Youth Development: Professional Coaching in the Amateur Environment

Whether you are a youth football coach at a local grassroots club or in the Academy of a major football powerhouse, the role of the professional coach remains the same: achieve the maximum amount of improvement and performance from a player as possible while they are under your guidance.

No matter the environment in which you are coaching, the most important attribute you can have is a desire for self-improvement and improving those around you.

To be a professional coach, you must be a successful coach. To be a successful coach takes far more than attending a course, watching hundreds of games or having pretty session plans. It takes far more that just mean winning. It means educating, motivating, inspiring and facilitating players to push their own boundaries and improve to a greater degree than they could have done under anyone else’s tutelage. Anyone can win with all the best players. Far more challenging is to have every player achieve to the height of their potential.

Quality coaches working in quality programs can drive a cultural shift within any football environment. Coaches are the key link between the club and the player and should be seen as one any clubs most prized assets. The standards, expectations and behaviours of the coach should reflect those that are expected of the players. Once this is achieved, the football will look after itself.

Being a ‘professional’ coach means holding oneself to a higher standard than an ‘amateur’ coach, and being comfortable that others will do the same.

 

 

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to

be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”

- Mark Caine

 

 

Cultural Change: Treat players and parents in the same way you would if you were a youth coach at a professional club. The standard of the football may not be the same, but that doesn’t mean players shouldn’t look like footballers, behave like footballers and train like footballers. Being on time, dressed appropriately, respectful of coaches and a strong desire to improve aren’t just characteristics of the elite.

 

Coach Behaviour: Regardless of the players, every session should be conducted like you are being assessed. Arrive early, be setup before players arrive, have a clear plan of the topic you are covering and how you will do it and make sure the key the points of the session are conveyed precisely and concisely.

 

High Expectations: Not every player can be the best, but they can be their best. Don’t expect or accept that players cannot achieve a higher level of performance.  Constantly challenge players to be better- then show them how to be.

 

High Standards: Don’t compromise you own standards. The standard of player you are working with doesn’t impact the standard of person they are. Set the standards off the pitch that you feel are acceptable and expect the players to reach them. If you’re not prepared to do it yourself- don’t expect it of them.