Back into the game

Help your players develop their technique and confidence on the ball by encouraging them to try new skills which they can take into a game.
It’s to the delight of all coaches when a young player tries, in a game, something that has been a focus for development in training. It doesn’t mean that the player now fully understands the use of the skill or the technique, but it does mean they’re willing to try it out to see if it can become a part of them when they play.

If we want this to happen, then we need to offer advice, guidance and support whilst the player gets to grips with the new ideas, techniques or concepts before combining this with a huge amount of practice to see if the player can now position this newly gained information into the game itself.

This is a long-term process that cannot be rushed. Instead it’s important to provide the right information at the right time and in the right way, before providing plenty of different game-like situations within which to begin to apply it.

A vital job for the coach is to then “notice” when the young player is successful but also when the attempt might not have worked but it was an effective response to the situation they were in.

This is a great way to work with young players and one that recognises that learning new things can be hard at times, but the rewards will be seen in the smiles on the faces of the players and the confidence they begin to demonstrate in their play.