Reader,
There are 168 hours in a week.
Put yourself in the shoes of a youth (13-18 year-old) football player in 2024. It’s highly likely that they spend their weekdays at high school where traditional educational settings mean they listen to teachers and are told where to be for 6-7 hours a day.
They might also play football or other sports in their school environment, adding to their schedule. Their evenings likely consist of 2-3 club training sessions per week and a game on the weekend. At this age, football might be something that’s becoming more serious for the player in question.
Coaches (and players) want to win games. The coach might be putting on tactical sessions, demanding high standards, commitment and effort. Between the classroom (possibly 35 hours per week) and football (possibly another 8-12 hours per week), we are now looking at almost 30% of their available weekly time.
In that time, there is expectation, pressure, structure and demands from adults – coaches, teachers or parents – to deliver outcomes, such as results, homework, assignments or support for their family. I know this because I work in both club and school environments where players are being asked to commit (possibly) more time than ever.
This challenge has got me thinking lately…
How do we ensure that within these structured settings, we ensure that joy is ever-present? We have to avoid football (and sport) becoming an extension of the classroom, setting the expectation that their weekly sporting experience is a work-like, 9.00am – 5.00pm “grind”. They have their whole lives to feel the pressures that come with adulthood.
Three things to consider.
- Does your session always need an outcome? We know that learning takes time, is non-linear and is messy.
- As coaches we tend to look for progress every week to know what we’re doing is impactful. Stay patient. Enjoyment, engagement and connection could accelerate learning.
- Bring energy, joy and humour into your coaching. We all coach because we love it, and it’s easy to get caught up in results and outcomes which can make our approach all too serious.
One thing for you to try this week.
Plan a session based on play. Set yourself the task of designing games with which include decision-making, direction, consequence and goals. Observe what the players do but don’t step in until the end of the activity.
Pose some questions as opposed to just telling the players what you saw. Then, ask yourself whether this actually cost you anything in terms of outcomes you might have wanted to see? Or consider whether the players benefited from you standing aside?
One critical resource on the topic.
Check out this blog by sports psychologist, John Haime on how a mentality that involves a playful approach can enhance performance.
