19 Jul 2010

10 Characteristics of an Effective Football Coach

An effective football coach must not only have an in-depth knowledge in everything about football. He must also possess special characteristics that will help him become a great coach and produce a winning football team. A successful football team does not just rely on the physical and technical requirements, but usually more than those. The football coach must develop skills to fulfill them.

Here are 10 typical features that every football coaches must have.

1. Good Role Model

Every football team needs a coach that is a good role model. You have to understand that they need someone worth imitating. Check yourself if you are willing to be your football team’s role model. Put in mind that you are going to be their servant-leader and they are relying their success on you. You would be teaching them positive attitudes to win a game. It would be a shame if you teach something you don’t actually apply to yourself.

2. Admirable Appearance

Being a good football coach, you must never overlook the importance of appearance. Make sure you look neat and tidy. Cleanliness could add up to your professional look and this will help you gain trust and respect of the team. Remember that you will be the players’ role model, their football coach.

3. Be Punctual

Always be early to arrive in the football training. This way, you can manage the training set-up before the players arrive. It will also help you to not waste your time and can focus on the training objectives by starting on time during the sessions. If you will be late, there will be big chances that the football players will get bored easily, or even be impatient because you are not being professional.

4. Good teacher

An effective football coach is a good teacher. Part of your duty is to teach them everything about football especially the basics like passing, dribbling, shooting and tackling. You have to make it sure that your football team is learning and growing their skills. Always remember to give clear and correct instructions during the training sessions. You can’t coach the football players who don’t have any knowledge about the do’s and don’ts in football. In teaching football skills, demonstrating the drills is better than oral instructions.

5. Friendly

Establish a good player-coach relationship with your football team by being friendly to them. You must understand their personalities by knowing their personal lifestyles and interests. This way, you could analyze their varied emotional and mental characteristics and develop strategies that could motivate them more accordingly. But be reminded, you can get personal but stay professional.

6. Good Listener

It is important to constantly seek the football team’s involvement, and one way of this is by asking their views after every game. As the football coach, you must be a good listener because every person has his own brilliant ideas to share. Always encourage them to speak out and take what they say into consideration. Make notes if necessary, and include some recommendations in your football session plan.

7. Good Communicator

It is important that a football coach knows the importance of communication. This includes recognizing the players’ performances and achievements. Encourage them to do better and praise them for a game well done. Be conscious with using your words because a coach’s words are powerful and will bring a big impact to the team.

8. Development

Each football player’s development is essential. As their coach and role model, you must not only teach them football basic skills, but also social skills like discipline, patience, determination, and teamwork. Always put as one of your goals the development of the team players.

9. Team Motivator

Always develop activities in the football training session that will help motivate each football player to do better every game. Don’t forget to remind them their goals and missions on why they wanted to learn football and create a winning team. Words of encouragement and ways for development are very useful.

10. Goal-Centered

Whatever may happen, always look unto your football team’s goal – Why you are working so hard, why the football players are determined to learn and follow every instructions, why their parents keep on supporting your team. You are all doing your best to reach that common goal. An effective football coach knows how to picture out that goal to the players’ minds.

If you can apply these 10 football Coach must-have’s, then you will be the football players’ favourite coach ever. Always remember to give them the chance to achieve their full potentials. football is one great enjoyable game in the world, make sure you put that in their minds.