In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor Dave Wright is joined by Head of Specialist Coaching & Lead In Possession Coach at The FA, Aaron Danks. PDP Technical Advisor, Dan Wright also joins the discussion for a fascinating conversation on youth development.

Aaron is a holder of the UEFA Pro License, he spent over a decade at West Bromwich Albion Academy and was part of the England U20 coaching staff who led the team to World Cup success in 2017.

We dive into Aaron’s personal coaching journey, his views on what coaching is, the role of chaos in learning, trends in the modern game and much more. Aaron shares some insights into the attacking model for the England U20 World Cup, and some great insights to some of the most progressive coaching set ups in world sport.

If you want to be a better coach, this is a must watch Masterclass from one of England’s top youth developers.

Show Notes

0:00-2:30:  Aaron’s background and coaching experience.

2:30-3:35:  Advice for coaching teenagers.

3:35-6:00:  Key ingredients to creating a positive learning environment.

6:00-8:50:  Differences between development and performance environments.

8:50-12:05:  How Aaron’s coaching has evolved over time.

12:05-27:10:  Pro Licence experience and an individual project.

14:50-27:10:  Specialist coaching role and examples of cross-sport learning.

27:45-31:55:  Research around trends in the game and how these can be implemented.

31:55-39:00:  England’s youth team success & challenges.

39:00-47:45:  Aaron’s presentation at u20 World Cup.

48:00-50:50:  Key characteristics of an effective coach.

Key Takeaways

7:00-8:45:  Aaron talks about the key pillar of the Golden State Warriors.  You might be surprised with the answer.

15:58-18:35:  Some great examples of specialist coaching from all over the world in different high performance environments.

42:55-45:00:  Aaron talks about an excellent model for assessing goal scoring opportunities.

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