Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 101

Thinking back on all the podcasts I have recorded for SCW, I think ‘environment’ is the word I have heard most frequently.

It is great that so many coaches are aware of how important it is to create positive environments for the players we are working with.

In all honestly, though, I do worry that sometimes we speak about it so much it becomes either something that is assumed, or a concept that coaches struggle to make tangible.

My article this week is an attempt to help with that. In it, I list some things that have worked for me when trying to create a happy and healthy environment.

Hopefully they are helpful – don’t feel you have to do them all at once. Maybe give a couple of the ideas a go and see if they make a difference.

I would also love to hear about the things you do to make your environment a positive one – drop me a line with any examples.

This week’s interview touches on one of the key foundations of nurturing a positive environment: understanding your players.

Dr Kristin Bird discusses how working with young people in her day job as a developmental behavioral pediatric fellow helps inform her approach to coaching.

Pages 6-8 are where you will find this week’s session. It focuses on the basics of 1v1 defending: protecting space, closing down and tackling. 

Finally, Ian Barker shares the second in a series of tactical dilemmas.

Ian presents a scenario and asks you to choose your preferred of four options, depending on your players and context.

Please do follow the link on the page to let us know what you think and why - and await Ian’s thoughts in the next issue!