“It’s not just about training players, it’s about educating players.” – Brendan Rodgers
Most coaches can plan and deliver a session. The level will be variable, but drawing up a training plan is achievable for most.
Educating our players on the other hand, is far more challenging.
I’m comfortable admitting that I have made a lot of mistakes in the past that have helped me reach the level I feel that I am now at.
I’ve also learned a lot of lessons as to what players appreciate from a coach.
The following 3 ideas have benefitted a wide range of foundation age players, from those looking to play academy level to those who are just starting their journey in learning to love the beautiful game.
They look at the player as a person, not just someone to run around on game day, and will help your players adopt a “growth mindset”.
Give Feedback on the Process as well as the Outcome
“Well done!”
“Great pass!”
“Keep hustling!”
Using terms like “great pass” and “well done” comes from a good place.
Yet research shows that focusing on the outcome, which these phrases suggest, helps develop what is known as a “fixed mindset”.
A fixed mindset is when a person believes that what they have done is ingrained and requires no additional work on the skill at hand. It’s a God-given talent!
As coaches we should be aiming for our players to adopt a growth mindset, which sees education and learning as the keys to becoming a better player. Cristiano Ronaldo is a prime example of what this mindset can lead to.
Where as a fixed mindset focuses on the outcome, a growth mindset focuses on the process. It is important that we give feedback to our “well done”, “good pass” and “that needs to be better” phrases.
What To Say Instead
“Good pass Jonny. I liked how you lifted your head and saw that Freddie was wide open and in a great position to score for the team before giving him the ball. Well done.”
“Nice try Freddie. You was in a great position, wide open in lots of space. Next time you get that chance, remember to look at the goal, decide where you want to shoot and aim the shot.”
Both of these examples highlight the process over the end result. Firstly, Jonny not only finds out it’s a good pass, he also finds out why it was. This will encourage those same traits the next time he is in that situation.
Freddie on the other hand has got something slightly wrong and is made aware of what he needs to remember the next time he is in that position.
The coach has also given him his backing by saying “the next time you get that chance” and praised Freddie’s positioning.
Try and use this the next time you are coaching in a game. Don’t just give feedback on the outcome, let them know why the outcome happened.
Give Positive Demonstrations
“Stop, stand still! Okay, what could you have done differently?”
It is in our nature as coaches to step in and not just explain but show players how things could have been done differently.
Research is plentiful for highlighting how non-verbal communication can aid our words when speaking with children.
Hand gestures, white boards and demo’s are tools that all coaches can use.
Yet how many of us use our demonstrations to highlight something positive in the game portion of our practice sessions?
Where as process based feedback from a verbal stand point is suitable for match day, supporting that feedback with demonstrations that highlight the successful process should be a key make up in our practice sessions.
Imagine Lucy has received the ball with her back to goal. She has checked her shoulders, realised that she can’t turn so instead passes the ball back to Emma.
After passing, Lucy peels away from her marker then starts a forward run, for which Emma plays a weighted through ball. Lucy runs onto the pass and scores.
Most coaches would want all of their players to be aware of this situation.
Yet most will only explain what was good about it.
While the age old theory of learning styles has no evidence to support it, foundation age players, especially in the U8-10 bracket, still vary massively in their level of vocabulary.
Actually running through the situation gives those players something they can understand far easier.
Don’t Be Infallible
If we want our players to adopt a growth mindset, we have to be prepared for them to make mistakes, and accept those mistakes regardless of the outcome.
As previously mentioned, we cannot control what happens away from the practice field.
Although WE can encourage mistakes as a form of education, our players lives away from soccer may mean that mistakes are not tolerated.
Adults are not infallible, yet many act this way in fronts of kids.
As someone who spends my day in schools, I have seen teachers adopt this mindset time and again.
Parents can be even worse, wanting their child to avoid the mistakes that they made.
This is not limited to parents from a particular background, as that mentality is present in all walks of life. They can fail to understand that those mistakes helped them become the person that they are.
Coaches are no different. We do make mistakes and get things wrong.
I quite clearly remember a situation where a U12 team that I coached drew a game 2-2, despite being up 2-0 with a minute to go and having dominated for most of it.
I was going through some personal issues at the time and lost my rag with the players at the final whistle.
Me losing my cool and yelling at them had nothing to do with them and everything to do with me. I knew this on the drive home.
When our practice came along the following day, the first thing I did was apologise to them all. I accepted that what I did was wrong, that it was a mistake and I would do my best not to let it happen again.
I then reminded them that we all make mistakes. Our relationship was stronger than ever after that.
Even legendary youth coach Eric Harrison admitted to having to apologise to his players on occasion. Having received the praise he did when he recently passed away from former players such as Paul Scholes and David Beckham, it’s fair to say he made the right choice.
Everyone gets things wrong.
Own it and lead by example.