Would you want to coach at this club???

[djasha68]

I have been thinking about setting up a new club in my area (Welwyn Garden City). I would be interested in your opinions on how I would (well at least try) have the club run.

I would want to get away from coaches only being interested in their team. I dont believe you will improve as a coach with this attitude.

Ideally coaches would want to coach because they love coaching, not for the sake of their own children. So would look to find as many Level 2 or higher coaches. Also I do realise that it may not be easy to find enough coaches at level 2 or higher. I do appreciate that their are some excellent level 1 coaches about, just feel the more experience you can bring to the club, the better all round. Level 1 or inexperienced coaches to work with level 2 coaches as often as possible.

Have a head coach who would decide on a coaching plan for the year, but with input from other coaches. Main role is to give advice on how coaches can achieve goals, making sure standards are kept. Someone who is there for the good of all. Head coach not to be assigned to any team, but their to offer help to those who may feel they dont know the best way to coach a particular subject.

Have a coaches day where we could all get together to share ideas on new games, coaching ideas. Rather than having a dull managers meeting where players deveopment is never talked about, we could make meetings more interesting by bouncing ideas off each other. Depending on how big the club is, meetings could be more age related, say mini soccer coaches havea seperate meeting to other teams.

No competitive football leagues untill 11 aside. Would have in house games.
All bad practices at games to be punished, by having a sin bin. For example 8 yr old Max swears or argues with ref/players is sent off for 10 minutes. Having no league and all players are part of the same club, will enable you to set good standards. Would consider having T-shirts printed with "No Coaching or Shouting at My Team" when kids play games. Think about it, every time mum/dad washes top, son/daughter puts top on to go training, it will sink in and by the time they are at competitive football, parents will know not to coach child or shout at other team.

Coaches to have no specific age group at mini soccer level. Kids to train on same day, have the different coaches involved throughout regulary to keep ideas fresh.

Children to be encouraged to be creative at an early age, coaches banned from talking to mini soccer teams when they are playing matches.

Parents must be fully informed of what the club is looking to achieve. How the club operates and what code of conducts are expected from Players,parents and coaches.

Older children to be encouraged to referee mini soccer games, also to help with linesman duties.

11 a side teams to have a nominated manager,this could be a dad/mum with a level 1, but not to be the only one to coach that team. Example: 2 U14 teams and 2 U15 teams would train on same day, every second week swap coach about. If U15 manager feels his team has something they need to improve on, other coach could teach that. Also where head coach might come in.

Encourage older kids to come and help train younger kids. They could be used to show examples of dribbling,turns etc.

Get children to have a say in some club matters.

A structure that monitors development, to make sure coaching is of a high standard and make sure players are playing at a level that is suitable for them. Coaches to be commended for bringing players from reserve teams into the A team, rather than feeling that they have lost a good player.Older players to be progressed into adult football, either at this club if it was to get an adult team, or join up with a few local teams to keep players involved in football.

Children that have shown a interest in coaching or refereeing and have been a reliable member of your club, to have relevant course paid for them by club.

I do realise that somethings I have mentioned, in practice would be hard to commit too. But what do you think??? Would you want to coach here?

[Jerzy]

I liked coaching my kids, and while I can see that you are trying to professionalize your staff, you're writing off the fathers who just want to be with their kids. I see where you are trying to go with this, but do you want soccer to be fun, or are you trying to pump out kids who will go into the pro ranks?

This is isn't just directed at you, but every discussion of how we need to make our kids better, and how do we get parental pressures out of the game, seems to ignore the fact that for most kids, they can have fun if they can't do all the moves and they just kick the ball blindly when they are defending.

Maybe where I am now in my soccer coaching life, I would coach there, but it certainly would have turned me off years ago, and probably even now if my kids were still playing.

[lanesra]

Seems a bit over-regimented to me, and if you have parents willing to work this hard for their kids and pay what it would cost, aren't they going to want results? Seems to me, that even if you put player development first, which it looks like you are, you're still going to get lots of Type A parents and kids, so this whole layout is going to be self-defeating. I mean, what club doesn't say that it is interested in player development?

[djasha68]

The reason I would go this way is because youth football in the UK is not particulary well organised. Clubs are not working together, for instance 3 teams at the same age group and they all run independantly. Would it not be better for players to be put into teams where they are of more equal ability and coaches not worrying about losing their best player? The reality is what ever some coaches say they could not bear to have some one more qualified than them ,come in and take over coaching. Rather than see this as a great way to learn, maybe they worry about who is going to pick the team or whatever it maybe?

Comment from Jerzy;
I liked coaching my kids, and while I can see that you are trying to professionalize your staff, you're writing off the fathers who just want to be with their kids. I see where you are trying to go with this, but do you want soccer to be fun, or are you trying to pump out kids who will go into the pro ranks?

First of all not one father is being writ off. I want better coaches so the kids can enjoy it more. My experience is dads who meanwell but dont have any coaching experience actually make it less enjoyable for the kids. A good coach will put fun first especially at the early ages, and have more fun games up their sleeve. I am more than happy to have dads be managers, but unless they are better than the coaches available, let the coaches coach. I would actually prefer to have dads manage and coaches just coach the teams. Dont forget that whilst dad is watching and helping coach he is picking up vital experience along the way. Why do people confuse structure with regimental?

Comment from LANESRA:
Seems a bit over-regimented to me, and if you have parents willing to work this hard for their kids and pay what it would cost, aren't they going to want results? Seems to me, that even if you put player development first, which it looks like you are, you're still going to get lots of Type A parents and kids, so this whole layout is going to be self-defeating. I mean, what club doesn't say that it is interested in player development?

See why you might think this, but once again this is why you have a clearly layed out structure that parents understand. Results would be marked by improvement in technique, fitness and a smile. Young children as I said would not be playing competitive games, only playing between themselves. Why would this club attract a certain type of person, cost to play would be no different to any other club. The layout is based loosely on the Dutch System, which as you know is very successful.

[Val]

We have a similar problem in my club as far the teams not working together. We call the first level of selectedness "travel" as opposed to recreational, and we have no procedure for determining how these travel teams are going to be apportioned. So one coach, who is well meaning and a great recruiter, always comes along and cherry picks kids out from the rest of the coaches. He's about to do the same to me with my hopes to get a girl's travel team going. So we need the procedure in place as well.

I'm kind of with Jerzy on this, I'd much rather coach than manage. I mean, who wants to manage: just making phone calls and sending e-mails. Managing is no fun, I'd much rather play with the kids.

I don't think a license per se makes anyone a better coach/teacgher of kids. It just means they have more training/exposure and a credential. the best coach in my 6 team girls' league is one such person, and if we were tell him he'd need an E license (equivalent to your level 1) I think he'd be out of coaching.

[djasha68]

Although this system is based on the Dutch system, loosely though, as I know to do everything they do is not possible in the UK, without major change. But it works there so what is to say it wont work here.

Having a badge doess not make you a good coach, I know a level 2 coach who I would not let coach my team, but it does mean you have a good understanding of the game. How many dads have come on this forum and have asked how to coach the most basic of techniques? I watched a dad coach a bunch of 5/6 yr olds the other day and listened to him sitting down talking to them about not bunching, thats what I mean by having inexperienced coaches. Would that coach not benefit from working with a coach, still their with his kid, still playing with the boys/girls, cant get you to see that I am not asking parents not to be involved, what club would survive without help from parents. If your a dad and a good coach thats excellent.

[AidanAngelina]

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