North Carolina: National Diploma and Much More

North Carolina: National Diploma and Much More

Thursday 14th August 2014

Course book and free t-shirt.

A half one flight from Mexico City was quite easy going. Finishing work two days before the other guys, but my dedication to coaches education and my pure awesomeness were justification for special dispensation. An easy flight time provided no real worries, and an attempt was made to complete the consumption of my remaining perishable goods, thus providing me with a nutritional breakfast of cheesy chips and bacon. The driver was seemingly in quite a rush, despite not having a flight to catch.

Before Raleigh, there had to be a stop in Charlotte. Two hours doesn't sound like much, but most of that was trying to get through customs. There was a huge amount of people funneling through, and not many staff to cater for it all. To make it worse, I was surrounded by French people. Eventually I got through, and I had enough time for a Pinkberry, which was consumed on the plane. That, and the Sbarro before leaving Mexico, were a nice homage to my old home, Kuwait.

A full fridge courtesy of WalMart.

The flight into Raleigh took just half an hour, cruising at an altitude of about ten feet. As soon as the seatbelt light went off, the pilot gave us his first address of the flight, and then mentioned that we were also beginning our descent. This reminded me of one of the early episodes of Futurama, when the gang went to the Moon. Fry began the countdown for liftoff, and by the time he hit seven, they were there.

North Carolina looked very green coming in, decorated by little lakes, ponds, and swamps. It is clean, tranquil, warm, and very easy going here. A lovely place to spend eleven nights. The hotel has provided me with a microwave and a fridge, but more importantly, good vibes. My new friend Hungry Howie had one of his finest employees bring a bacon cheeseburger pizza to room 331 just before midnight. The guy even had change for a hundred ("bloody foreign exchange"). It was delicious, and I wholeheartedly thank Howie and the guys. After initially exchanging my money at Benito Juarez, I nearly made the fatal mistake of leaving my passport, salida, flight tickets, and course confirmation (essentially everything I need to get into the country and convince them I'm not trafficking drugs, and also to get me back into Mexico). Five steps was all it took to realise this fatal error.

To end the day, I fell asleep watching Comedy Central.


Friday 15th August 2014

The CASL clubhouse.

The day has come and the course has begun. A beautiful warm sunny day accompanied me on my hour long walk to Wal-Mart. It was there that I purchased lots of microwavable meals that are full of nutrients. A short ride back in one of Amigo Taxi's finest vehicles, and then it was time to prepare for the course.

The first thing one would notice about the fields at CASL is that they are far better than anything in Mexico. Crisp, green, and much like a carpet, it would be a dream to play on stuff like this. They are also open to the public, so you will see the occasional American out his cleats on and shoot some net while shooting the breeze. The country needs more of this.

One of the ten million fields at CASL.

Straight away it was clear to see that the American coaches on the course are better, far better, than the American coaches I have encountered before. Most of them were dads on a rec team, where as a lot of these guys are coaching at college level. It's very strange to hear Hank, Bill, Dale and Boomhauer discussing the benefits of playing three in midfield, or of the triggers that would initiate the second player press when defending in a 2v2 situation. Nevertheless, there are other foreigners on the course. There's one from Edinburgh and another from Reading. Even the instructor is from Trinidad & Tobago.

From Day One it appeared that the technical side of coaching is in much greater and deeper detail of the courses back home. It appears most American coaches have an encyclopedic knowledge of all coaching points. Even the course manual explains every move in great detail. This could be part of our problem back home in that we assume people just know what the coaching points for all technical skills. Our general population has a much greater knowledge of football than the Americans, but perhaps this causes ignorance in that we don't know the finer details, and also how to break down a skill into ways kids can understand. What if they're not getting it? Now we can identify where the fault is technically. At times it has felt like listening to two coaching point definition books having a conversation.

The stadium at night time.

The most worrying thing I have seen in these first few hours on the course is a sign on the back of the cubicle doors in the bathroom. The sign reads; Notice: Please flush after use. My immediate thought is that this is an unfortunate situation that they have encountered an infuriatingly frequent amount of time, so much so that they can justify purchasing a sign that explains the most natural reflex of post-toilet etiquette. Most of my coursemates are not local to Raleigh, and maybe in the other states, flushing slips their minds.

We did a couple sessions, lead with a Caribbean flavour, which gave us a chance to see how the NSCAA want their sessions to be structured. We saw the content and the level it was to be pitched at. For those of us interested, we got a good look at each other as players, and learned who can play, and who thinks they can play. The field we were playing on was an old fashioned astroturf, and this was cutting me up like a demon. I could feel big bloody blisters forming, so allowed another coach to take my place as a player.

At the conclusion of our first day, we were handed our coaching topics. With absolutely no energy left, pretty much everyone on the course stated their intention to go straight to the shower and fall asleep. My head was too full of information to concentrate, so I watched more Comedy Central and fell asleep.

Saturday 16th August 2014

Blistering heat at 7:30 in the morning.

And so begun the fourteen hour day. Luckily one of the other guys is staying at a hotel pretty much opposite mine, and has been kind enough to provide me with transport. We gather before eight in the morning, and know we have to slug it out in the hot sun until ten o'clock at night. A third instructor showed up, a West Brom fan from the Midlands who works in Georgia. This is a guy who definitely has a more advanced sense of humour than your average American.

The day was very hard going, and from the early morning until the evening, we were on the field, in the sun, playing soccer. Session after session, breakdown after breakdown. The stopping, the starting, the standing. A few of us had fashioned our pinnies (bib or casaca) into a head garment resembling a turban. I can't recall a time where I have ever been redder. Whilst being bombarded by the sun, pounding down and burning you to a crisp, a large variety of local bugs want to come out and say hello. Most of them go for the eyes or the ears, just in case you can't see or hear them. It was noticeable that more and more of them settled on an area around on my shorts that covers my nuts. All day in the sun playing football. Try not to imagine the smell, but understand it would not have been a bunch of roses.

Lunchtime brought some special NSCAA subs, where participants had the choice between ham, roast beef, and turkey. Mine was ham, but was accompanied by a lot of vegetables, all of which they failed to mention before making your choice. A ham sub to me is bread and ham. What I had was a ham, lettuce, onion, and tomato sub. Lies. Those other ingredients could have been replaced with ham or cheese, or better still, given to poor rabbits in the area that struggle to make ends meet. The reward after the playing was over was pizza. About twenty boxes showed up, and they mentioned that I demonstrated speed in getting to the front that my performances throughout the day had been hiding. It was pizza and it was open. I had seen the opportunity and made the run. Sometimes it's not about speed of feet, but speed of thinking. The defence was caught napping and the space was exploited. When everyone was feeling full and satisfied, two slices remained. They were to be handed out auction style. Again, my blistering pace took me to the front, and I claimed both the slices. People told me I was greedy, yet I told them they were not brave enough to follow their dreams.

Still, the grass is perfect and better than the turf.

When it comes to my coursemates, a lot of them are very knowledgeable about soccer, and know their European stuff too. Most of them can move and demonstrate a decent level of skill. The ability and intelligence of the participants is similar to what you would find back home on a course of that level. These Americans just represent a smaller percentage of their nation than we do. Another thing I have noticed is that their level of humour has been increasing over the last few years. I pointed this out to one of them and he told me that they have been trying harder. I asked him "When did Americans discover sarcasm?" We have been wondering when they were going to catch up, but like with football, they are making progress. This has lead to some of the jokes and conversations on the course being of top quality, something which everybody needs in order to be able to keep going through the fourteen hour day.

Match analysis template.

The sessions were seemingly endless, and we had been paying for nearly four hours before it was even midday. The format involves two initial exercises, with a simple progression taking you into the second one, then a functional practice, followed by a 6v6 game. Everything is based around the 6v6 idea. The instructors insist that everything is played to an end. The job of the defender cannot be to just steal the ball. If that is their only instruction, they lose interest and the session intensity drops. Plus it becomes unrealistic in terms of the game. Do you just kick it out, or do you then try and begin an attack? Transitions in coaching are often neglected, which is why a lot of youth teams are slow to react when they win the ball. A lot of defenders only ever play D, and do not understand that once the team has the ball, every player is a member of the attack.

The grey keeper plays GK for the U17MNT.

The instructors look for us to make interventions, and have suggested the different methods that they wish to see. We can coach at natural stoppages in the game, such as when the ball goes out of play, or we use the STOPSTANDSTILL method and have everyone freeze in their positions. They recommend that we do not talk for too long as the interest of our players will decline.

For all the sessions, the instructors, just like back home, are using the course participants as the players. This means we have to volunteer and step right up. Some are old or injured, and so the young fit athletes like myself have to step up and take one for the team. After a while, I needed a break. I layed down at the side, with a bib turban on my head, and continued to watch. I could feel my body shutting down as it was experiencing a longer rest period. My eyes closed, but I thought that no one would notice as the turban was shading my face from the sun. A few others were on the ground, so I wasn't exactly standing out. I then heard some snoring, so turned around to see who it was. There was absolutely no one behind me. Then I noticed a time lapse. There was missing time. It was at this point that I had realised who the snoring had come from. He was English and is writing this blog.

My player only played a half and didn't do much.

Part of the course is match analysis. It was our task to watch a game together, focusing on one player, and then devise a session for submission based on either technical or tactical weaknesses that were displayed by the player. We watched an U17 game, though a few of the players were a little younger, of CASL versus a team from Richmond, Virginia. A few of the better players were away on national duty. That's right, they play for the US youth sides. The goalkeeper was not away with the national team, so we were able to watch him. A commanding young man with supreme confidence, clearly agile, and with great anticipatory skills. He definitely had a presence about him. The guy I had to watch was the CF for Richmond. He looked fairly strong and confident, playing a lot of one touch balls to bring teammates into play. Mostly he was isolated, and as the focal point of the attack, he made a lot of runs back to come deep. Perhaps this was because his service was limited, but now I need to create a session to help him, if I were his coach. I'm going to focus on making runs in behind the defence from the attack. Throughout the first forty five minutes he only made one run behind the defence to receive the ball, and was never really breaking that line with his movement. He demonstrated average speed, but fantastic strength, as well as a good ability to read play. Perhaps if he were able to run along parallel and then break the line, he may receive the ball in 1v1s more frequently with the keeper.

Finally, fast approaching ten o'clock, the day had come to an end. No one had plans other than bed and shower. I added food and Comedy Central to the list, watching Bad Boys and Men In Black in bed, having a Will Smith night. We had sessions to plan, but my brain was too tired for that. I scribbled some stuff down, doodling little footballers, rationing that I would write it up properly before the start of the next day.

My three sessions are:
1. Coach the second attacker when and where to support the first attacker.
2. Teach the first defender when to delay and when to tackle.
3. Coach the first, second, and third attackers in tactical decisions of attacking when numbers up.

Match Analysis Session: Coaching the centre forward to break the lines Pt. 1.

Match Analysis Session: Coach the centre forward to break the lines Pt. 2.

Sunday 17th August 2014

Melted Oreo seasoned bread.

Today was bloody hot. Holy hell. Seriously, it was so hot that my Oeros actually melted. I found the melting point of an Oreo. After experiencing all that, I'm going to be purchasing some bug spray and sunscreen, and also bring my hat. I'm red, aching, and scratching bites.

It was all about our first practice session. Although it is called a practice, we are actually being assessed on it, with it going towards our overall grade. We thought it literally was just a practice, after which we would receive feedback, then make some adjustments to our delivery to improve on the delivery of our sessions the following week. What they've done is use "practice" in the same way we would use "session", rather than meaning something like mock test.

A common criticism was talking bollocks and taking two or three minutes to make the coaching point. When it comes to talking too much while making an intervention, I believe this is largely due to wanting to keep talking to demonstrate that we know what we are talking about. It should be "you move there, look here, why? Run, what is your trigger? Try again" bish bash bosh, done. Quick, succinct, and play. Don't waffle. Coaching adults, everyone is wondering what their peers are thinking of them, yet the large majority are not judgmental, and will not take any coaching points personally. Telling another coach that he started his run too late when trying to initiate an overlap is not going to cause an argument. Even if they might reflect and think you are a bad coach, the only opinion that matters is that of the instructor.

Every single one of us had a run through, and there are some good coaches here. A few completely bombed as their nerves got the better of them. Hopefully now they know what's coming, they can calm down and focus, giving themselves a better grade next week. In the scorching heat, we played and played and played. By the time we got to me, we'd been through thirteen sessions. I think I played in all but two. Being pure magic with the ball, it was only fair I graced as many sessions as I could.

Naturally there was a lot of thought that went into the planning of the session. Although I didn't spend ages on it, I did consider many different options. I thought over the finer details, such as the exact dimensions of the area. Due to being the fourteenth session, I used more players, giving less reps, thus not knackering my fellow coaches. I explained that I would normally do this in two groups to give more playing time to each player.

It looked good, sounded good, I was energetic, funny, and loud. It didn't go entirely to plan right from the off. Having an attacking topic, looking at the second attacker, a few times I coached the first attacker. My feedback showed that I talked too much during my explanations, which was very true. Worst of all, it was too easy. The defending was terrible, and so there were no problems for my attackers to solve. They kept achieving success. What could I coach if they were always winning? I added a second defender, but it was still too easy. I was really scrambling for coaching points. When it was over, I knew all this straight away. The assessor was very helpful in his comments. I received a pass, but a low pass. I know I am capable of much better, and I will show that. I want to improve and I need to impress.

And now, the evening was mine. I tried a mall not too far away, after a delightful evening walk. I made myself comfortable in a sports bar called the Fox and Hound, and also caught the new Planet of the Apes movie. It was alright, but the best part was that Maurice survived. Following that, I headed back to the bar, continuing my time in there as a sad lonely loser. But the brownie and ice cream dessert was fabulous.

The peer to peer review implemented by coaches in a kind of buddy system.

Coach the second attacker when and where to support the first attacker Pt. 1.

Coach the second attacker when and where to support the first attacker Pt. 2.

Monday 18th August 2014

This is a standard NSCAA session plan, developed using Academy Soccer Coach. All of our sessions have to follow this template. Members can submit their sessions online, which are then rated and available for use by other users.

Monday was the first day I had free since being here, so I wasn't going to think much. I wanted to go see the Carolina Railhawks in a friendly versus the University of Carolina, but it was the other side of the city. This would require a two hour bus ride with three transfers, leaving the game early, and the same back. If I missed one on the way back, I'd be screwed until morning. Any taxi would cost a fortune as the stadium is twenty seven miles from the hotel. I went back to the Fox and Hound, deciding to watch the Dingles play Chelsea. It was getting close to five o'clock, and I had no plans for the evening. The very few people in the bar looked sad and lonely. Who goes to a bar on a Monday evening at five? I asked the staff if they could recommend anything to do, and they were short of ideas. I tried a mall, which lead me to check out two shops. It was then that I went to buy a McFlurry and found that my card had been blocked. You see, living abroad and travelling for a couple years now, what threw them off was a $2 McFlurry in the United States. This problem happens to me far more than you would think. Buying stuff off Amazon has made them block my card before. So I went back to the hotel, made some calls, and woke my parents up. After a long time, it was eventually unblocked. I was very angry, leading to this Facebook post:

"Genius stuff from the ***** at Barclays. A while ago they removed the function on their website which you could use to inform them you were going abroad. They said that they have technology which can assess whether out of the ordinary payments are being made, and can then block your card. Using the old system, I never encountered a problem. Using the new system, my card is blocked every time I even look at it. So here I am, abroad, in a shopping mall, unable to make any purchases or withdraw cash. My card has been blocked. Anyone who knows me, and definitely a piece of high tech software, will realise that I live abroad. I have done for a while. I travel quite a lot too. Me trying to spend $2 on a McFlurry is not an out of the ordinary purchase. I have to call them to unblock it, but unfortunately the line is not open twenty four hours. The number you call for help when out of the country is only open for times that are applicable to a day in England. I phoned them anyway and was transferred to a different department. The guy asked me all sorts of questions, very few of which I am able to answer in a mall as it is not advisable to carry all of that information around with you. After answering the questions, he said he would transfer me, and thus put me on hold for all eternity. Moments before giving up the will to live, I hung up. Now I will try again. Essentially it's THEIR FAULT I have a problem but it is ME who has to solve the problem. And spend a lot of time and money trying to fix it. What a bunch of incompetent ********* they are. Every time this happens, I should be given a tenner. Now to try once again to establish a connection with their telecommunications headquarters in India. *********." William Wilson, August 2014.

With all that taken care of, I went to check out downtown. It had been a rainy evening, so the streets were empty. The bars and restaurants were pretty much dead, even at nine and ten in the evening. I had some food and watched the Little League World Series. It's a worldwide tournament for youth baseball, and it appears to me to be obscene. The guy behind the bar started talking to me and he agreed, echoing those sentiments exactly. The shortstop for one of the teams had made two fumbles. This was a big game and was live on TV being broadcast in many countries. If he's playing in the park with his friends, he is called a rude name, cries a little, and life moves on. Now, I imagine, due to the pressure placed on him by the circumstances, he will have many sleepless nights and will never forget that mistake. Why do that to kids? It's a lot to handle.

And that was Monday.


Tuesday 19th August 2014

The astroturf field for the NC State soccer teams.

Possibly the most interesting and eye opening day so far, I found a lot going on in Raleigh for soccer, starting with the training session for the men's team at N.C. State. Straight away I was awestruck by the whole experience. Now one must bear in mind that I went to Southampton Solent to study football at the Lawrie McMenemy Research Centre for Football. Since I graduated, they spent millions on Test Park. The facilities we had at a football specific research centre, supposedly the best in the country, pale in comparison to what they have here in North Carolina. The taxi driver dropped me off in the campus, which already appeared to be majestic. Most likely common for Americans, but jaw dropping for us. I walk into the soccer facilities, and I am first hit by the sheer seclusion of it.

A young blonde physio is always on hand for injuries,
Powerade, and to do doughnuts with the kart.

 Once inside, unless using their free field wide wifi, you will not be distracted by anyone or anything. There must have been an area around 50x50 of unmarked astroturf before reaching the floodlit astro field. There's plenty of space to train and play. As I walked over, I noticed a second field behind it, a grass field. It was better than anything I have seen in my entire life. Probably even better than most Premier League grounds. The grass was perfect height, and all the same length. It was like a bulldyke's buzzcut.

How wolves commute. They are not
allowed to drive in N.C. Still can't
believe just how far behind the U.S. is.

I arrived at 8:30, the time I was told practice would start, but all that is there is three coaches, the physio, the Powerade buckets, the injury mobile, and tons of cones set out. The team, entire squad of thirty, was indoors going over match analysis. The training was to last for two hours, and there is another one at 16:30, in preparation for the game tomorrow. The head coach and the team then show up around 9:00. The team is dressed exactly the same, apart from the goalkeepers who are in grey tops. Everyone has socks pulled up and shinpads on, and something which struck me is that every single player looked like an athlete. No one was short, and all quite muscular. As they put their boots on, the guys got some balls out and passed them between them. Unlike back home where the players will shoot at the goal, or unlike in Mexico where they will be sat down and not even putting their boots on. Once everyone was ready and on their feet, the coach whistled, and all the players were on him within a second. The last person there was someone not paying attention, who had to do a silly dance in front of the group as a punishment. By the time the dance was finished and the team had been taken over for the warm up, we'd still be trying to collect our Mexican players in. Perhaps this is something that has been drilled into them since they were young, maybe it is because of the level they are playing at, or maybe Americans have more respect for the coach. Whatever it is, we need more of it in England and in Mexico.

SAQ warm-up.

The fitness coach lead them through a dynamic warm up which was great for intensity. Right away, the application from the players impressed me massively. No one was half arsing it or only doing it properly when the coach was watching. This was all aided by the use of hurdles and other props. The players were then lead by the head coach into a drill of passing patterns, still warming up essentially, but moving into ballwork. They put their bibs on within seconds, and understood the coach the first time he explained what to do. They went straight to the cones "jog until you get there" and begun on his call. No what? How? Er... like this? Almost with military proficiency. I wonder what would be the punishment if anyone did not listen to him, if the players even know how to do that. Stop, add to the pattern, continue. The intensity was high. "If you're not making bad passes, you're not doing it fast enough" was the call from the coach, achieving two things; players striving for a higher intensity, and also reassuring them of mistakes yet praising effort. What I have noticed from the players here is that communication is not an issue. The thought process is very quick, but in addition to that, they are supplied with sharp and useful information from all their teammates. This is definitely something I'm going to take back to Mexico. We all tell our teams they need to communicate more, but rarely show them how.

Passing:
Bounce - one two.
Take - takeaway.
Turn - receive the ball and turn.
Steve - pass to Steve.
Feet - pass to feet.

Defending:
I got ball - I will press the player with the ball.
Take runner - take the player making the run off the ball.
Drop - take steps backwards in anticipation of the penetrating pass (sometimes accompanied by a number to indicate the number of yards)

There's many other examples, but these are off the top of my head. We'd all know what these meant if they were barked during a game, but these are quick and easy words that are coming out as if they are well rehearsed.

8v8 with two neutrals.

The players moved into an 8v8 possession/pressure game that had two neutral players. The box was probably 40x40 with the team in possession taking up spaces near the outside, and the defending team on the inside. The nearest man would always be the one to press, so shape and integrity was strong and balanced. This made it hard to penetrate and so the team in possession would always have to pass around the outside rather than passing through the middle to the two neutral players. That was the idea; to see if they could open up the defence and get the ball into them. Once possession switched through a bad pass or an interception, the transition was instant, as the defending team moved to become compact, and the team with the ball dispersed to create space. At no point was anyone complaining about not being able to take shots, that they don't want to do it, or it is boring. These players appear to have complete trust and faith in their coach, and know that if they want to play, improve, and make something of themselves, they must listen and apply themselves to the instructions given to them by the guy whose job it is to make them better players.

Oh Wendy, how my heart yearns for you.

Whilst this is going on, the four goalkeepers are working on their distribution with the GK coach, and the injured or recovering players are doing their own work on the far side, under the supervision of the fitness coach. This allowed the fourth and remaining coach, most likely the assistant, to watch over the session. During the passing patterns, the team was split into three groups, with a coach watching each group, while the fitness coach cleared away the equipment for his warm up. It was slick, organised, and clearly very well prepared. These guys are in the zone with each other, and appear to have a great working relationship. You can tell who the coaches are from their uniform. They wear white shirts, black shorts, black socks, football boots, and are pretty much identical. I doubt any of them would ever consider as paid professionals, turning up to a game in a pink Lacoste polo shirt, chinos, and Converse. Professional standards create professional performances.

The indoor facilities at XL Soccer World.

Ten o'clock came and I had to get off to watch the US women train at WakeMed Soccer Park, a few miles up the road. I began my walk, and after about an hour, went past a building that had a big sign outside; XL Soccer World. How could I not investigate? I went inside and asked if I could look around. An Englishman, upon hearing my accent, came running out. He introduced himself to me as Gary, and showed me around the facility. There are some very good quality indoor astroturf pitches, where they have leagues and train their own teams. They offer team training, with both an indoor and an outdoor service, as well as leagues and pickup. Gary turned out to be the technical director, and Gary Heale who played for Luton, Reading, and with Louis van Gaal and Danny Blind at Sparta Rotterdam. He was also the assistant coach at Seattle Sounders. He took me in to meet the boss, Rich, a QPR fan. They offered me doughnuts and water, and we began chatting like we had known each other for years. They are part of an organisation that runs sports tours, and has a few other facilities like these in the United States. Gary was kind enough to offer me a ride up to the stadium in time to watch the game.

Wing play patterns with a shot on goal.

At WakeMed I saw a very good and modern facility with training pitches around it. Very impressive. It has a capacity of 10,000, and there must have been at least 1,000 that had come out to watch the women train. Upon searching for a seat, I encountered one of the course instructors. I sat with her to watch and we chatted a lot about football, the cultures in our different countries in regards to sport, the impact of the recent growth and expansion of soccer in the US, and the session taking part in front of us. The big names were all there, including Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux, and Megan Rapinoe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08lAM3MWolQ&list=UUk1pcWQ5E19g0Cgp4c1eI1w

Abby Wambach after her ice bucket challenge.

9v6 with two neutrals in blue.

One of the shots cleared the scoreboard.

The game tomorrow night is only a friendly, and a lot of the players were involved in very important games on Sunday, and will be flying out to even more important games at the weekend, so it had a light feel to it. The repetitions were low and the rest periods high. They started with wing play patterns, working to a finish. It gradually became more complex, but nothing mind blowing. The players were in lines and had to make a specific play before crossing it in to finish on an empty net. The two keepers were training by themselves. It included one-twos, checked runs, and third man runs. All of their movement was realistic and at game intensity. At this point they were split.  The defenders were working on aerial clearances and their footwork in anticipation, two players on free kicks from the left hand side of the goal with a wall, and the rest finishing from a cross, two at a time versus a goalkeeper while in lines. A lot of the goals were greeted with cheers from the fans, as well as any good saves made by the keepers. There was a 9v6 possession game with two neutrals, very similar to the exercise used by N.C. State earlier, but with an overload and far less space. Their control was tight and crisp, the passing accurate, but you still felt they were holding back a little. They finished with a 4v4 in big goals, a keeper for each team, while four waited in reserve behind the goals. The numbers changed slightly, and the teams would suddenly switch on the coach's call. The rest periods were  there to keep the players fresh and to not tire them out before the game, and to keep them injury free for their club teams. Lastly, there was stretching and then autographs.

"Take a selfie with me".

After all this, I wanted to watch the Champions League games. My instructor knew the guys I met at XL Soccer World and was kind enough to call them and ask if they were showing the games. She talked to Rich who put the game on and even bought me a large pizza, all this after she dropped me off back down there. Unparalleled friendliness. Following that, I went for an evening walk. The sun was still burning down, but that didn't deter me. By now, both of my phones had so little battery left that I couldn't listen to my music. I checked out the stadiums for N.C. State Football, and also for the Carolina Hurricanes, who play in the NHL. Both were outstanding and modern, and I'd love to see them both on gamedays. Now I had a bloody long walk back to the hotel, no map, and no music. I was around eight miles away, and unsure in which direction I needed to go. What was I to do? Within moments, the trees in front of me parted, and I spotted a sports bar. Decorated in flags, I knew this was my kind of place. The friendly smiles of bar staff welcomed me, as I plonked down my sweaty bum and cream covered face to watch the Real v Atletico game, while eating a chocolate brownie with ice cream and jelly babies. Not long into this dessert, there was a huge announcement from the function room behind me. The guy wanted us all to "give it up for" a fat baseball team. Suddenly began the cheering and high fives as a group of matching adolescents strode their way around the bar, collecting high fives as they completed their lap of honour. This team had just returned from the Little League World Series, and were champions of whatever division they played in. World champions, they will have you know. A lot of the beaming parents had their matching hats and jerseys. Below I will copy and paste my post from Facebook regarding the matter:

"Yesterday evening I was in a sports bar, watching the game and drinking a Pepsi. As time went by, I noticed an increasing amount of boys and dads in USA baseball shirts. The main body of the shirt is white, but with a kind of army pattern. This is not the main issue, and I digress. It turns out that the kids and their proud entourage of parents have just become Little League World Champions. Congratulations to them. The statistics show that none of these players will become players in the major league, so this is pretty much the best moment of their lives. Again, another unimportant issue. The announcer was reading out a list of names, meaning that each of the players could receive a special mention and a huge round of applause. It wasn't until the final name that my concern grew. The last boy to be commended was called Lane Rhodes. I scanned the faces around me, and not a single person flinched. That right there, in just a name, is the biggest example I have ever seen, and the most succinct way of showing THE difference between us and them." William Wilson, August 2014.

Below are some more photos from the USWNT session:

The teams would change on the coach's call.

4v4

Crossing and finishing with keepers.

A light team jog.

The first two to come over.

The team coming over to sign autographs.

Below is the video of Abby Wambach's ice bucket challenge.

Highlights from the training session.

Wednesday 20th August 2014

Dail Soccer Stadium

NC State 2 v 0 Campbell Match Report

Wednesday was all about getting to the game. This was a preseason match between two colleges, right in the heart of the university. The college is lovely, clean, easy to get around, and with incredible facilities. The stadium was just the other side of the trees from their training ground, so it is of great convenient for the players, being right in the heart of campus. The game was advertised as a seven o'clock start, but that was when the gates opened. I got to the ground a while before seven, and there was already a large queue outside, which became bigger as time progressed. I was relatively close to the front, though realised I only had six dollars on me. Tickets had been advertised at ten. I asked a couple guys if they knew if card would be accepted, but they thought not. I enquired for the whereabouts of an ATM, and they pointed me up campus. On the way, I asked a few more people, and eventually found it. Out comes the money, and it is time to get back to the game. Now I found myself in the line about two hundred yards further away than where I was before. When I went in, low and behold, due to being only a friendly, admission was free. Sweet.

Searching for a seat, I ran into another familiar face. This was a coursemate who was there with her husband, to watch her son, a freshman looking to get into the first eleven. Upon telling her that I had been to see the women train yesterday, she told me she had coached Abby Wambach when she was younger. What a fascinating network of people I am beginning to get to know. The attendance was recorded at 1,630, though it felt like a lot more. It was mainly made up of students, dressed in red, with the ones behind the goals waving flags and telling the keeper he sucks. A few of the players on display were in the U20 national pool, which gives an idea of the standard on show.

Around the seventy minute mark, a few people began making their way to the exits. Apparently today was the first day of class, but then as I saw later, there were a lot of students out who had no intention of getting and early night. I was sat with my coursemate and her husband, and the mother and brother of another player. They seemed to have a much better idea of what they were talking about than most American crowds that I have been a part of. I mentioned to them like I felt that I was through the looking glass. I think it was taken as a compliment.

There wasn't much penetration from both teams, and NC State did not push many men forward when attacking. I was told that this was due to them working a lot defensively recently and them wishing to solidify the back line. It appears to have worked with a 1-0 and 2-0 in their first two preseason games. Campbell didn't send many men forward when they had the opportunity, appearing a little timid going forward. Their support off the ball was underwhelming. They had a shot cleared off the line in the second half, but apart from that, they hardly threatened. A lot of people were telling me much about the transformation that NC State have been trying to make, saying that they have a lot of faith in the coach, but that there is a lot of pressure on him.

The game had an announcer who I remarked was clearly not being paid to sound excited. You can follow the game through live updates on Twitter. This is actually all a big deal. I'm very impressed at how much time and effort has gone into all this. The whole system is very different to back home. These players would be playing in professional academies, youth teams, and reserve teams. Instead, the American system doesn't work like that. It is changing as the MLS is insisting its teams all have academies. This is likely to reduce the number and quality of college players, but could also make a career seem more feasible to young American athletes. Basketball and football are the huge money drawers, although baseball and hockey still make you a young millionaire.

It seems odd to find this amount of soccer in the United States, but then the players do have to come from somewhere. Brad Friedel and Clint Dempsey didn't just become good the moment they got on a plane to Europe. They would have had coaches, leagues, teams, and represented their college. Brad Friedel went to UCLA and that provided a wonderful insight into the US college and Olympic systems, as well as the impact of the World Cup on a country that didn't even have a professional league. There's definitely progress being made, and huge amounts of potential. With the room there is to expand, the US is clearly going to become a big player in the world game over the next couple of decades.

Following the game, I went looking for somewhere to eat. I was dropped off on a strip nearby that had bars and restaurants on it. It was there that I found an Irish bar called McDaids. It was showing some games and offered fish and chips, so was a great place to start. The music was incredibly loud, making it very difficult for the other eight people in there to converse with each other. Looking to see what else is going on after having my food, I went for a walk. The most packed event was a place called Alley. It wasn't until my second pass that I realised this was a bowling alley and a bar. It was as if every student in Raleigh decided to make an appearance. The line was huge, which was surprising. Apparently bowling is the place to be. Walking back down the road I saw another huge line, though this time was to get into the very same Irish bar I had walked out of ten minutes ago. It was now rammed inside. I joined the line to see what was so different, but it took about twenty minutes to get in. There was a lot of cutting and queue jumping going on. While inside, I waited fifteen minutes for a drink and decided that life was too short. I left, walked down the street, and found a cookie shop that was open until three in the morning. A cookie and chocolate milk, enjoying the warm night, that was enough to keep me happy. Not knowing better, you would assume that all the guys in the bar were called either Dude or Bro. There were a few Mans too. It was all about high fives, back slapping, and comparing summers. It felt like I had been dropped right into the middle of a scene from American Pie. At any second I was expecting Stifler to arrive and start handing out insults. The girls were dressed in a way that advertises their features. All their features. It would take the shorts of fifteen girls accumulated to cover the length of my jeans. I could smell the STDs in the air, as well as the desperation and the quest for bro points.

NC State Merchandise - Go Wolfpack

Highlights of the 4-1 win for the US over Switzerland.

Thursday 21st August 2014

Today consisted of Comedy Central, research, session planning, then an evening out. The night before it was suggested that I try a jazz club. I went to the area of the bar on the search for this club, starting off in an Irish bar, eating chicken and chips with honey mustard dip. Holy hamburgers. I'd never had this stuff before today, but damn, it was good. Next was a jazz club, which actually was undergound, called C Grace. For about twenty minutes I felt incredibly cultured and very intellectual. There were some people in there using the dim light and low attendance to get their grope on, but as I sipped on Raleigh's finest Coca Cola, I enjoyed the virtuoso performances of these four guys. Most people would have been annoyed after realising that there was no vocalist, but I just enjoyed listening to real music for a change. Following that, I went in search of frozen yoghurt, but came across a second Irish bar. Not intending to be out past twelve, there was a band playing who went until two. They were alright, called "The Restless", I believe. They did some interesting versions of songs, including a fast version of Steve Miller's "The Joker", and Wonderwall, mixed with another song as the chorus. Why the Hell not? I'm twenty five. I do what I want.

Friday 22nd of August 2014

Casey Brown delivering a typical NSCAA defending session

And so began the first day of the second weekend. I feel a lot better compared to this time last week, a sentiment echoed by my peers. We went straight into the coaching, having a few example sessions from the instructors. A point they try to emphasise to us is that of simplicity. Don't try to put too much bollocks into your sessions. There is no better teacher than the game itself, so try to make your sessions as true to the real thing as possible. Obviously you can put in rules and conditions to force the learning outcomes, but they don't need to be complicated or unrealistic. Just a simple 3v3 can bring out so many of the basic principles of the game. This knowledge can then be taken into and applied to the larger field. What I really enjoyed, as a player and a coach, was a 3v3, with both teams defending three goals. The area was probably thirty yards wide and only twenty from goal line to goal line. We initially worked with one assessor on the defensive side, looking at pressure, cover, balance. The first defender applies the immediate pressure, and thus will delay or tackle. The second defender applies cover, allowing the first attacker to now shape up and make play predictable. The third defender comes into line and give balance to the defence. It is in those moments of disorganisation and confusion that mistakes are made, space exploited, and goals scored. Although I have worked on all of this stuff before many times, and got very successful results from it, I feel even from the terminology alone that it will make my journey time a lot quicker, reaching the destination of a more effective defensive unit much quicker.

Throughout the course they have used a lot of rest periods, which they advocate is it means you can work on the group together as a whole, keeping your eye on the whole team. This is especially useful for the younger ones as they don't act like clowns while your back is turned. Secondly, it helps keep the game at a high intensity. A thirty second rest, a reward for winning the game, it keeps it all fresh, interesting, and provides an incentive to play well and try hard. Unless playing with a team at a high standard, full of motivated players who are being paid and competing for positions, playing a 3v3 against the same opponents, with no breaks, for five minutes, without constant supervision from the coach, it is easy to see how attention can be lost sometimes. After the defending topic, the other assessor used the exact same setup to enact an attacking topic. That just shows how it can all work. It's essentially the same thing, but you're now working on the opposite points. Instead of creating balance within your defence, you're attempting to create unbalance within their defence. So really, why would it need to be any different? Three goals provides width, but also means that pressuring defenders have to be aware of penetrating passes, much like a line of three in the midfield having to be aware of any penetrating passes through, or defenders trying to cut out any balls in behind.

The rest of the day was about preparing ourselves for the 6v6 assessment. I haven't prepared too much for that as I like to know what I'm up against before I devise a cunning plan, so I was waiting to see what exactly we had to do in terms of setup and coaching. I may have had four days off, but it isn't until Sunday, and now that I've seen it and can picture it in my head, I'm not afraid of it at all. They want three coaching points, and we have twelve minutes to do it. Essentially it is just a game. No rules or restrictions, just a game. All you have to worry about is finding coaching points, and correcting the plays through your interventions and recreations. "Freeze! You go back to where you were when you played that pass. I'd like you to make this run just as he plays that, to receive the ball in there. Watch how I do it". Simple, right?

Assessment criteria.

Whilst you are coaching your topic on your six players, there is another coach coaching his six players on his topic. Can you see how that may create problems? All the topics match up. If you have an attacking topic, they will have a defending one. I expect a lot of coaches to shout freeze just as their opponents are about to score, and then show their team how to defend against the play they are facing right there in the moment. We can also demonstrate what they call "coaching on the fly". That incorporates many different techniques, like instructing while the ball is in play, pulling a player aside, having a quick word while the ball is out, and much more that does not affect the flow of the game. That is not really what they are looking for though. You can do that, but your marks come from your interventions.

The evening discussion was on the topic of ethics. We were broken into small groups and had to discuss two situations. The first one involved an beating in the final from an unpleasant team, where the players and coaches act obnoxiously. What would you have done? Would you ever condone these actions? How would you deal with your players if they did this? We got a good laugh out of a hypothetical defender named 'Chopper' who committed a terrible foul and took a red card, just to keep a clean sheet when his team were already four or five up with not long left in the cup final. The second example was about a game that decided which female team went to the playoffs, and again, one of them was acting unsportingly, making deliberate fouls, and deliberately blocking free kicks and encroaching the ten yards.

So is it our duty as coaches to teach fair play and ethics to the players? Should we be playing to win or to develop? How can we create an environment where this does not happen? It then became a course wide discussion about what is acceptable in terms of bending the rules. I was very clear that none of it is okay. Claiming balls that aren't yours, pressuring the ref, collapsing under contact, blocking a free kick from being taken quickly etc. I won't have any of that. My teams win because of their ability to play the game, not how to con the ref or get in the heads of their opponents. If you don't play with honesty or integrity then you are devaluing the spirit of the game. If we have to cheat to win, then we are not truly deserving winners. One guy made a great point in that as coaches, we have to help our players solve problems. Can they come up with solutions that are within the rules of the game? Thinking for themselves is what makes them better and more intelligent players. If they're having to cut corners and see if they can get away with things while the referee is not looking, that's not solving problems and becoming better players. It's our responsibility to do that do them, and if we don't, then we are cheating their development. Not everyone was as strong towards the fairside as I am, though there were a few in the honest bunch who gave me nods of approval. Most coaches said they don't encourage cheating, but will tell a player to go down if they are fouled, and to stand on the ball to block quick free kicks. To me, that is cheating. And it is a slippery slope. If that is okay, then why is the other stuff not okay? Who makes these rules?

I shared with them a story about the girls in Mexico. Some of the cheating I have seen down there, and in Kuwait too, almost redefines the word. Compared to what some coaches do in Mexico in regards to cheating, I think what I have seen before can only be called gamesmanship. Mexicans aren't world renowned in much, but I believe the average youth coach would have a great chance of winning gold in the cheating event at the Olympics. I told them that in my first game with the girls, I saw a player on the other team try to get away with attempting to punch the ball past our keeper. A sly attempt, but the ref spotted it. Rather than cautioning or having a stern word with the player, the ref acted as if it was normal. I have since learnt that that incident is nothing really. At half time, before I gave any feedback or made any alterations, I changed my tone of voice to serious, and told them that if I ever see anyone do anything like that, they will be coming off, and they will not play again. Even if we had eleven, I'd rather go down to ten than play with a cheat. The message appeared to hit home well. So well in fact that quite a while down the line, we'd had none of this sort of thing. They are a really good bunch and I am proud of them, something I probably don't tell them enough. Then in a game that had been raining quite a bit, against one of the many teams that likes to shoot from kick off, we were beating this team by about seven goals. Now their seventh kick off, and thus their seventh shot from the halfway line. The ball bounced about five yards or so in front of the CB, but the ball skidded as it bounced, due to the surface water. This changed the trajectory of the ball, and put it right in her face. Purely out of reaction and nothing else, she put her hands up to block the ball from hitting her. This was on the edge of the box, thus giving a free kick away. She apologised profusely, as if she thought that I believed it was on purpose. I know this player very well, and anyone could see it was a complete accident. I like this kind of honesty in my team, though it was quite funny.

I think this kind of stuff makes coaches think about the game in more detail, refining their philosophy, focusing deeper on their role, and considering situations they may not have thought too much about before. It's good to open discussion as you may learn new perspectives. For instance, I learned that in Tampa, you get three field refs, no linesman, and they all have whistles and an equal say on decision making. This completely changes the game, and brings up a whole new bunch of problems. There's also a rule that the distance at free kicks doesn't have to be ten yards unless you specifically ask for it. Why complicate rules? This is another issue, but seriously, to quote the Great Russell; "Keep it simple". Now you understand what other coaches are going through, and can also share your ideas and opinions, and then have them analysed by your peers. Does it hold water? Does it make sense? Do you have to think again because your idea is actually stupid or ill informed?

Now I need to plan for my sessions and get to bed.

Saturday 23rd of August 2014

Following how intense last Saturday was, we were not looking forward to today. Someone up there did us a favour, and we got away two hours early, not exhausted. Some of the guys who work at the club had arranged for kids from the teams to come in and help us out. For some sessions we were able to use solely kids, and for some, only a few. But this meant the onus was not on us all the time to play in the sessions. it also gave us a greater likelihood of encountering coaching points as kids provide more of them. It clearly made some coaches feel more comfortable because they were no longer instructing their peers, but kids, much like they are used to.

We started the day with a goalkeeping session. Goalkeepers from CASL were brought in, and were lead by an American Jason Statham lookalike. Just like last Saturday, I fell asleep again. This time I had sunglasses on and thought that not many people had noticed, but later in the day, someone who was sat nowhere near me asked about it. Woops. Pretty much all the basic topics of goalkeeping were touched upon, but not in great detail. I believe it was done that way to show everyone just how much there is involved in goalkeeping, and how we can break down the techniques. None of it was particularly advanced, and it didn't demonstrate how to establish and create a goalkeeping session, much like the main body of the course. What it did do was give an insight into the technical side of it. Of course, for an experienced goalkeeper coach like me, it was nothing new. That's why I could afford to doze off.

Following the keeping, we were shown an example session of system development. It involved pattern play, and then how to relate that into a formation. The pattern was a little complicated to begin with, as I feel that the players were being asked too much to think about right away. The direction of passing is easy enough to get, but at the same time, they were given a way of checking to double back and then come to receive the ball. Normally, I would show where the passing goes, let them have a few runs through, then demonstrate the types of movements to receive once they knew where the passes were going. Taking this into the game situation, the passing patterns and positioning then actually came out in the match. It shows that a bit of thought and some rehearsing the movements can really benefit you in a game.

So now, time for the second assessments. Who is first? Me. Teach the first defender when to delay and when to tackle. I was able to incorporate a few U12 boys in there, meaning that I was going to get some more opportunities to identify mistakes. The assessor is looking to see about two or three decent coaching points, then move you on when they feel you have shown you are good enough. My session was 3v3 outfield players playing to big goals with keepers. Simple. They advocate not putting too many rules in there, and keeping the game as true to the real thing as possible. Today we'd be showing our third exercise, then going into a 6v6 game. I let them play for a couple of minutes as it was the first one of the day, then I went into coach mode. Bang. Coaching point. Bang. Coaching point. Bang. Coaching point. With the topic being defending, I felt I was able to identify points far quicker, and with it being kids,the game is slower than with adults. Far more comfortable. That must have been six minutes. We then go into a 6v6, our guys versus the guys in the other group (all coaches are in one of two groups, being assessed by their respective assessors at the same time). In this game, I was quick to get two points out, though one of them was only a little relevent to my topic. The assessor told me "in a game, that's a very good coaching point, but it's not quite what you are trying to teach here". After the second one, he was happy enough to give me a passing grade, and said that if I could find another and do it well, it would bump my grade up even higher. I was looking for an obvious one, as I didn't want to manufacture a point and perhaps lose my strong position. Nothing else really happened that I was able to intervene on, but I still got a very high pass, and a lot better grade than last week. Remember that at the same time, we are playing our team against the team of a coach from the other group. You can intervene at any time and stop the game to make your point, regardless of whether the opponents will score or not. If the other coach does that to you, tough tits. They tell us to not care at all about your opposite number, and just focus on doing your job right.

Lunchtime came, and it was subs. I wanted pizza, which actually works out cheaper. As a group, we crowded round the TV and began watching Everton v Arsenal. Before the game, the Ted Lasso commercial, the one with Jason Sudekis, came on the TV. I turned to the other guys and told them that Ted Lasso is exactly how we see Americans in soccer in the UK. One guy admitted that he is exactly like the large majority of them. I feel privileged to see so many people who are knowledgeable and passionate about football.

Below is the second Ted Lasso commercial.

Being the first coach to go, I had little to do and nothing to worry about until much later in the evening. This meant I could have a bit of fun in the games. In one exercise, I decided to play upfront. As is common on these courses, I manage one stunning goal. "Every squirrel eventually finds a nut" the assessor told me following my twenty yard screamer into the top corner. The very next play, I turned, caught the ball on the bounce, and bent it onto the crossbar. This impressed my peers, as until that moment, all they had seen of me was a top speed of 3mp and the touch of a rapist. "That was like a cannon, man" remarked one coursemate. Right at the very end of the playing day, I was striker again. They had been putting me in attacking positions from then on, though the shots had been dreadful. I'd been apologising a lot. Finally, I was laid a square pass from my left about sixteen yards from goal. I took this first time from the centre of the box using the inside of the foot. As I shaped up, I could see my teammates about to have a go at me, but they bit their tongues as the ball flew into the top left corner, hitting the bar on the way in, and bouncing behind the line.

A short trip to Wendy's for dinner with the guys brought me a jacket potato with bacon and cheese, plus a chocolate frosty. That thing was so thick I had to wait twenty minutes to be able to drink it. What was next was our match analysis question and answer session. In groups of three or four, we had to explain to the assessor what we saw in the game, what we would do in our session with the player, and then to explain our decisions in a tactical situation given to us on the spot by the assessor. That was a lot of fun, and quite a useful and interesting thing to do. It gives the instructors a great chance to see who actually knows what they are talking about, and who can just talk rubbish. My tactical situation was a 1-1 cup game with only ten minutes to go. My team is playing a 4-5-1 and the opposing goalkeeper has distributed to the left back in a position on the corner of the box. How do I get my team to press? To me, that is quite vague, and leaves a lot of important information out of the equation. I asked how good the teams were in relation to each other, to which I was told we were of equal ability. How about my philosophy? Am I going for a draw? Penalties? Do I want to win the game before extra time? I was told to win the game in the remaining time. When answering my question, I threw a few bits of information in there, such as were going to press high, with the CF doing a lot of running to close down the ball and cut off any passes to the infield, reducing their chances of switching play. I knew that he could do that as I made a change around the 70th minute, meaning I know he has a lot of energy left and can press like that, no problem. Secondly, my right winger is going to attempt to block the forward pass. Either the LB will boot the ball forward, to which I know we can deal with because of our aerial dominance in defence, or the ball goes out for a throw, and as I signed Rory Delap recently on a free, I fancy our chances from restarts. The other players I was able to put in balanced and covering positions similar to what I do with my teams anyway, as we play a 4-2-3-1, which slots into a 4-5-1 when defending. This made it quite a comfortable question for me to answer. But all that bollocks about Delap and the rest, that was made up on the spot. I feel it helped demonstrate my points, but also justified them.

The night finished with a wonderful conversation in the lift of the hotel. A woman with a hat that said FBI Jesus (Firmly believe in Jesus) heard my accent and asked where I was from. She has relatives in England with the last name Abbey. I informed her that I live in Mexico, and a big smile came up on her face as she informed me she was going to say a prayer for me. I thanked her sincerely, and eye contact was broken as she left the lift.

Coach the first defender when to delay and when to tackle Pt. 1.

Coach the first defender when to delay and when to tackle Pt. 2.

Sunday 14th of August 2014

Got more taxi cards than I ever
had Pokémon cards.

And so we began the final day. The morning began not as hot as the others. We started the day with a big team photograph, and then the jokes started about how short my shorts were. I do it for the fans. As well as an asset to the defence, I'm also eye candy. At ten we were due to gain lots of kids who were to play in the sessions, but before then, we had to do a lot of them ourselves. It was Group A versus Group B, and although it wasn't a real competition, we kicked ass. The first three games, us guys in Group B, the blue team, played some serious kick ass samba style soccer. The games lasted for about fifteen minutes, and the play was so silky that we were banging in goals left and right, playing together like we had been practicing for an entire season. It even became funny. Sadly, we were so good that it became difficult for our coach to make interventions as we were not making mistakes. Quietly, the word got out, and we began to engineer points for him to address. One coach told me to shoot from forty five yards next time that I got the ball. I thought he wanted me to do something stupid so he could come in and coach the decision making. Turns out he was just egging me on and wanted me to look like a an idiot. "I just wanted to see your magic". These Americans are getting much better. I am proud of their progress.

After a couple of hours, our quality was dropping. Then the kids came in. We were able to split into two groups and get things done a little faster. What the assessors want to see is three decent coaching points. Once they see that, session's over and the next coach comes in. There were enough kids to have one session entirely them, and about three or four spare to shove into the other session, playing with us adults. The quality of these boys was very high, being U13s I believe, and they took advantage of our fatigue and desire to not crunch them. One boy nutmegged me on a 50/50 because I noticed he was about the size of my leg, so I went in easy. I wasn't having that. Next time he got the ball, I dispossessed him efficiently, as if to say "Don't try that again you little...". Not long after that, I cut out a pass that was heading towards him. As the ball was going towards my own goal, we raced for it. I got their first, and could see him over my shoulder. He was coming in quite fast and with a wide stance. In ten years time, this kid will be far better than I ever was, but he's not better than me yet. With the information being processed, I nonchalantly executed a drag back, which went right through his legs. I spun around and went past him retrieving the ball with the boy not quite sure what had just happened to him. I passed the ball to a teammate and proceeded with "I ain't takin' no **** from a twelve year old".

The jokes, the laughter, the back and forth, all with jest, was of top quality on this last day. Knowing the end was in sight, that we would be going home early, and that we probably won't see each other again, spirits were high. Some of the games required spare coaches to act as linesmen, thus making the movements within the session more realistic because they could be caught offside. There were some questionable calls against my team, though most of them were obvious. This meant that some of our boys were through on goal and were being flagged. I started giving it a little to the coach acting as linesman, and he made fun of my shorts. This happened a few more times, and I accused him of ruining these kids dreams, I think labelling him a dream killer. He said life is tough and that they have to learn how to deal with disappointment. I asked him if he would like a bowl of cornflakes so he could urinate into them, as I held an imaginary bowl and thrusted my pelvis at it.

In the environment, some of the coaches struggled with their topic. Nerves can do that, especially as it is an unnatural environment. You may feel you are being judged by your peers, but regardless of your ability or experience, as long as you are friendly and try your best, no one should really have a problem with you. We all want to learn, and being in such an environment creates that. Instead of thinking negative thoughts about how bad you look, if that was the right point to make, if the assessor would have made that point and in that way, get rid of all the noise and just coach. It's easier said than done, and many people were telling me how calm I looked. Everyone on the course knew their stuff, but not everyone showed it. Sometimes you would see a coach wait a long time to make a point, make a point that is irrelevant to their topic, correct a play that actually had a positive outcome, or even to recreate the situation completely wrong from how it actually happened.

Neil Diamond with a fairly well known tune.

As the day went on and we approached my turn, I took some time to sit in the shade, stop sweating from the playing, and focus on my coaching points. I had to work with the first, second, and third attacker in tactical decisions in attacking when numbers up. Essentially I'm looking at movement and combinations that will create and exploit overloads, either 3v2 or 2v1 situations. I think I'm much better with defending topics as I can identify those points and situations much quicker, but at least in this attacking topic, it's not a specific move that I had to work on, and thus had lots of room within to manoeuvre. Some topics were specifically wall passes, overlaps, third man runs etc. Mine could incorporate all of them, giving me plenty more moments to coach.

Before the session began, the lead instructor came over to me and told me to tell the boys that I am English and work for a team in Mexico. She said it would be great for them to hear that. Possibly it does something for the reputation of the NSCAA, but really, where I am working is nowhere near as great as what they have at CASL. Still, they don't know that, and their parents don't know that. A lot like when I used to go out with girls whose parents were impressed I went to private school. They have no idea that it was a bad school and that I achieved a consistent stream of bad grades. The idea was impressive, yet they knew nothing about the truth. Ignorance is bliss.

My session began. I told them who I was and where I worked, to which, most surprisingly, one of the kids said "this is the one from Mexico City I was telling you about". I tried my best to not break stride, but I believe my face looked like this for a moment:

Wtf?

Once I got the greenlight, it was pretty much over. I went in and made my three coaching points. Bang, bang, bang, finished. The assessor said he wanted to mark me down because of my shorts. I had a very positive feeling about it, and got good feedback from my peers. We weren't allowed to know anything about it, and won't know our grade for about two weeks. Throughout most of my life, not being the academic king that I claim to be, I've always been happy with a pass. Now, as I am older and want to excel in the field, especially as I work in a field that is all about excelling in developing players, I want to do better. The qualification will be great, but there will be disappointment if I don't get a high grade. I know it is within my reach, and therefore it is entirely down to me to achieve it.

I took on the feedback from the previous sessions, believing that I talked louder. Last week was loud, yesterday was quiet, and today I think was closer to loud again. I also tried to shut up quicker. On these courses we have a propensity to talk bollocks, rather than getting in, making the point and getting out again. You go there, do this, like that, play. That's how it should be. We need to do a demonstration, a rehearsal, then play live. I think I nailed those. I think my three points were on topic. The only thing I can think of that may drag me down is that I was supposed to be coaching in overload situations. Maybe not all three were in overloads, but they certainly demonstrated how to create an overload through combinations and movement. I wish I had the chance to video myself coaching and watch it back. They highly recommend that. And then, literally within five minutes, the assessor called it. Third coaching point and he said "that's enough". Usually that's a good sign. Something a few of us noticed from some of the weaker displays from coaches was that their restarts were not true to the game. They weren't playing corners, throws were taken with the feet, and goals did not result in a kick off. This created a lot of unnatural situations, and had players out of position or not focussed. If your defence gets caught out from a quick throw, that has a coaching point right there because someone wasn't doing their job properly. If someone collects the ball from the side and plays it with their feet, the game is slowed down significantly, and it takes two or three passes to see something realistic. I was very clear with my group that all restarts are exactly like they would be in the game. I definitely felt very good at the conclusion of the assessment.

And then came the goodbyes. As we do a lot in England, there's a lot of email address swapping to be able to build and extend your network. All my coaching contacts in the US are British, so keeping in contact with this bunch of Yankee Doodles will help broaden my horizons. There was a lot of "and if you hear of any openings.." nudge, nudge, nudge. You never know. The United States is definitely where it is all happening right now. The investment, the facilities, the determination to be the best, these are all huge draws for coaches. On top of that is the lifestyle. North Carolina is a beautiful place, and I know I could take a job here no problem if one was offered. I have said before that the Middle East will be the next place for a large influx of British coaches, what with the money, the ever improving living conditions (some even becoming close to paradise), them buying old Europeans for a lot of money, and then the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, which will be celebrated by the whole region. You've got to be careful when shagging the locals, and there isn't as much space. Plus bacon is hard to find. I think these are the factors that will hold it back when compared to the United States. It will be a long time until the US becomes self sufficient in terms of football. As much as they improve, they will still be depending on foreign imports for a very long time. Even we do it back home, and we invented the game. Just think that no English managers have won the Premier League, and that we've had foreigners in charge of our national team.

Coaching the first, second, and third attackers in tactical decisions of
attacking when numbers up Pt. 1.

Coaching the first, second, and third attackers in tactical decisions of
attacking when numbers up Pt. 2.

Monday 25th of August 2014

Here I am, waiting in Raleigh Durham Airport, not long from my boarding time to Houston. I've got a quick hour there before heading back to Mexico. The day was not a great start. I planned on having Chef Boyardee's finest ravioli, but there was no tag on the tin. Damn. That meant having tacos instead. I have since had chocolate ice cream. A good breakfast always has a dessert. Before going through security, I encountered a course mate, and a really good guy. He is on his way back to Miami. After progressing through, I noticed I had stepped on a gold necklace which was outside a restaurant. I went in and handed it in over the bar. Two minutes later, via the PA system, they announced a piece of jewellery had been found, and gave instructions on where to go to claim it. That's lovely. I really like the friendliness and caring attitude I have found amongst people here. Not once have I felt threatened or unsafe. North Carolina is lovely. It was a real pleasure being here.

Darius Rucker performing Wagon Wheel.

Conclusion

Going into the real American soccer, and not the polished slick marketing of the major camp companies, I have seen genuinely good coaches in a country that has so much potential, both nationally and on the global scale. The college system has very much impressed me, and it is even more something that I wish to get involved in. It will be difficult from a visa point of view, but if I work hard, I can achieve anything. The knowledge and the passion demonstrated by my peers gives me great hope for what is already very clear, in that the United States is an emerging power in world football.

The work that the NSCAA does is wonderful. They have pitched so many coaching resources to the American public, and I believe they are doing this in the right way. A lot of it is attainable, and what they offer is far more relevant and easy to find than what we have back home offered by the FA. The USSF also does not have much in the way of resources, but then as the the FA and USSF are governing bodies of the sport as a whole, coaching is just one of many strings in their bow. They are responsible for everything in regards to the sport, whereas the NSCAA can focus solely on the development of coaches. The FA has the Coaches Club, but that is still associated with them, and although I believe they value the improvement of coaches, it is not their number one priority.

The NSCAA has recognised the needs of the United States, and then come up with so much appropriate content, and so many applicable learning resources and opportunities, that it is easy to find something suitable for you and your level. Whether you are the coach of a Division One college team, or a parent helping out on a rec team, the NSCAA has something for you. They realise that this is not a majority sport in their country, and thus common knowledge of the game is little and is lacking. It´s not like back home where everyone knows football, and this you can skip a few steps in your understanding the game, because you already know it. In some areas, they really are starting from scratch. Under the same umbrella, as part of the same mission, they also have to educate and improve the coaches at the very top, and so offer the advanced courses, which have some very detailed content on there.

It is the demands of the nation that determines how they operate. Some courses are two weekends, some are a full week. This is to cater to different types of people that are in different situations. I personally would have preferred a week long course as it may have given us more time, and would not have the added stress from people making huge journeys on the eve of the course.

What I liked about the course:
- Match analysis. Having coaches look at the game, recognise the strengths and weaknesses of a player, then devise a session to aid the development of that player in those areas. That is essentially what coaching is for. Can we see what we need to work on, then comprise a plan to put into action that will work on that efficiently and effectively?
- Clear framework within which to operate. We do this back home too, but I felt it was far more rigid, and therefore less room for misinterpretation, and less room for error. Stick to what they want you to do, and you will pass. I'm not here just to pass a course and gain a certificate, but also for knowledge and improvement. Though the point of view from the coaches is that not all of them will have learnt how to structure a session properly before, so do it like this. This is an easy and effective way to structure your session.
- The friendliness of my peers. If we're going to be working hard together, and also relying on each other to perform in order to pass, we need to get along. On top of that, it can become quite frustrating and boring, so being able to laugh with each other and make jokes is a massive stress relief. I found them very informative too, as I still have much to learn about the grassroots of American soccer. It was great to compare and share with them. They are all lovely people and I wish them all the greatest success in the future.
- The debates. Something we have done on the FA courses, and it is something that needs to be incorporated more. It is how we learn about other opinions, but also how we can make our own. A lot of people, in whatever profession, they just do. They don't understand the why, and they never look deeper than the day to day stuff. This helps expand the mind and to understand just how much more responsibility there is applied to our line of work. It is not just about dropping cones and making kids kick footballs.

What I would add:
- Coaching theory. Very little was done about the science of coaching. We were just shown a way of doing it, then had to copy it to be assessed. There was nothing about why that works, the other coaching styles, which is most effective in which situation, how to manage players, build confidence, create a cohesive unit, instill discipline, work together when the odds are against you, motivation, feedback, communication, control etc. I felt that not everyone on the course could have discussed these matters, and that some would not even have known that they were a factor in coaching. How does a nine year old learn best? Why should you not shout at a seven year old after making a mistake?
- Practice sessions. A session that is actually a practice, and will not count for our overall grade. I think it was a small grade, and so not too significant, and we also got a lot of feedback from it, but I think the coaches would be better with one go first, no pressure. Jut enjoy it and see what you are up against,
- No practical in the afternoon. When the sun is at its worst, from twelve until four, we should be in the classroom. This is not the time to be making us run or compete. You will not get 100% effort or maximum output between those times as people begin to switch off in the hot sun.

All in all, it was worthwhile, and I will recommend this to others. I didn't learn too much that is new from a coaching point of view, but I am grateful for the refresher. It's given me a few new ideas and dusted the cobwebs off of my brain. I've been coaching without supervision for a while. Although it is great for freedom, there's also no one to tell you that you are an idiot when things go wrong. That stuff keeps your feet on the ground, and helps you to avoid bad habits. It was even better that I was able to visit and explore a new place, and learn about a new part of America.