Coaching Style
- Clear, concise communication, using ‘words & pictures’
- Get started in 90 seconds or less
- Provide demonstrations whilst talking
- Changes in tone of voice – loud, soft, emotive
- Positive and open body language
- Connection with players
- Flexible approach – Friendly and firm
- Provide players with positive re-enforcement, encouragement, and praise
Organisation
- Have field set up and ready to go prior to player arrival
- Put players in positions before you explain practice / exercise
- Efficient set up so that you can transition from one practice to the next
- Keep sessions flowing by having balls at the ready – Have a few balls under your arm to throw in if a ball goes out
- Gear neatly placed and easily accessible
Set high expectations – reward & enforce them
- Remind players of the expectations for training
- Listen to the coach and follow directions the first time
- Be respectful towards each other
- Give 100% effort and have fun
- Reward /praise / highlight players for good behaviour – “Catch them in”
- Apply a warning system for poor behaviour
- 2 Strikes = 5-minute Sin Bin
Gain their Attention
- Everybody “STOP, LOOK & LISTEN”
- Use a countdown to hurry players in “3…2…1”, last player must do a dance
- Do not start speaking until everyone is listening and focused
- Get down on their level – take a knee and get down to the players’ eye level when speaking to them for higher connection.
Engagement
- Play game-based practices with minimal interruptions
- They will learn and understand by doing
- Include competition elements in all practices, reward players with points / goals
- Appropriately challenge individual players
- “John for the next 3 minutes, try and get 2 assists”
- Players who are misbehaving are using bored / overchallenged, therefore find the right challenge for them, and watch them become more engaged!
- Appropriately challenge teams
- “Green team, you are only allowed to take 3 touches for the next 3 minutes”
- Coach players ‘on the run’, and avoid stopping practices / games
- Give players ownership
- Ask them questions and for their opinion
- Picking up gear
- Choosing progressions / conditions
- Time to develop a quick team strategy during practices