ysc / union youth academy newsletter the … 2014 newsletter.pdf · january/february 2014 2 youth...

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 41

Y O U T H D E V E L O P M E N T

One of the guest coaches for the Scottish Football Association on my pro license course was Gerard Houllier, the former Liverpool, Paris St. Germaine, Lyons, and Aston Villa coach. When Gerard took his first professional coaching job...

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N e w s l e t t e rTHE UNION

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VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3

Union and YSC Academy Update

Coaching Tips & Techniques

Sport Science & Psychology

Final Thoughts by Iain Munro

-4 Page 5-6 Pages 7-9 Page 10

YSC / UNION YOUTH ACADEMY NEWSLETTER

In December the U18 and U16 Academy teams traveled to Sarasota, Florida to compete in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase. It was an opportunity for our teams to compete against clubs from across the country and gain experience of playing against top national and international players. Approximately 160 teams and nearly 15,000 people attend this five-day tournament annually. Follow this link for more information.

During the week of December 9th – 15th, both the U18 and U16 teams competed in three games. The U18 team matched up against:

• San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday (1-2)• Montreal Impact FC on Thursday (2-2)• De Anza Force on Saturday (2-2)

The U16 team competed against:• Chivas USA on Thursday (2-2) • Capital Area RailHawks Academy on Friday (2-0) • Real Salt Lake on Sunday (0-1)

Tommy Wilson, Union Academy Director, was pleased with the teams’ performance, stating, “I was interested to see how we would perform because we’re a new Academy, only 3 months in. We were competing against some of the best teams and players in the country, with a lot of youth national and international players. I thought we were competitive in all of our games and I was really pleased that we were able to compete with these teams given how new our program is.”

The Philadelphia Union U16 and U18 Teams Compete in the U.S. Soccer Development

Academy Showcase

http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/development-academy/events/winter-showcase-13/winter-showcase-home.aspx

http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/development-academy/events/winter-showcase-13/winter-showcase-home.aspx



Tommy continued: “It’s unrealistic to think that we can be 3 months in – despite the level of work that we’re doing here with the Union Academy – and be better than some of these teams. I wasn’t surprised that in one or two games we were outplayed; I was expecting that. But, I was pleased that we were able to still compete and perform well. In every single match that we played, we were within a goal of winning it. Sometimes it came down to a referee decision or a stroke of luck. Also, every single one of our players started a game. There’s a human aspect to this; you don’t travel down to a tournament like this and put what you consider to be your

strongest team on the field 3 days in a row. You make sure each player gets a chance. My concern before the tournament was that 3 games in 4 days is difficult. It’s hard to cram that many games in. Still, it’s been a learning experience for us, and one that has been really beneficial. It was a good trip – well worth it.”

U16 player, Morgan Hackworth, seemed to think the trip was well worth it as well. He said, “What I like most about the developmental showcase is the learning blocks that each individual player must face to do well in the completions. Each player in the showcase is given an incredible opportunity, not only to be looked at by college coaches, but also by the U.S. National Team coaches. This amazing opportunity puts a lot of pressure on each player to focus, play his best, and work his hardest in every game he partakes in during the showcase. With each player giving it 100% to showcase his talent, the games become a lot more competitive, and with that, a fantastic soccer environment is established.”

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“The Union” Newsletter

Editors:Cristina Fink - Director of Sport PsychologyEmily Galvin - Sport Psychology Staff

Contributors:Iain Munro - YSC Academy DirectorTommy Wilson - Union Academy Director Peter Fuller - U18 Union Academy Coach Finn Gundersen - Director of EducationMarina Giolas - Sport Psychology StaffLiz Wahlberg - ADT Team Leader

UNION ACADEMY UPDATEU.S. Soccer Showcase, continued

The picture above shows parents, college coaches, and scouts watching the games that

were played, back to back, all day for days during the showcase.

Coach Peter Fuller shared his thoughts about the trip: The players did well at the showcase in all regards – their behavior, attitude, and performance. On the field, both teams played well throughout the tournament and I was proud of them. We talk to the players about being “Philly Tough”, which to us means mirroring the First Team and playing with respect and a competitive drive - the way the manager wants them to play. As coaches, we can talk all we want to about tactics and technique, but if the attitude isn’t there, none of that matters.

Down in Florida, the U18’s played with hearts the size of their bodies. The first day was a bit sloppy and we did make mistakes; it was extremely hot and we seemed to hit a physical wall. But, we recovered in the next two games and showed great effort, desire, and a will to win. The U16’s showed the same hard work and competitiveness. On the trip, as I think the other coaches would agree, we learned a lot about our players and how they carry themselves traveling as a team and how they compete against such strong competition. I learned volumes about the players and I really liked what I saw.



Chris Gomez, a player on the U16 team, said the following about his experience:

“This was my second year participating in the showcase and I thought it was just as amazing as last year. It's always a great showcase to be a part of since we were playing against top teams from other parts of the country that we wouldn't normally play during our season. Also, the exposure to college coaches is crucial at this age. It was an honor to be representing the Philadelphia Union - traveling with the squad and having this privilege that not every kid gets.”

Gomez continued, “I think both the U18 and U16 squads did very well this week. Looking at the schedule, we knew it would be a very competitive week with big names on paper that we were going up against. I was a part of the 18’s in our first game, losing to the San Jose Earthquakes, where the heat really took its toll on our squad. But, the rest of the week was very positive for both squads. The 16’s grinded out a hard-fought tie to another MLS team, Chivas USA, a nice win over a nationally recognized CASL, and a tough loss to arguably the best academy in the country, Real Salt Lake. Our teams always went out on the field with 100% effort and proved we can compete with the best. Playing against the best players and teams from around the country is what we want and we got exactly that at the showcase. It gives our squad more experience and allows us to see how we match up with other major MLS and academy sides from the country. The loss doesn't really feel like a loss considering all the positives we can take from the game and use toward our future to only make us better. Overall, there is a lot we can learn from results that aren't necessarily wins, such as new and valuable experiences and the opportunity to compare our progress to other top class academies to motivate us. It will take some time, but I'm positive it can be achieved through our hard work and determination. The future is very bright.”

As the Academy moves into the winter training break, Tommy Wilson talked about what he has in store for the teams upon their return in January: “We’ll try and build on what we’ve done. If you’re a professional club, the staff and the players should never be comfortable; complacency will kill you. If you’re a player, you should always be looking over your shoulder and wondering who’s coming in next. If you’re a member of staff, you should know that you need to uphold a high level of work to maintain your position. It shouldn’t be a job where you just do enough. The day that that happens is the day that you’re not doing your job anymore. With the hiring of Mark Prizant, Director of Talent Identification, we will necessarily be bringing players in who will challenge the players who are here. So, just because players have been doing well for a short spell, doesn’t mean that those players’ roles on the team are safeguarded, regardless of who they are. That’s what professional environments should look like. You’re never too comfortable; you’re always striving to do better; you’re looking to get the last bit out of everyone. We’ve got staff in place who will do that and we’ve got a decent group of players. Our players are hardworking and represent us well without being the best in the country yet – which is what we’re trying to achieve, along with a lot of other teams in the country.”

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UNION ACADEMY UPDATEU.S. Soccer Showcase, continued

The American flag flew high each time the U.S. U17 National Team scored in their 5-2 victory over England’s U17 National Team in the U.S. Soccer International Friendly.

Coach Jeff Cook instructs U16 player Cody Wax at the Showcase.



UNION ACADEMY UPDATE

On Tuesday, December 3rd, PPL Park hosted a soccer education forum, Path to PPL Park, for the U14 Union Academy team and their parents. Chris Brewer, Union Academy U14 Head Coach, Jeff Cook, Union Academy U16 Head Coach, and Chris Albright, former Union defender, spoke with the parents. The evening included:

• An overview of the Union Academy• A coaches’ clinic demonstration as the U14 team

trained on the field• A discussion about college preparation and recruiting

After the overview of the program, the U14 team took to the field to train in the same stadium in which their professional role models train and compete. The team completed passing and possession drills, as well as game-like competitions to demonstrate the variety of typical training sessions the team has at YSC Sports.

U14 player, Andrew Aprahamian, enjoyed the experience, stating, “I thought that the event was a great experience for our team and we all really enjoyed the atmosphere. Playing at PPL Park was like a dream come true. Knowing that it is where the First Team plays and where all of their games are played - it was a pretty special feeling. It was neat to sit in the locker room in the same seats as the actual players on the Union and to picture myself being there one day sitting in the same place. It gave me a feel for what it would be like to play as a professional. It made me want to work even harder when I got back to practice. I learned that all the hard work that we are putting in now when we are young can definitely pay off in the end. Hopefully if I keep training, I will be fortunate enough to be able to play in PPL one day.”

His teammate, Nykolas Sessock, said, “It was breathtaking feeling the same feeling the Union players feel stepping on the green grass - home of the Philadelphia Union. It made me feel like a professional and I know whenever you play on that field you have to play with passion and heart. I learned that it takes a lot of work to be what they are now. It's a real honor. I also learned what notes I have to take down to be at that level one day! I hope to continue to do what I'm doing and to continue to stay with the academy.

Before ending with a question and answer session, Jeff Cook led a discussion about college preparation and recruiting. Topics included:

• Identifying interests, abilities, and academic and athletic goals to find the right fit

• Navigating admissions and financial aid• Matching interests to a school’s environment and

program• Following through with contacting coaches, visiting

schools, and correspondence

This event was an opportunity for the Union Academy community to learn about the program, watch how our coaches and players train, and plan for the future of our players.

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The Philadelphia U14 Team Takes the Field at PPL Park in the Path to PPL Park Event

The U14 team takes instruction from coach Chris Brewer.



COACHING EDUCATION

A key focus of the YSC/HPS leadership education program is to explore, understand, and incorporate the best practices from a broad spectrum of successful international sport leaders. The YSC/Union philosophy emphasizes a holistic approach to both athlete and coach development. It pays particular attention to the complex coach-athlete relationship, furthering the objective of enhancing the long-term developmental process for accelerated athlete growth and overall program success.

Recently, YSC representatives attended the Leaders in Performance conference, “the international conference dedicated to the identification, development and management of elite sporting talent” (Leadersinperformance.com). Richard Graham, YSC President, and Finn Gundersen, HP Sports Director of Education, attended both sessions in London and New York City, with Tommy Wilson, Philadelphia Union Academy Director, participating in New York City. The following brief report highlights how critical creating a productive coach-athlete relationships is, and how a variety of coaching legends accomplish the task.

Leadership: David Moyes, Manchester United Manager, talked about his key leadership traits: “Keep an open mind, hire the best coaches possible who can teach, and are not ‘yes’ men but also are not complainers.” In a very candid interview, Moyes talked about his own personal development, and specifically, the Manchester challenge: “I have to be better in all departments, imagination is perhaps the best philosophy for a coach. I’m always trying to find better ways and I need people who can advise me. There is no shame in asking for help.” He appeared open and quite frank about his personal worries replacing Alex Ferguson, a Manchester coaching legend.

Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager, was asked how he progressed from an intern to General Manager in five years. He answered: “Be yourself. I was observant. I made an intense study of the team, its core values and team culture, how decisions were made. My values aligned with the owner.” He described how he had to change the scope of his leadership when the team moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle: “I put our people first. I needed to expand my leadership, focusing on other aspects beyond basketball. It was exciting. The challenge was invigorating but the cement is not dry; we are still developing our team culture.” Finally, Presti emphasized that “you need to understand yourself, reflect on your success and why, and you have to pick and chose your values carefully.”

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid CF Manager, when asked what his leadership style is, replied: “I’m democratic. I’m people oriented. I talk with them a lot. I listen. I try to develop good relations; I need to understand my players.” He continued: “You have to show your character and your values; they need to know me and I need to understand what they think about my philosophy. They must be involved and understand what I want from them.”

Creating a Club Culture:Bernard Petiot, Cirque du Soleil VP of Casting & Performance, talked openly about the Cirque creative process: “You must provoke, invoke, be open, seek diversity of ideas – everyone must be at the table in the planning stages for a collision of knowledge and expertise. The road is not clear, the process is not linear; there is tension, ambiguity. Expect and accept a demanding debate, take time to explore the issue.”

Individualization in Athlete Training: Bob Bowman, Coach of Michael Phelps, talked about the art and science of coaching, how one has to “create a structure that combines the athlete’s emotions with the execution of the plan.” He stated, “I purposely create discontent, constantly raising the bar, pushing them to be better because burnout is when you stop improving. My athletes always have to find ways to improve. I’m individually oriented by finding the smallest fundamental elements to work on.” He emphasized that as a coach, you “have to do something else that no one else could, and do it in practice to find ways that separate yourself from the rest.”

Athlete and Team Psychology:Paddy Upton, Performance Director Cricket So. Africa & Head Coach, stressed that “a coach’s ego is probably the biggest barrier to success. All coaches need emotional IQ through better self-awareness to manage themselves.” He always asks his athletes: “What do you want? I wanted to create the right training environment, a co-creation with the athletes for the best team culture.” He wanted athletes “who talk about issues, candidly and openly, [who] are mentally mature.”

All of these insights, from some of the top leaders in sport and performance around the world, help the leaders at YSC ensure that our programs help the growth and development of our players.

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Leaders in Performance:A Report from Conferences in New York City and London



COACHING EDUCATION

Dr. Nooha Ahmed-Lee presented to the coaches and staff members at YSC on Tuesday, November 20th. Her presentation, entitled Matching Coaching Methodology to Accelerate Cognitive Learning, described the developing brain and the ways in which children and adolescents receive information and learn. As the Head of School at YSC Academy, Dr. Ahmed-Lee sought to integrate her knowledge of brain development and teaching with coaching children of various ages.

The following information explains children at various ages and how the development of the brain influences learning:Age 6-10: Childhood

• Brain growing rapidly• Concrete thinkers• Use all senses when learning• Require immediate and positive feedback

Age 11-14: Early Adolescence • Brain is refining connections it has made through learning• Abstract thinking is beginning• Physiological, social, emotional, and hormonal changes

occurring• Time of “Act first, think later”

Age 15-18: Mid Adolescence • Improving planning, filtering information, judging

situations• Improving abstract thinking• Require immediate feedback targeted on the task, not the

individual• Peer culture influences experiences and behavior

Age 19-24: Late Adolescence • Brain is refining learned experiences to be most efficient;

getting rid of bad habits• Sleep is critical because that is when learning solidifies

This information has implications for teaching players, whether that teaching takes place in a classroom or on the field. As a coach, understanding the brain of the players you coach can help you tailor coaching techniques to enhance players’ learning and enjoyment. Younger players, who are concrete thinkers, need to be able to feel the ball on their feet and receive immediate, positive feedback to learn and develop effective patterns. The period of early adolescence is a time of immense refinement in the brain; the brain is prepared to learn new habits and strengthen connections. This is a critical period for coaches to be able to “rebuild” players’ brains and, again, try to engrain effective habits. At this time, coaches should monitor their tone and emotion when providing players with feedback. Training environments should allow players to feel safe, which helps them absorb information without feeling defensive or emotional. Moving into mid adolescence, similar suggestions apply, but coaches must now consider how strongly the peer culture influences players and their development. Knowing that players are sensitive to their peers’ opinions, coaches should use discretion reprimanding players on the field in front of teammates. Certainly, corrections and discipline are necessary, but delivering that information in a supportive way can help players be more open to receiving the information and therefore learning it. Further, feedback should be focused on skills and performance, rather than players themselves because it is not until later years that players are able to separate their relationship with a coach from the feedback the coach provides. In other words, younger players might think harsh or negative feedback means that the coach either does not like them or is angry with them.

Throughout all of adolescence, encouraging players to reflect on their performance and teaching them how to give themselves feedback can benefit their learning and subsequent development. Reflection strengthens connections in the brain and makes lasting memories. Additionally, teaching players should involve all possible senses; the more senses players learn with, the easier it is for them to retain information and make lasting, learned connections in their brains.

The coaches and staff in attendance concluded the presentation with an engaging discussion about how to best teach and coach players of all ages. Because of the connection between the YSC Academy and the Philadelphia Union Academy, coaches were interested in the ways in which the school curriculum supports brain development and learning at various ages, and how that translates to learning on the soccer field. Ultimately, Dr. Ahmed-Lee shared that she encourages her students to be self-aware, to self-regulate, and to self-advocate as they navigate adolescence both in the classroom and on the field.

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Understanding the Developing Brain On and Off the Field



SPORT SCIENCE

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YSC and Union Academy Players Make Use of the New ADT Equipment

The ADT room has undergone changes that will not only benefit the YSC Academy and Philadelphia Union Academy players, but also participants of our Player Development and Kids programs.

These changes include:• Less bulky equipment, which creates an open floor plan that allows for

entire teams to train simultaneously• A Rogue Infinity rig with monkey bars, aqua bags, resistance training

cords, climbing ropes, gymnastics rings, dumbbells, portable hurdles, and more (pictured below)

With this new equipment, combined with some of players’ previous favorites (the gymnastics floor and TumblTrak), the ADT coaches have been implementing new programs focusing on the following elements:

Gymnastics: YSC athletes of all ages are being taught how to safely roll, handstand, and cartwheel. Other basic gymnastics drills are also incorporated to help build confidence and body awareness. Rolling is particularly important because in order to stand up from the roll, players must pass through a full squat position and achieve triple flexion of the ankles, knees, and hips, which can be difficult to achieve from a static position. Through these gymnastics movements, proper jumping and landing mechanics are also being reinforced.

Body Weight: At first glance, body weight training in the ADT room might look like athletes playing and having fun; the goal of the body weight training is exactly that. The ADT coaches

have gone back to the basics with the athletes using playground-type movements to increase overall body strength through monkey bars, climbing ropes, ring movements, and basic pull ups.

Foundational Lifts: Foundational lifts are the last progression in the new programming. Athletes use dumbbells, hex bars (weight lifting bars with a hexagonal shape that keeps the weight centered), and a variety of resistance bands to increase their overall strength. Form is highly emphasized.

These elements are just the beginning of the programming changes that the ADT coaches are implementing at YSC. As always, the main goal is to keep the training fun for athletes of all ages and teach proper technique and form.

Above, a YSC Academy student completes a handstand as part of his conditioning with

the ADT Staff; below, students take advantage of the new space in the ADT

room to do foundational lifts.



SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

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Train Like You Compete and Compete Like You TrainAll players have their own individual needs for performing their best. Some require an incentive like competition to achieve their optimal focus, while others are inhibited by the pressure of competition and play their best during training sessions. For some, a combination of the two occurs depending on the situation. No matter which of these examples sound most like you, here are some strategies that will help you train like you compete and compete like you train.

Train Like You CompeteMaintaining attention and focus during competition can be a challenge for any player in any sport. Many of the distractions players experience while training or competing are not in their control, such as the opponent, the weather, the score, or the officiating. However, an aspect of sport that players can control is focus. As a player, one way to improve your focus during competition is to increase your focus levels during training. Just like any physical skill, focus is a mental skill that requires practice. Train with purpose and focus if you expect to display those same skills during competition. If you have trouble achieving intensity and focus during your training, you are less likely to be fully prepared for competition. Using simulation strategies in training is a good way to remedy this.

1. Simulate competitive, pressure situations in your training sessions and train yourself to maintain your focus in spite of playing under pressure. In scrimmages, for example, imagine that your team is down 0-1 with three minutes left in the game. This will help mimic the amount of pressure that is felt in competition. As you play, take note of what you are focusing on and how easy or difficult it is to maintain your focus. Use refocusing cues, such as “Focus on the next play” and “Stay on my toes”, to keep yourself engaged in the task and under control when you realize that you are distracted. If you consistently use refocusing cues when you lose focus during training, it could help those refocusing cues be more effective bringing your focus back to the present when you are in a game.

2. If you are familiar with your next opponent, try to remember their strengths and weaknesses. In training, focus on patterns of play or aspects of your own game that will counter the opponents’ strengths or take advantage of their weakness. Check with your coach to make sure you are using your own strong points to make your team more competitive. When you scrimmage before a game, communicate effectively with your teammates to make it competitive and to help you remain focused and alert during the training session.

Compete Like You TrainSome athletes perform better in practice than in competition. In training they are loose and play confidently and freely, but in competition, they become distracted by nervous thoughts or thoughts and emotions related to the competitive situation. The result can be tight muscles and difficulty staying in the moment and focusing on the current play. To counter this, try using the following strategies during competition.

1. Use visualization before and during competition to promote a state of relaxed alertness. Visualize times when you have scored or saved a goal, completed a good pass or communicated effectively with your teammates. Also, before the match, visualize your practice setting in detail until you can recreate the same feeling of relaxed alertness that you have prior to a training session. The more you do this, the more quickly and easily you will be able to achieve your optimal state of activation for competition.

2. Set goals for yourself that focus on the process of playing, rather than the outcome. Success will then be defined by you staying in the process, or the moment, rather than by the outcome of winning or losing. If you control the ball well in practice, but struggle in matches, set a goal for yourself to focus on one possession at a time and let go of everything else. This will help you stay in the moment and focus more on the specific skills or plays you are trying to execute rather than worrying about the outcome of the game.

All players must determine the ideal conditions under which they perform their best. What works for one may not work for another. Whether it means adding more competition to your training sessions or being more relaxed and process oriented in your games, the above strategies can help you train like you compete and compete like you train.



RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

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Dr. Fink also traveled to Spain in November to help formulate a pioneering research project. She worked with Josean Arruza, Director of Sport Psychology at Real Sociedad, Loren Juarros, Technical Director at Real Sociedad, and Gurutz Linazasoro, Neurologist and Director of CITA (Center of Investigation and Advanced Therapies) Alzheimer Foundation.

High Performance Sports and the Philadelphia Union have partnered with these colleagues at the Real Sociedad Foundation to participate in a cutting edge research project regarding the relationship between visualization ability and decision-making skills. The project will:

• Measure visualization ability in a sample of players• Scan players’ brains as they visualize in order to map brain activity• Implement an intervention to teach visualization skills • Conduct post-test brain scans as players again visualize

The project’s goal is to provide concrete evidence that systematic mental skills training creates noticeable changes in the brain, the way physical training produces noticeable changes in the body. Results of a groundbreaking and comprehensive study such as this allow the Sport Psychology Department to bring back information to our programs and provide the best possible services for our developing players here at YSC Sports.

Further, in December, members of the HPS Sport Psychology Staff traveled to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase to collect data to launch this research project. Over 200 players from across the country completed questionnaires that measured their decision-making skills. This sizable sample will help the project commence, as it will provide evidence for the validation of the questionnaire in English (currently valid in Spanish).

Dr. Cristina Fink was invited to present at the International Network of Football Psychologists (INFP) conference in Paris in November. She presented to the INFP on how to develop sport psychology programs from the youth level to the First Team level. Additionally, she presented to coaches at the French Football Federation about applied sport psychology and what coaches can do to reinforce mental skills principles on the field.

Finally, Dr. Fink and the INFP worked with French Football Federation at Clairefontaine to help them develop a coaching education program, sharing knowledge between the French Football Federation and the INFP. Dr. Fink was able to share her experience helping to develop and implement a coaching education program for our YSC/Union Academy coaches and staff.

A view from inside the locker room at the French Football Federation.

Dr. Fink stands (fourth from right) with members of the INFP outside the French Football Federation.



The Role of the Youth Coach is an “Uncertainty Reducer”

One of the guest coaches for the Scottish Football Association on my pro license course was Gerard Houllier, the former Liverpool, Paris St. Germaine, Lyons, and Aston Villa coach. When Gerard took his first professional coaching job, he was in the staff room after coaching his first game. An old professor at the school who was reading a report on Gerard’s first match said to him, “Gerard, I see you are the new coach of the local team, so you are an uncertainty reducer.” We always think of ourselves as coaches who teach players new skills and improve their technical ability and game knowledge, but we would never have thought of ourselves as “uncertainty reducers”.

Jock Stein, the former Scotland coach and manager of Glasgow Celtic, who were the first British club to win the European Cup in 1967, would watch his opponents before a European game. He would sit with a pad, which had a soccer field drawn on the page, and draw a line on the field to represent the pass that had been made. At the end of the game, he would look at the pad and mark down the areas with the highest number of pencil lines. This would show him the patterns of play most frequently used by his opponents. He would also take notes on the individual players in that team and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. He reported back to Glasgow and gave this information to his team before their game with their European opponents. These were the days before all of the games were televised and recorded. There were no computer programs breaking down every move and no cameras isolating and recording every player. This information was gathered and passed on by the coach, who wanted to make sure his team were prepared for their match – he was an “uncertainty reducer.” On Jock’s team of 12 players, 11 starters and one sub, that won the European Cup, nine of them came from their developmental academy. He was an excellent coach and he said that it was the coach’s responsibility to play the players in a formation where you only saw their strengths. This helped players feel comfortable and confident to play.

Today, youth coaches are like the first team coaches of Jock Stein’s day. We do not use all of the technology when coaching our young players and these wee players do not have the opportunity to watch their opponents play on television. Youth coaches should not only teach skills, shape, and tactics, but also know how to give the correct information to players. First team coaches might provide as much information as possible to their players to prepare them as best they can, but all of that information just overwhelms our young players. We do not need to give them so much information that they have too much to worry about. Soccer is a game about knowledge, and the younger the players are, the less they know. Still, we only need to give two or three simple points that will help each individual player for that specific match. When they arrive to a match, there is a lot to take in. They see the big field, the 11 opponents, and everyone who is there to watch. The coach is there to reassure them and make them feel prepared.

During training sessions, youth coaches should put players in every conceivable situation they could encounter during a match and speak with them about all of their possible options. After players are in situations three, four, or five times, the sixth time they might feel comfortable enough to make the right decision. And they know that it is the right decision because the coach has given them the opportunity to learn that during training. The only thing we cannot do for our players is make the decision for them! We cannot control their minds, but we can control how we prepare them and how we take away the fear of what the players do not know.

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F INAL THOUGHTS BY IA IN MUNRO

Coach Iain Munro takes a player aside for individual instruction.

ysc / union youth academy newsletter the … 2014 newsletter.pdf · january/february 2014 2 youth...

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