The 5-Minute Football Coach - Ep.99 - Development

Episode Summary

Development is one of the most frequently used words in football coaching, but what does it actually mean?

In this episode, we revisit the subject of player development and challenge the assumption that coaching, practice and playing games automatically equal development. Preparing players to compete is important, but preparation and development aren't necessarily the same thing.

True development requires coaches to deliberately identify what they are trying to improve — strength, technique, speed, decision-making, vision, confidence and the ability to respond to what a player sees on the field. It means creating opportunities for players to learn and improve rather than simply finding the players who already have the required abilities.

If we're going to tell people we're developing players, we should be able to explain what we're developing, how we're developing it, and how we're helping players get better.

Key Takeaways

“Development” means different things to different coaches.Preparing players for a season or a game isn't necessarily the same as developing them.Coaches need to identify the specific qualities they are trying to develop.Development should include more than drills and technique — it should also develop decision-making and perception.Strength, technique and speed are all areas that can be deliberately developed.Confidence is part of development and can grow alongside improvements in technique and ability.Games are important, but simply playing more games doesn't automatically mean a player is developing.If you're going to claim you're developing players, you need to be doing more than simply coaching them to play.

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Email: coachrockell@hotmail.com

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