The Foundation Phase is a crucial time for young players. From the ages of eight- to 12-years-old, they will hopefully build the skills and confidence to underpin a lifetime of participation and further development in the game. As coaches, our job is to facilitate this process and provide varied and stimulating learning environments. Below, Lee Hodge, Head of Academy Coaching at Plymouth Argyle FC, shares his insights from the world of youth football, as he outlines his approach to developing 8-12 year-old players. In This…
coaches
There are many different types of midfielder, both in terms of their attributes and skill sets, and in the areas of the pitch they occupy. Below, we delve into those differences, and discuss how coaches can effectively develop midfielders in youth football environments. In This Article Understanding the Different Types of Midfielder Before developing midfielders, it’s important to understand the different roles in the middle of the pitch. To help, we’ll draw upon the work of Sunderland Head Coach Michael Beale, whose model of central…
Player Development is a long-term process, requiring time and patience. Below, we draw on the expertise of authors and experienced coaches Keith and David Mayer to examine how coaches can adequately support players throughout the duration of their developmental journeys. In This Article The Personal Element of Coaching The ‘soft skills’ of coaching are arguably the most important. To be truly effective in our roles, we must get to know our players, build positive relationships, and make them feel safe in our coaching environments. Crucially,…
Playing models can provide a valuable framework around which to develop playing philosophies and teach key principles of the game. Below, we discuss a playing model developed as an example by the PDP team, and how it can guide coaches and programme administrators in building team identities and facilitating player development. In This Article Coaching Moments of the Game The PDP Playing Model works by breaking the game down into distinct moments: In Possession, Out of Possession, and Moments of Transition. This simplified approach enables…
To provide exceptional learning environments for young players, we need high-quality coaches. But coaches, like players, require guidance in order to develop and improve their performance. In fact, the principles behind coach and player development are often quite similar. In this article, Lee Hodge, experienced coach educator and Head of Academy Coaching at Plymouth Argyle FC, discusses these similarities, as he explains the fundamentals of coach development and capability building within a club setting. In This Article How to Effectively Support Coaches Keep It Simple…
Expert researcher and PDP contributor, Mark Upton of myfastestmile discusses the 7 principles of non linear pedagogy. Mark examines how to create an ideal environment for players to focus on task mastery using a constraints approach. How do players best learn to select & control their actions to meet the demands of a dynamic environment as found in football/rugby/hockey/basketball/netball etc? To help answer this question, below are my interpretations of the key principles from Chow’s (2013) notion of a Nonlinear Pedagogy. Considered through the lens of 15…
Building on the expert insight of University of Queensland’s Professor of Sport Psychology & Coaching Cliff Mallett, this update drills into the Key Characteristics of The Worlds Best Coaches. Like any decent update this post aims to provide a deeper user experience, particularly focusing on the process of knowing ourselves: Or in other words the process of hacking, updating and refining our operating system. At some point we all need to update our software, but its often niggly and almost always annoying. In the long run it (normally) makes life…
What characteristics do the world’s best coaches have in common? PDP Lead Researcher, James Vaughan shares insight from a study at the University of Queensland on the key attributes required to be the most effective coach. Last Friday, I was lucky enough to attend a presentation by Associate professor Cliff Mallett at the University of Queensland. Cliff is actually my academic supervisor, and a bit of a gun. On UQ’s website they describe Cliffs work saying: “This staff member is a UQ Expert in the…
The life of a modern, top flight football manager can be short lived. With club and supporter expectations bordering on perfection, for a manager to successfully negotiate the gauntlet of public pressure requires skill, knowledge and perhaps above all, luck. Sean Douglas, Football Federation Australia’s Advanced Coaching Manager, explores the criteria most often used to judge coach success, and offers a new context with which to assess performance. “Half the season gone, half the coaches gone; forget the Tasmanian devil – the A-League coach is…