Thread by @PeterPrickett

#SundayShare
Preparing practices for YOUR group (by "your" I am by no means suggesting that a coach owns these players, merely they will be who you with)

#Thread

1 - Who are they?
Consider age, experience, what they desire from playing football. Do they have a burning desire to progress? Are they beginning their journey? Are they Elite?
What is their CONTEXT?

Sampling
Participation
Performance
Elite

(These may intersect)

2 - Based on their context we also need to consider how much football they are involved in.
Is the session with you their only opportunity to PLAY all week?
Is the session with you one of many?
What those other sessions look like?
What can you give that they don't get elsewhere?

3 - These answers might guide the structure of a session.
The less football they have & the fewer hours they for PLAY the higher priority there will be for GAMES.
The younger the players are the smaller the formats deployed will need to be. With more time spent on these formats.

4 - In an older, more performance/elite environment the sessions will be tailored towards results, either instantly or through process.
This effects the ROLE OF THE COACH.

5 - Your role will change depending on your environment.
In sampling and participation environments FACILITATING will be more important than INSTRUCTING is to higher performance and elite environments.

6 - In any environment it is vital that the players trust you and believe that you will do what is right for the individuals.
Discussion, communication, sticking to your words with actions will undoubtedly reinforce the RELATIONSHIPS.

7 - Once we understand these elements coaches can then design practices for their players. RESOURCES (such as those being wonderfully shared with #SundayShare) are TEMPLATES to be adapted for your players. We all need inspiration from time to time, these RESOURCES are valuable.

8 - Though RESOURCES are useless unless we understand how to use them. The principles of ADAPTATION are the same as the principles of DESIGN.
Often with greater ADAPTATION experience coaches will find DESIGN easier.
*If in doubt play a basic game and coach within it.

9 - SCALING of no. of players in a game, the playing area & the goals will impact the outcomes of a game, creating different OPPORTUNITIES (AFFORDANCES) for actions. A smaller pitch may create OPPORTUNITIES to for turns & combos.
A larger pitch running with the ball & long passes

10 - Increasing the number of goals & footballs within a practice influences player actions and opportunities.
As a coach we must be aware that we are EXAGERRATING the REALISM of the true game. There will be benefits to this but there may also be tactical disadvantages (CONTEXT)

11 - INVASION GAMES require TARGETS for REALISM and to create TRANSITION. Goals are obvious TARGETS but ZONES can also be used to create these moments if players become overly focused on scoring (this may not be desired in a specific contextual moment).

12a - The FOCUS of a game or practice can be driven by context. The closer a context is to sampling or participation the more player lead the FOCUS is likely to be. As environments move to higher performance or elite the more likely it is for the coach to direct the focus.

12b - Which is not to say that a coach cannot direct focus at appropriate moments in sampling and participation or that in performance and elite coaches will not/should not encourage players to lead.

13a - PROBLEMS can have multiple solutions. Football is a game of PROBLEMS dictated by the laws of the game and the PRINCIPLES OF PLAY (or the laws/rules of a practice). As coach we may have an idea of how problem we have set should be solved.

13b - If we dictate only that SOLUTION we are encouraging CONVERGENT and narrow thinking. If we allow the players to find and execute their solutions we are encouraging DIVERGENT and creative thinking, more adept at tackling multiple PROBLEMS.

14 - Try to catch players in more than we catch players out. Highlight what they have done well. It is easier to spot MISTAKES and our instincts are to correct them, but this may not be best for the player. This is where coaching comes down to judgement, but often less is more.

Good luck everyone!
#SundayShare