Top tips for your first coaching session back after a break

Your first session back after a significant break can be daunting for players and coaches alike.

Here, we share tips on how to approach it so everyone gets the most out of it.

Check in with everyone

It may sound basic, but make sure you say hello!

Find out how everyone is, ask how their break has been and let them know what you have been up to. 

Try to talk about life beyond soccer, to help you get an understanding of where they are at. 

Depending on what works for your group, you could do this in a really structured way – some fun welcome games, for example – or an informal way, with casual conversations. It could, of course, be a bit of both.

Also, make sure to say hello to parents if you can. They may have some useful intel about your players for you.

Make it fun with lots of ball-rolling time

The main reason we all play or coach soccer is because it is fun. So any session back after a break should be just that. 

Keep it simple, do things that your players enjoy, and just let them play and enjoy it with little pressure.

Make sure players get a lot of chances to get used to the ball at their feet again. 

More so than ever, the first session back should involve lots of fun activities and small-sided games.

Observe

The first session back is definitely not a time for big technical or tactical ideas or interventions.

In fact, you probably don’t need a lot of coaching points at all. Let the players play and use the time to observe.

How do the players seem? Who is getting really involved and who do you see taking a bit of a step back? Who looks content on the ball and who looks a little bit more tentative or nervous? 

Assessing these factors can help you think about how you might support the players going forward.

It’s likely that most of your players will look a little bit rusty and, depending on their age, their fitness levels may have dropped. That’s fine! They just need a few sessions to work it out.

Lots of breaks

Having breaks throughout the session will give the players a chance to rest and get a drink, which is especially important if they are a little bit out of the routine of training.

It will also give them all a chance to catch up. Allowing your players time to reconnect is as important, if not more important, than you chatting to them. Don’t be afraid to give them a bit of space to talk.

Go easy on yourself

Allow yourself the experience you want for your players – a fun and simple first session back.

That means not putting a lot of pressure on yourself about what you deliver or how you deliver it.

Stick to the basics, and keep it safe, fun and engaging (remembering to check your risk assessment before the session) and you will be just fine.

Set out plans for the coming weeks

After some time away, it’s always good to set out the schedule for the coming weeks as a reminder.

Whether it is a chat with players or parents, let them know what sessions and matchdays you have got coming up, and when the next break will be. And don’t be afraid to reiterate training times or standard procedure.