Writing a lesson plan for your practices can often result in a smoothly run training session. The aim is an effective plan that includes a theme, but still appears flexible for the coach and dynamic for the players.
When planning training sessions keep the following tips in mind:
BAD IDEAS
Inappropriate exercises.
Unflowing sessions.
Too much talking by the coach.
Too much time spent on setting up or explaining the exercises.
GOOD IDEAS
Simple to complex development in exercises.
Flexible session to adopt to needs and abilities of players.
Painting clear concise pictures for the players to learn from.
Encouraging players to ask and answer questions.
The disease of bad language infects almost all of today’s youth and sports as a whole. Is your game immune from profane language? Unfortunately, no.
Becoming a good coach involves not only learning the principles of the game. The effective coach applies the knowledge by delivering it to the players at the right moment in a learning fashion. The teachable moment is the instant when you identify a mistake to correct by showing the players involved a preferred option or choice. The off-season can be especially valuable for teaching fundamentals and other integral parts of the game.
1. Try to incorporate the four basic components of the player (technical, tactical, physical, and psychological) in each session by defining a practice plan beforehand.
2. Interrupt an exercise when a valid piece of instruction can be provided in a quick, succinct manner.
3. If the exercise is not productive, then quickly change conditions such as a size of field, number of players, or other restrictions.
4. Add conditions to raise the level of performance and intensity. Challenge players to step up their games a level.
5. Use competitive drills to liven up practices and conditioning.
6. Notes or lesson plans are good to have, but do not look at them so frequently during practice that they become a distraction.
7. If the coaches enjoy the training session, then the players will, too!
The successful coach is constantly looking for methods to motivate players. Listed below are three suggestions that may improve a player’s performance.
“Shout Praise, Whisper Criticism” - Individuals perform better when praised rather than criticized. Praise should be spoken both in public and in private. Everyone is peer sensitive. Public criticism will probably lead to a decline in performance.
“Sandwich the Correction” - When correcting a player, first begin with a positive statement, then the negative correction, and finish with a positive statement. Example: “You’re playing hard, but you’re not running getting to the ball quickly. When you do, you’ve been making your shots.” If you begin the correction with a negative, the player will immediately tune you out.
In sports, thought processes occur instantaneously and fluidly in faster and intense level. It is this moment when the degree of your players’ emotional toughness is crucial.
1. Always find a positive comment to make about each player’s game.
2. Be sure to communicate that hard work always pays off. Encourage your players to perform better.
3. Give positive nicknames when appropriate like “Mr. Hustle” or “Speedy” or “Superstar.”
4. Always push the player you know you can, and thus raise the standard for the whole team. There is usually one player who is really strong and can physically handle all types of workouts. After finding this player, be very demanding of this player’s performance. (Be careful to explain to that strong player the reason for the extra attention.)
5. Be fair with your time, regardless of the wants each player has for attention. Be sure to help everyone and end by addressing the whole group.
Creating a high level of intensity in training situations is arguably the most essential component of coaching the game, that is developing the players. The team must practice like they play, or the only time they will be fully pushed and stretched (and thus improving) will be in the games. In this poor training situation, the practices are at best relaxed dress rehearsals and at worst dulling exercises that slow down development.
Coaches must construct a solid practice plan in preparing for training sessions. Players know when coaches arrive at the field unprepared, and their confidence and willingness to learn suffers. Players expect and deserve will-organized coaching. Practice plans can include a progression of exercises from simple and fundamental to more complex and match-simulating. Players need to understand the relationship between training exercises and the game. Teams train to play!