US YOUTH SOCCER adidas Annual Workshop and Coaches Convention 2006

1. US YOUTH SOCCERadidas Annual Workshop and Coaches Convention 2006 Teaching Games for Understanding

2. Some opening thoughts • There is no ‘single’ right way to coach – there are approaches that do not deliver our outcomes. • Most coaching approaches are developments, not ‘eureka’ moments. • Development is often most productive when coaches work together. • Theory and practice can mutually inform

3. Why did TGfU start? • An apology to PE teachers – pre 70s/ post 80s • Traditional approach Warm up, skill , game (with the emphasis on skill - technique) often • - failed less and most skilled. • - failed to exploit intrinsic motivation. • - failed to develop perception and decision making. • - teacher/coach dependent

4. Why Do People Play Sport? You say

5. Why do people play sport? • Affiliation • Competence • Sensation

6. TGfU – the model (1982) • Player enters • Game Form (selected with below in mind) • Game Appreciation • Tactical Awareness • Decision Making -What to do How to do it (embraces when and why) • Skill (individually based)

7. TGfU and ‘skill development’ • This is not just what the soccer players call ‘roll the ball in’. • The games are carefully chosen and progressive. • Certain key points can be addressed to the group (usually tactically) • Once the games are underway the coach is able to step in and help individuals or small groups with appropriate challenges.

8. TGfU • What to coach arises from the game and is always related to the individual(s). • But isn’t this what happens at World level? • Time for the cycle could be a lesson, or years. Key is readiness.

9. A word about learning • My soccer pedigree • Don Bradman’s pedigree • To be skilful – you have to repeat the skill many thousands of times – why would you? • Intrinsic motivation – coach dependence.

10. How did you learn to play soccer? • Consider how much play, how much coaching. • If play how did you know what to do? • Observational Learning • Did you always want to do what the coach was doing???

11. The Game is on-going – so? • Only step in if you are sure your coaching is going to be positive. • Traditional approach to coaching and coach education has been to identify faults and expect the coach to set to work. • Key have you the time to correct, or, add. • Is it relevant to the player.

12. Learners Learncoaches only help this process - sometimes

13. The Coaches Skill Level • Games Sense – Australia – coaching • Reactions to Aussie and Kiwi sport • Making Sense of Games – TGFU • It makes sense to play games – play sport that became TOP play and TOP sport (YST)

14. Some thoughts from other sports • New Zealand Rugby • USA Basketball • Brazilian Football – UK coaches!!! • Australian Hockey • and what of Pakistan Cricket • Proposition ‘play’ and ‘situational practice with player responsibility’ are common.

15. Why now for coaching – 24years after the first publications? • Fitness, nutrition, technical analysis, etc – the machine is primed. • Some approaches to sports psych BUT have we looked at decision making and skill acquisition carefully enough. Have we developed logical long term programmes to develop these aspects?

16. Decision Making • The limited concentration channel Where is attention? • Perceptual – response coupling Practice outside the game? • Time and pressure • Dominant Responses

17. Do we coach too much? • The Lesson • Improved performance or improved learning? • Are we disobeying some basic skill acquisition • findings – 2 examples • The playing career – or the winning juniors? • Are age group coaches developing the attributes the senior player requires? • How do we judge an effective coach?

18. The Learning Environment • If the keys to development are appropriate challenges, appropriate models and lots of goes – surely much of your coaching task is to set the learning environment. • Shifts coaching style toward questioning and don’t forget the game sets the question. • The players solve it – they learn. The Inner Game – Gallwey (Whitmore)

19. So – with this in mind? • The key is to set the appropriate game • For the mum and dad helping – we (experienced youth coaches) set the games and give some clues as to progression. • For the experienced coach, the key is to develop the games that challenge the key elements required.

20. So what game? - early • Mini Games • Is an invasion game the best way to start? • Target Games, Fielding Games, Court Games. • Possession v Distribution

21. So what game? Moving on • Small sided soccer games – adapted to meet need – the game sets the problem and provides the solution. • Use other game with other skills to emphasise tactical awareness.

22. Games – more advanced – full sided games • Empowering • Non-threatening risks • Leaders on the field • Individual programmes.

23. Graeme Robson Coach Support Manager, NZ Academy • Perhaps with our community coaches we should concentrate on Games sense in the lessons and bring back the backyard games.

24. Darren Shand NZ All Black Manager • … austere, narrow minded, coach dominated regimes have gone the way of the dodo.

25. Coaching • If we are to propose that coaching is a ‘profession’ we should reflect and develop. • You do not get the edge by copying, but you can learn from others. • I hope the session has given you a few things to think about. • Thank you