never allow for anything but full speed and full effort in games, and I wanted us to practice exactly like we played. One of the ways we would heighten the atmosphere of competition was by making sure our players were matched up against the teammates who would challenge them the most. Our goal was for our players to face tougher opposition on our practice field than they would encounter in games. – Pete Carroll Pace in purpose – Practicing with game like pace and competition will reveal skills, principles and scenarios that the team needs to develop. We like to remind our players that the reason we practice is because we need to get better, it is acceptable to struggle in a practice scenario as this revels to us as individuals and a team the things that we need to work on. Youth athletes need the reality that game pace provides as it is a natural revelation, we should not lavish upon the negative aspects it reveals but we should purposefully address the items that it brings to light. Verbally breaking a child down is not recommended but neither is it productive to excessively protect them from the reality that they will need to actively engage in practice if they want to get better in their sport. Youth sports is a collective responsibility, success does not have to be defined by winning but growth should be expected at the team as well as the individual level by coaches, parents and players. To this end it is also important to share with youth athletes and parents that in order to progress as a player the children will need to put in some individual time outside of practice to develop their skills. We challenge our youth athletes to commit to practicing core skills at least three times a week for 15-30 minutes and will demonstrate skills during practice that we want them to do at home then set aside time in the following practice for them to demonstrate their progress. Embrace the pace in the planning and execution of your practices. Reference: Stein, Allen [Coach Mac] (2015, April 8) 52 Basketball Experts Reveal the Most Common Practice Mistakes. Basketball for Coaches. Retrieved from http://www.basketballforcoaches.com/practice-mistakes/ Wooden, John (2010, July 12) Coach Wooden on Basketball Practice. Coaching Toolbox. Retrieved from http://coachingtoolbox.net/blog/coach-john-wooden-on-basketball-practice Carroll, Pete (2010) Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion. Portfolio / Penguin (pp 140-141) About the author: Jon Isaacson is a freelance writer assisting organizations to translate their mission and vision into story. In addition to working full time, raising a family and volunteering as a youth coach, Jon writes, speaks and serves as director of local facilities networking group LFMC.
By Jon Isaacson When kids arrive at practice for youth sports it is important to remember that they are ready to burst at the seams from being in a static institutional setting, some refer to it as educational, for the last six hours. While this should be a point of connection that unifies coach and athlete, it often is the greatest point of contention between the two parties. How many coaches do you know complain about the following:
As a volunteer coach, what have you been doing for the last eight hours (or more) before you arrived at practice? Aren’t you also ready to burn off some steam built up from your own frustrations of being held hostage in a static institutional setting - some call it the work environment? This should be a point of empathy rather than a cause for disconnect. Did you spend the bulk of your day being given instructions on where to sit, what to do and how best to accomplish the assignments that have been given to you? School and work have many frustrating similarities that should enable you to find connection and empathy for your subjects. So, the next time your young athletes arrive at practice all wound up, rather than responding to their pent up energy with negative energy, empathize with their need to express themselves with a creative solution for constructive physical activity.
John Wooden, whom many regard as the best coach in college basketball history and whom brought the UCLA Bruins into the conversation as a perennial NCAA championship caliber team, was a proponent of creating a practice plan as a key factor for success as a coach. “Daily practice plans are very important. I learn from these plans; as a coach, I must change and grow if I expect my players to improve. I can improve with the help of these plans.” If coach Wooden placed such a high premium on the habit of creating a detailed practice plan that it may prove useful to those who are coaching as a youth sports volunteer. Coaching, like many things in life, can be fun or frustrating. Much of your experience has to do with your perspective and how you approach the challenge. Start by setting aside some time to prepare yourself for the onslaught of juvenile energy that will be arriving at your practice, have a plan, have fun and roll with the punches. Reference: Wooden, John (2010, July 12) Coach Wooden on Basketball Practice. Coaching Toolbox. Retrieved from http://coachingtoolbox.net/blog/coach-john-wooden-on-basketball-practice About the author: Jon Isaacson is a freelance writer assisting organizations to translate their mission and vision into story. In addition to working full time, raising a family and volunteering as a youth coach, Jon writes, speaks and serves as director of local facilities networking group LFMC.
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