Part of the coaches role is to inspire. Children at all levels have a right to play and enjoy their sporting experience. Founder of Changing the Game Project & PDP contributor, John O’Sullivan discusses three ways to help inspire your athletes at all levels. Recently, I went to a graduation. Not a high school or a college graduation, but one far smaller, and far more personal. In fact, there were only seven kids, one of which was my 9-year-old son TJ. He and six others were…
Working with Parents
Being a coach doesn’t always end with the players. Learn to work with parents for the benefit of the team.
What does it take to build and sustain football confidence? Regular PDP contributor and President of New Edge Performance, John Haime provides some practical advice for this crucial element of player development and performance. Every week in the top leagues in the world, you’ll see fantastic displays of skill – players trying things in the middle of games, taking calculated risk and using their great abilities. Recently, I watched Marcelo of Real Madrid put on a confidence clinic – trying things in the game that…
Can happiness impact performance? Former Professional golfer and President of New Edge Performance, John Haime explains how putting enjoyment before achievement can maximise performance. Sometimes things get fuzzy in sports and a reset is exactly what you need. Very often my phone will ring, or I’ll get an “emergency” text and an athlete client will be in a funk. Their focus unconsciously shifts to the many distractions around them – often to things they have no control over. Alternatively, an obsession starts with the outcome…
Emotional Muscle, what is it? PDP Contributor & President of New Edge Performance, John Haime discusses the importance of emotional state on performance and provides some practical advice for building emotional muscle in football. Working with some of the world’s leading athletes in mental/emotional development has taught me many lessons about what is important to be a consistent high performer. One thing I have learned for sure is that emotions run the show in elite performance and they certainly do in football. Head and heart…
How do you deal with parents in your environment? This can be one of the most challenging aspects of coaching at all levels. Parents are the stakeholders of your team, they have a vested interest in their child’s development and it’s your role as a coach to do your best by them. Joining us for a discussion on this at times difficult topic are Reed Maltbie & Skye Eddy Bruce. Reed is a TEDx Speaker, Founder of Raising Excellence & holds two Masters degrees, one…
Founder of TOVO Institute, Todd Beane examines how young players soccer brains process and filter information via ‘RAS’. Are you focused on the right stuff? Believe me I know very little about the brain so if you have a P.H.D. in brainy stuff just humor me. Apparently, we all have a RAS (Reticular Activating System), which is a part of the brain that filters information collected from our senses. Actually most data to which we are exposed does not make it through this filter, which is…
Pressure. What is it and where does it come from? Former professional golfer and President of New Edge Performance, John Haime examines this challenging concept, investigating how you can harness the power of pressure and turn it into a positive. Does pressure in soccer really exist? Well, according to some researchers and experts, it really doesn’t. It’s all dreamed up by you to make it difficult for you to perform when it counts. According to a noted study (Beilock 2010) people create pressure for…
An inspirational chance meeting with a legend and a blog post that reiterates the value of mentors. Former US Men’s National Team Player & Player Development Project Contributor, Erik Imler talks about the impact Johan Cruyff had on him as a young player. Not many would argue that nearly my entire identity is this game we all love. While I played a little basketball, some baseball, tennis on occasion and even tried wrestling in my high school years (that did not last long), soccer is the…
The sporting dilemma. Nick Levett, Talent Identification Manager at The FA, discusses the moral questions that sport can throw up. Whether it’s within or outside of the rules of the code, when does winning become the focus and should it be at all costs? The Moral Mankad Maze… It was one of those things that occurs occasionally in the world of sport that I love observing from a variety of different perspectives. The way people share their views from polarised positions, taking into account a whole host…
In this guest blog, TOVO Institute’s Todd Beane examines US Soccer player retention rates and how coaches can help keep young players in the game. Here’s what the Positive Coach Alliance out of California mentions as to major reasons why up to 75% of our children drop out of sports by the age of 12. 1. It’s not fun anymore 2. Pressure to perform 3. Lack of competence in the sport 4. Time demands As I see this disturbing information gleaned from research professionals, I…
Talent ID is a topic that polarises opinion. In recent years, professional clubs have begun their search for ‘talent’ at a younger and younger age. Mark O’Sullivan examines the talent identification landscape and questions whether the process is merely a survival of the fittest. According to Darwin’s theory of evolution, organisms which are better adapted to their environment tend to survive longer. Does the environment we create influence the selection process and favour those that possess attributes that give them a temporary advantage while at…
PDP contributor, Erik Imler discusses the importance of young players celebrating their success. Coaching my U11B team this weekend, we faced quite a good team. The opponent had one of those difference makers in their team. Besides his technical ability and confidence on the ball under pressure, he brought something different to yesterday’s dance (game)….the joy of celebration! The difference between him and the rest of the players I saw during the day (upwards of 100+) was the flair and joy he displayed when scoring…
The domain of sports expertise is a much-discussed topic, with many researchers searching to find the one ‘golden thread’ that provides the answer to all coaches’ requirements. However, this research suggests there is no remedy that solves all and that the uniqueness of each individual athlete’s journey towards excellence is clear. In this article, the Football Association’s Talent Identification Manager, Nick Levett, discusses the research behind talent identification. In a recent study, four interviews were conducted with current England U21 football players to see…
Why, in arguably the most informed, analysed and qualification-driven era in football coaching history, are players still being made to learn in a culture of fear? PDP Editor, Dave Wright discusses how coaches can facilitate and environment built on trust. The role of a football coach should be to facilitate the development and growth of the players under his or her tutelage, in an individual and collective manner. Most importantly, a coach should be a leader, a figurehead who is coaching purely for his or…
Many believe football is a sport in which early specialisation is important, but is it actually early specialisation or early engagement that players really need? There is little doubt playing with a ball from an early age is beneficial, but should organised football be a child’s only sporting experience? The following image first came to my attention through Twitter, from Ohio University. It is amazing because the image portrays something that is widely known among experts, is widely discussed in coaching circles, and has certainly been written about…
Why are we always in a hurry to turn children into mini-adults? The topics of premature professionalism and challenging parents dominate youth football. Former US Men’s U17 Coach, Erik Imler shares his thoughts on the upside of a long-term approach. Recently, I found myself in a conversation with a group of youth academy (U9/U10 age group) directors from a neighboring club…a big club. We were discussing the new US Soccer youth initiatives – the number of players on the field format – to be more…
Founder of Changing the Game Project, John O’Sullivan discusses the attributes of great teams, building culture and the importance of service an accountability. “Coach, can I talk to you?” “Sure,” I said. “What’s on your mind today Michael?” “Well, I just want to know what I can do so I get to start more games and get more playing time as a center midfielder. I don’t think I am showing my best as a winger, and my parents tell me I am not going to…
One of the saddest things I had to do as a Director of Coaching for numerous soccer clubs was conduct exit interviews, meetings with players whom had decided to leave the club. Children quit sports for a litany of reasons, and my job was always to see what we could learn, so we could improve the experience for other children. When I got these players alone, and asked them “what was your least favorite moment in sports?” I often got a very similar and sad…