Ric’s ideas fit right in this ‘Belyi’s Chart’:
I do have a modest proposal. Rather than assigning the presumed best coaches to older age groups, why not scatter them across all age groups, emphasizing ages 3-9? Rich Jablonski
Most clubs do not (and many should not) offer programming at the crucial 3-6 age group. That cedes that space to either unstructured (playing with older siblings) or overly structured (soccer class taught by people with no real appropriate coaching experience) options, without acknowledging that the best is probably a combination of both led by people who know how to teach fundamentals to kids.
I want to see more clubs investing in entry-level coaching education for the volunteer parents who coach the youngest recreational teams. That way, we can build a culture where the people with the most interaction with kids during these formative years are equipped to teach the game, leading to an exponential raising of the floor. Damon James
