William Wilson
WW655614
COED 6170 Ethics and Diversity
Coaching Education
Ohio University
Coaching Philosophy
Introduction
Within this piece, a personal coaching philosophy will be discussed and ascertained, drawing ideas from other coaches, clubs, coaching education, and from personal experience. After I display my reasons for coaching, the first topic of discussion will be the review of literature, using many different resources that have shaped my ideas along my coaching journey, ranging from coaching organisations to clubs themselves that have a high pedigree of player development. From that point, the fundamental beliefs and practices of the philosophy will be established, evaluated, and reasoned. To finalize this paper, a conclusion will summarize all that has been mentioned throughout this assignment.
From coaching, one can gain immense satisfaction from seeing players grow and achieve what they never before thought possible. From the youngest ages, seeds are sewn, and with the right nurturing, coaches can witness their teams and players develop into great athletes. A personal favourite is to a player low on confidence, after much time and effort, smiling with joy at the success they have made, doing what they never thought possible. For all intents and purposes, winning feels great, but is not the number one priority. If becoming champions is such a distant dream, success cannot be measured in terms of winning, but of gradual improvements, setting targets and achieving them. Only one team can be champions, and for some it is unrealistic. This is why I put a large emphasis on fun. I try to remember that people might now always remember what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
Review of Literature
The philosophy of which my coaching style adheres to has been shaped by many influences. These include, but are not limited to, governing bodies, coaching associations, employers, and the practices of successful clubs. Most of my roles have been within youth development, which requires different methods when compared to those that are effective with elite adults. Although many areas of coaching are largely down to interpretation, there are still plenty of ways of thinking which ring true throughout all areas. There has been a revolution of late within soccer, as clubs, academies, and coaches, have all embarked on educational journeys, thoroughly researching and honing in on the best practices. We still find small differences club to club, or country to country, but the current wave of influence shares many recurring themes, all brought about by the strive for excellence.
In the early 1990s, Charles Hughes was commissioned by the Football Association to form a philosophy and playing style to be used throughout the developmental pyramid of England, all the way through to the national team (Hughes, 1990) (Hughes, 1994). Within his two most influential books; Soccer Tactics and Skills, and The Winning Formula, Hughes’ methods were effective for top level clubs as they were seemingly easy to implement. A similar approach is shared by Even Pellerud (Pellerud & Kucey, 2005), a coach who had large success with the Canadian and Norwegian women’s teams. Hughes and Pellerud advocate a direct style of play, largely based off of percentages, and minimalizing risk taking. The ball is launched forward, either into areas of importance, or to a specific target player. Such a target player often relies on strength and size. Around the same time, (FourFourTwo.com, 2015) utilized this approach and were highly successful for what was a very small club.
Such strategies have been used at youth level, but times are now changing. These systems require large players, and players that possess a lot of strength. The FA have since changed their tone as the look to overhaul the entire system from top to bottom, starting with their Youth Award, and the philosophies and practices outlined in their publication The Future Game. This is now their stance regarding such an issue; “It is unrealistic to expect progress at the same rate and level for all children. If you watch a match involving young U9 players, for example, you cannot fail to see that some will look twelve, and some will resemble a seven year old. This is perfectly natural as children develop differently. The important thing for us as coaches is to avoid equating the “big kid” as being the talented kid.” (FA Learning, 2010).
As the FA has quite rightly found out, coaches all over the world are guilty of treating children like adults. Young players have different bodies, mind-sets, wants, needs, and motivations. “Problems arise when children are mistakenly treated like “a mini adult”. The expectations of the coach, and some parents, become unrealistic and, the match, training and the way children are treated and spoken to reflect adult sport rather than the environment of support and development.” (FA Learning, 2010).
This is a complete turnaround from what was previously being advocated by this governing body. It has taken many failures at the national level for England to understand that their methods are below the standard expected of a top footballing nation. Such an attitude was brought on in the first place by two main ideas; that children need to play the same game as adults, and that winning is the most important thing. By playing for the win at youth level, development is being neglected, and the development of certain players is being sacrificed in favour of others who may be more of a benefit to the team. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America, continuing such themes, note that focussing on winning at a young age will stifle the development of players. As written by the NSCAA (Kepcija, 2013) “According to Smoll and Cumming (2006), the problem occurs when adults impose the professional model on the youth arena. The motivation for youth participation in sports has been clearly identified since the 1970s. The result of the study identifies the top five motivations for youth athletes in order of importance and to win came in fifth place. These findings should set the path for goal-orientation in the youth arena that parents and coaches should follow.”
While Brazil were enjoying their fourth World Cup victory, England were suffering at the thought of “thirty years of hurt”. It was during the decade of the 1990s that contrary to England’s fundamental ideas, a physical education teacher by the name of Simon Clifford, frustrated by England’s lack of success, took it upon himself to discover the keys to Brazil’s success. Returning from his study visit, he proposed all these new ideas to the FA, who were not interested, as they conflicted with the work of Hughes. Clifford began his own company, known as Brazilian Soccer Schools, and began teaching these methods around the world. This quote from their website best describes their mantra “Our programme is of a long term nature with the emphasis initially placed on the individual rather than a team methodology. We believe the game should first be seen as an individual pursuit and complete domination and mastery of the tool of the game, the ball, be attained before the player moves into game play.” (Clifford, 2012). The irony is that two decades later, through the establishment of the Youth Award and The Future Game, the FA have finally caught up with Clifford’s ideas.
My Philosophy
As a youth coach, our thought processes can be summed up by this quote; “Invest in the future. Good players do not develop by chance” (FA Learning, 2010). Being English, it is natural that the Football Association has had a large effect on my shaping as a coach. Along with the FA, there are many other influences. Most notably the NSCAA, Canadian Soccer Association, and some of my former employers. I possess an all-inclusive attitude to coaching, where we must develop each player as best we can, helping them to achieve their full potential. Winning, with kids, is secondary of importance to fun and learning. The early years are so crucial to the lifelong development of the player, so basic skills are a necessity. “The important years for learning motor skills for most children are the so-called “Skill hungry” years from three to nine, although this might be slightly later for some children. This is when sound FUNdamental movement skills should be taught in order to establish basic abilities. This approach will provide a sound foundation for the more specialized skills that will follow at an older age.” (FA Learning, 2010)
Keeping in mind the idea that sport is not a one-size-fits-all arena, we say that a coach must have many hats. Players respond differently to each other in the same situation, and possess different motivations. The old cliché in England is “some players need an arm round the shoulder whereas others need a good bollocking”. This sentiment, though crude, is worded much better by my former employers United Soccer Academy, based in New Jersey. “We believe the role of the coach is to create the right conditions for learning to happen and to find ways of motivating your players. The roles that you will find you undertake as a coach will be many and varied and you will find at some stage in your coaching career that you will be: instructor, assessor, friend, mentor, facilitator, demonstrator, advisor, supporter, fact finder, motivator, counselor, organizer, planner and the fountain of all knowledge.” (Findlay, 2013). This idea is echoed by the Canadian Soccer Association (Clark & Hudson, 2011); “It should be stated that there is no definitive teaching style that works in all situations, however, an effective coach will use a combination of teaching styles in order to create the optimum learning environment for players.”
In order to understand what tools are most effective in any given situation, a coach needs to educate themselves, and keep up to date with best practices and new ideas. I regularly take part in seminars, coaching courses, and continued professional development events. The learning never stops for a coach. We hold the belief that a player’s development never stops, so why should a coach’s? The CSA try to impress this very much on their coaches of all levels. “A coach should be prepared to enhance his/her knowledge. Should seek out new ideas for games and exercises and pursue self-development opportunities”(Clark & Hudson, 2011).
It is my belief that the duty of care for the club extends way off the field. Players and parents put a lot of time and trust into these organisations, and as much as we love sport, it is not the be all and end all of life. The unexpected advancement of Belgian soccer was brought about by such ideas. The national governing body wanted to improve the fortunes of the nation, and changed their structures and pathways. This reaped huge rewards at the men’s national team qualified in 2014 for their first major tournament for twelve years, being eliminated in the quarter-finals. Many top clubs around Europe now have Belgian players within the core of their squad. One of the many successful ideas to come from this was ensuring and guaranteeing the off field education of the player throughout their time in the academy (James, 2014). Many clubs, such as Anderlecht, reckon that only as much as 10% of their academy can make it as professionals, but if they all stick with the programme, they will all graduate with degrees.
The care shown on the field is where the main focus of the coach lies. “Coaching with care means communicating effectively and keeping everyone involved. It requires knowing your players and having them play fair.” (Clark & Hudson, 2011). Playing fairly, with respect, is of huge importance to how I operate. I do not condone cheating, and have gone as far as removing and reprimanding players who show any signs of such behaviour. Like with the Belgian idea of creating educated people, I also want to create good people. There are enough cheats, liars, and other undesirables in life as it is. Soccer does not need them. “The coach needs to show enthusiasm, sportsmanship, fairness and justice as these things will have an impact on the players.” (Clark & Hudson, 2011).
In my opinion, many coaches over the years have neglected the actual needs of the players. The Belgians talk about a “football age” rather than their actual age (James, 2014). We have to make the demands of the session appropriate to where the players are in their development. For example, a player make look seven but be as good as a ten year old. You may encounter a six year old that possesses the coordination of a three year old. It is of most importance that players are to be presented with problems that they have to solve, rather than to be instructed to all the time. “When beginning an exercise give the players enough time to find their own solutions to a specific task before offering your own (self-reliance).” (Clark & Hudson, 2011). A player should be able to justify their actions with a well-constructed answer, rather than simply “my coach told me to”.
In reference to this, I always try to remember “No laps, no lines, no lectures”. I vouch for this, as do many other youth coaches, due to the complete ineffectiveness of such methods. The FA make sure all coaches within their jurisdiction understand this. “Things to avoid; Long queues of players, lapping the pitch as a warm up activity, boring activities, shouting at the players” (FA Learning, 2010).
Another former employer of mine, Arsenal, ensure that all development centres around the world are on the same page, looking to create technically proficient players, with the aim of getting them into the first team. These are their three main ideas; “The main vision and philosophy of the Arsenal academy (Sportskeeda.com, 2012) is to; “Produce first team players, ensure a professional and ethical way of operating as an example of best practice, be self-sufficient and generate profits”
With consideration to football age, making the specific to the children, and taking away the emphasis of winning, small sided games have become a huge part of my coaching. A lot of federations still like to play nine year olds on a field sized for adults. In one hour, unless a player is the fastest, strongest, or most technical, they may only touch the ball two or three times. When trying to improve the skills of these players, I find that criminally low. This has lead me to become an advocate for a form of the game known as futsal. The small field and reduced teams make the game far more inclusive for all involved. The idea of different forms of the game is backed up by the FA “Offer the players a variety of formats of football ensuring the players are exposed to different sizes of pitch, different numbers of players, and different rules.” (FA Learning, 2010). Small sided games are described as a “Principle philosophy” of my current employers, FutAcademy in Mexico (McNaughton, 2013). It provides more ball touches and more responsibility to the players, preparing them better for the eleven-a-side version.
There is so much involved with coaching that the gameday experience is seemingly a very small part of the job. It is in this arena that our means are put to the test, and the players demonstrate if the learning has been effective. When playing at the eleven-a-side level, my weapon of choice is the 4-2-3-1 formation. It is widely popular amongst successful teams, and is encouraged by both FutAcademy and the English FA. The ideas of the formation are documented by Massimo Luchesi (Luchesi, 2002); “From a system based on tactics, intensity, pressure and off-sides, we have come to a more “reasoned” soccer, in which individual players more and more make the difference.”
When it comes to attacking, I want to see flair. When it comes to defending, I want to see ferocity. Throughout all moments of the game, we must utilize intelligence and patience, yet possess the knowledge and the ability to know when to go for the kill through either a penetrating pass or a counter-attack. The FA state; “The game style will allow and encourage all players to contribute to the attacking phase with variety, audacity and with considered risk taking in the defending phase with understanding, assertiveness and decisiveness.” (FA Learning, 2010). When we have the ball, we are all attackers. When without the ball, we are all defenders. Another basic premise is that if we have the ball, the other team cannot score. Mimicking and taking ideas from the philosophies of Barcelona, Ajax, and my old club Arsenal, in The Future Game, the FA attest to this idea; “Football should be played with an efficient, economical, measured, possession based approach, where pass quality combined with intelligent and timely support and movement lead to progress and penetration through the thirds of the field to provide goal-scoring opportunities, IF counter attacking possibilities are denied” (FA Learning, 2010). And “To defend effectively and efficiently: a team should display a controlled, calculated and assertive approach where all players contribute and have a clear understanding of the tactical objectives being used to regain possession of the ball.”
The final piece of my philosophy puzzle comes in the form of acceptance and equality. Fairness has been touched upon, but it needs to be extended. Soccer is a game that has given me immense joy throughout my entire life. As I have gained more experience from working in different countries and cultures, many scenarios occur where people are not given the same right to play as I was. This infuriates and scares me. An issue very close to me personally is that of sexism. The fight against homophobia and racism is far from over, but I have been on the frontlines of sexism in football. I absolutely adore my girls team in Mexico, but I do not see a future for them in the game. Women are still treated nowhere near as equal to men, especially in sport. I become very passionate and at times emotional when defending their right to play, or when doing my best to change the attitudes.
Within the messageboards of Ohio University, when discussing diversity issues in sport, I have previously made such points regarding female participation in soccer. Clearly we see something akin to a patriarchy, and lives that are controlled by parental expectations and social norms.
“There's a prejudice and an ideology that girls are forced to adhere to. Even in my teams I have had girls that are twelve, thirteen, fourteen, come up to me and ask if they can start taking part. I ask them about their playing history and they say they love soccer, but have never played before. Why? Because their dad wouldn't allow it. Yet, they have a brother who has been kicking a ball since he could walk. There's a clear double standard. In the case of one girl, she plays as a forward and started scoring a few goals. Her dad loved it. He now thoroughly enjoys watching her play. Why on Earth did he not take her to play when she was younger?”
Compounding the aggression, I point the finger;
“Sexism is still extreme in Mexican culture. The women's team is terrible when you compare the comparable qualities of the Mexican men, and also the USMNT and the USWNT. I've seen some very highly technically proficient young Mexican girls, but they have no future in the game. They love the game as much as I do, yet I am allowed a career in soccer, and they are not. I feel completely helpless as the federation is corrupt, full of men, and women are still subservient to men.”
After much self-evaluation, this paper demonstrates what it is I hold dear and regard as important in my coaching philosophy. It is largely based off of the influences of the governing bodies I have worked within, the coaching associations that have provided me with education, and from the clubs and organisations I have been fortunate enough to work for. There are recurring themes across the board, as a child centred approach to learning is being adopted by all nations who wish to be taken seriously on the world stage. Skill acquisition comes from repetitions, and practices that are realistic and appropriate to the learner, such as small sided games and futsal.
Coaches, in many ways, should adapt themselves to their group, and like myself, be taking steps to improve their coaching abilities. Players should not be made to feel bad for bad performances, but encouraged. As skill acquisition takes place, so should the learning of awareness and vision. Here, coaches need to guide and pose problems, rather than dictate and bark solutions. There will be many failures along the way, but these are learning opportunities. This ideology needs to be reflected on the field, as players are encouraged to trust one another, try new skills, and take risks, in a non-pressure environment. At the end of the day, we can’t all be the best, but we can all have fun.
References
A brief look at Arsene Wenger's youth policy at Arsenal. (2012, November 10). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/a-brief-look-at-arsene-wengers-youth-policy-at-arsenal
Clark, R., & Hudson, M. (2011). FUNdamentals. Toronto, Ontario: Canadian Soccer Association
Clifford, S. (2012, January 1). Philosophy. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.braziliansoccerschools.com.au/perth/index.php/home/aboutbss/philosophy
James, S. (2014, June 6). Belgium's blueprint that gave birth to a golden generation. Retrieved April 22, 2015, from
FA Learning. (2010). FA The Future Game - Grassroots. London: The Football Association.Hughes, C. (1994). The Football Association Coaching Book of Soccer Skills and Tactics.
FA Learning. (2010). FA Youth Award Module 1 - Developing The Environment. London: The Football Association.
Findlay, G. (2013). USA Technical Trainer Coaching Manual. Edison NJ: United Soccer Academy.
Hilarious hijinks and hoofball? The real story of Wimbledon's Crazy Gang. (2015, January 2). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/hilarious-hijinks-and-hoofball-real-story-wimbledons-crazy-gang
Hughes, C. (1990). The Winning Formula. London: Collins.
Kepcija, I. (2013, October 8). Clash of Coaching Philosophies in Youth Soccer - Winning vs Development. Retrieved April 25, 2015, from http://www.nscaa.com/news/2013/10/winning-v-player-development--pt-1
Lucchesi, M. (2002). Coaching the 3-4-1-2 and 4-2-3-1. Spring City, Pa.: Reedswain.
McNaughton, T. (2013). FutAcademy Academy Brochure. Mexico City: FutAcademy.
Pellerud, E., & Kucey, S. (2005). Even Pellerud on coaching & leadership in women's soccer. Spring City, PA: Reedswain Pub
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