So why is it not about `winning v’s development`….?
Football (soccer) is a sport.
And sport is by definition: “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.”
Compete: “strive to win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others.”
This means that `wining` (and losing) are intrinsically built into sport and therefore are built in to football (soccer)…you can’t remove it or chose whether or not to have it! It’s not and it can’t be NON-COMPETITIVE! It’s a sport!
It can be child/player centred competition!
If we can accept that ‘wining` is part of the game, then we can stop the debate on if `wining` (especially at the foundation and developmental phase) is a good or bad thing. It’s neither, its simply part of the sport, just like the ball or the goals!
So if it’s not a question of winning v’s development, what is the real question...
All sports need a way to measure the success of the game, so in turn will conclude with a `Result`.
Therefore the real question for us to ask ourselves is `how important is the `result` over player/team development`. This is because, often making choices that better enhance our chances of improving the result of the game will impact on developmental (and learning) opportunities of the players. This is because the two can often be mutually exclusive.
`Result v Development`
This means there are essentially two approaches we could choose to adopt when coaching players. One is `Results focused` or `Short-term’ and the other is `Development focused` or `Long-term’.
What’s the difference between the two approaches;
RESULTS FOCUSED (short term)
· The result of the match is the priority
· Training is focused on how to achieve the best result
· Players only/often play in their `strongest` position and are played to their strengths
· The team plays rigid formations with limited decision making
· The coach gives the players lots of instructions during the game – Don’t, Do, Must, Never, Always
· Players are not encouraged to try things and mistakes are criticised
· Coach leads all team talks and tells the players what they must and must not do
· The Result is the measure of success
· Players are selected first on their physical strengths
· Players are told what they must do and how to do it
DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED (long term)
· The players learning is the priority
· Matches are there to support the training
· Players rotate and play all positions (when the game allows)
· The team plays formations that challenge the players to make more decisions
· The coach provides guidance and asks the players questions at appropriate times during the game
· Creativity and independent decision making is encouraged even if mistakes are made
· Coach encourages the players to lead team talks and share ideas about how they are playing and possible changes
· The players progress (individually and collectively) is the measure of success
· Playe
Episode 25 - Rotation, Rotation, Rotation
Episode 24 - A Games Based Approach
Episode 23 - Are these the 4 biggest hurdles to development in youth football?
Episode 22 - An introduction to Futsal with the wonderful Luis Melville
Episode 21 - We discuss an Arsenal U10 training session with the awesome Paul Barry
Episode 20 - Managing Player Behaviour, a conversation with Phil Beadle
Episode 18 - Tournaments, Reflections on the Season and Some Holiday Reading Recommendations
Episode 17 - A conversation with Jamie Tompkins from Brentford FC
Episode 16 - A look at playing 5 aside football at the foundation phase
Episode 15 - Practice Design - a conversation with Kevin Green
Episode 14 - Player Reviews & End of Season Awards
Episode 13 - Is it good to go unbeaten all season?
Episode 12 - A conversation with Michael Hamilton, Academy Head of Coaching @ AFC Wimbledon
Episode 11 - The importance of Ball Mastery & Technical Work, a conversation with Saul Isaksson-Hurst
Episode 10 - “Is there a better way?”, a conversation with Stuart Armstrong from the Talent Equation.
Episode 9 - Coach CPD, Sessions & Player Reviews...a conversation with Lewis Bloom from Wycombe Wanderers
Episode 8 - Making the transition from playing to coaching and how your coaching principles can change...a conversation with James Brooks.
Episode 7 - Interventions and Counter Coaching
Episode 6 - Rondos & Positional Play, a conversation with Kieran Smith
Episode 5 - Ball Rolling Time/Active Learning Time & Collaborative Training Matches (CTM's)
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