LET THE DEBATES BEGIN

The whole argument about the American Player Development System is wide open. Some basic questions for debate are: OUR PLAYERS Are our players willing to do the “basic” repetition they need to improve their skill level? One example: Kicking a ball against a wall with a real purpose one touch, two touches, one bounce, two […]

Qualities/Traits of the “Model Youth Coach”

Jeff Tipping, former Director of Education for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and recipient of the FIFA Futuro Award, sent the following response after reading, ‘We Are Woefully Lacking In Qualified Coaches.’ “Maybe it’s time to specify the qualities/traits of the model “Youth Coach” and take it backwards from there!” And so, […]

PERSUADING PLAYERS to PREPARE

PERSUADING PLAYERS to PREPARE During the pandemic, when players are playing alone, they can work on their passing and control skills with Ball and Wall soccer. As a young player growing up in Liverpool, my parents’ house was just around the corner from a school. I spent lots of time kicking a ball against the […]

COACHING PRIORITIES

In this report, I have listed some observations from watching English Premier League youth teams for the last three years. During this time period, I have watched a number of games played by English Premier developmental teams and lower league senior teams. The quality of play is quite impressive. The following report contains recommendations and […]