SOCCER
161 West River Road, Waterville, ME 04901
Tel: (207) 944 0393, Email: Web: www.allprosoccercom
INTRODUCTION
To give you the structure, you need a brief background of Gary’s coaching and playing experience which will then give you an idea of why Gary may differ from most DOCs’!
I have played Pro at all levels from the good to the bad! I played at Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium and some stadiums with holes in the locker room ceilings and one man and his dog watching the game!
Through my experiences of playing and coaching, I came across many youth coaches.
When playing pro at 16 years of age I was terrified of my first youth coach who shouted and screamed all the time and was negative. I then encountered many more coaches, some were positive and whilst others were in the game for themselves and not the players.
When I started coaching at Manchester City, my head coach was a gentleman named Steve Fleet. He was renowned, and rightly so, as the best youth coach in England. I was with him for 10 great years. He cared deeply about the players’ development.
He would always say “master the basics and you travel a smooth road”. Basically, don’t over complicate what should be a simple game of soccer.
I have followed his guidance and then added my own experiences.
I believe that the development of youth players comes first. We should not try to win a game at the detriment of the players’ development, especially at the younger age!
My teams at Manchester City would try and do the right things. For example, keepers would still roll the ball out to outfield players even if intercepted.
If you develop the player, results will follow. I understand to attract players to the club winning certainly helps! We walk a fine line, but hopefully one that brings the best out from players.
At All Pro, we have helped players from our Academies and Centers of Excellence receive over $9.5million on soccer scholarships. The cost for this has been as little as $10 per session. I do not believe you have to play in the best league to be noticed, nor pay thousands to chase a dream around America.
Through the one or two new programs I will bring to CMU, we will help all players who wish to play in college. Having said that, our greatest achievement at All Pro is a 14-year-old girl who came on our program. She really had no desire to be there, it was her dad who made her come. She was incredibly shy, quiet and had no soccer skills. Following our 8-week program, she chose to come back on the next 8 weeks. Her soccer skills improved greatly for her, but she would still not make the school team. However, and most importantly, every time she now walks into All Pro she walks with confidence, a smile, talks to others players, made new friends, interacts with the coaches, and answers back!
She truly is All Pro’s greatest success! Her father said her grades at school have improved along with a new-found confidence.
This to me is real coaching.
Therefore, through my experiences:
The coach should;
1. be enthusiastic at games and practices
2. encourage your players at games and practices
3. have knowledge, read books, watch videos, talk and watch other coaches and take courses
4. discipline, do not allow the players to control your sessions. Give the players your expectations regarding time-keeping, attitude to practice and games, being courteous to all players and adults including refs, their uniform, clean boots (I hate the word cleats!). These are life lessons for players.
5. be prepared for your sessions. Have a written lesson plan ready for the practice session and then another for when half your players are missing!
Look the part, no hats backwards! Be clean shaven (unless you sport a beard or mustache), you’re a coach not Miami Vice!
6. make sure you have your equipment, bibs, cones etc (especially properly inflated soccer balls)!
I have prepared a booklet that will show the structure, training and game advice.
The booklet is one to be added to, not just by me but all the coaches and managers.
This will become our book, the CMU Coaches Book.
There are quite a number of pages to read, but if we are to grow as coaches and as a club, I think it is worth the time.
Once you have read my thoughts and philosophies regarding coaching then we can start to add yours.
Warm Regards
Gary Walker
CMU DOS
SOCCER
161 West River Road, Waterville, ME 04901
Tel: (207) 944-0393, Email: , Web: www.allprosoccer.com
CMU YOUTH SOCCER
CHILD PROTECTION
Overview:
Every child or young person, defined as any person of under the age of 18, who plays or participates in soccer, should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse. This is the responsibility of every adult involved in soccer.
All Pro recognizes its responsibility to safe-guard the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. Therefore, the procedures outlined in this document apply to anyone in soccer whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. For example: Coaches, officials, helpers on club tours, medical staff and parents.
Child abuse can and does occur outside the family setting. Although it is a sensitive and difficult issue child abuse has occurred within sport and other settings. Recent enquiries indicate that abuse that takes place within a public setting is rarely a one-off event. It is crucial that those involved in soccer are aware of this possibility and that allegations are treated seriously and appropriate actions taken.
Forms of Child Abuse:
Child abuse is a term used to describe ways in which children and young people are harmed. Usually by adults and increasingly by piers. Often these are people they know and trust. Abuse is the damage done to a Childs or young person’s physical, mental or emotional health. Abusive situations arise when adults or peers misuse their power over children or young people.
Five Main Forms of Abuse:
1. Physical Abuse
a. Adults physically hurt or injure children or young people by hitting, shaking, squeezing,
biting or burning.
b. Give children or young people alcohol, cigarettes, inappropriate drugs.
c. Use excessive or inappropriate training methods.
In the soccer environment physical abuse might also occur when the nature of
intensity in training exceeds the capacity of the childs or young persons immature or
growing body.
2. Neglect
a. A child or young persons basic physical needs, for example, for food, drink and warm
clothing is not met.
b. Children or young people who are constantly left alone and unsupervised.
Neglect might also occur if a coach, team parent or volunteer fails to ensure children or young people are safe or exposes them to undue extremes of weather or risk of injury i.e., using unsafe equipment.
3. Sexual Abuse:
a. When adults encourage sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, fondling, or anal
intercourse.
b. Showing children or young people pornographic books, photographs, videos
In the soccer environment sexual abuse may also occur when inappropriate physical contact takes place. For example: supporting/treatment/touching of a child or young person.
4. Emotional Abuse:
a. A persistent lack of affection or attention shown to a child or young person.
b. Overprotection, preventing children or young people from socializing.
c. Children or young people are frequently shouted at or taunted.
In the soccer environment, emotional abuse may also include situations where parents or coaches subject children or young people to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations or to attain standards they are clearly not able to reach.
5. Bullying:
a. Deliberate hostility and aggression towards a victim.
b. A victim who is weaker and less powerful than the bully or bullies.
c. Spreading rumors and persistent teasing.
d. Ridiculing and humiliation.
e. Racial taunts.
Emotional and verbal bullying is more common in soccer than physical violence, however, it can be extremely difficult for the child or young people to cope with and also prove to an adult.
Recognition of Abuse:
Even for those experienced in working with child abuse it is not always easy to recognize a situation where abuse may be occurring. Whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, most people working with children or young people are not experts at such recognition.
Below are a number of signs to be aware of. Please note the list is not exhaustive and the presence of one or more of the indicators is not proof of abuse. All children will suffer from cuts and bruises and sometimes their behavior can be poor. However, if you feel concerned you
MUST ACT! Do not assume that somebody else will.
a. Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns on areas of the
body not normally prone to such injuries.
b. Any injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent.
c. Another child or adult expresses concern about the welfare of another child
d. A child expresses to you an abusive act.
e. Unexplained changes in behavior such as becoming quiet, withdrawn, or sudden
outburst of temper.
f. Being mistrustful of adults such as not wishing to be driven to games by certain adults.
g. Variations in eating patterns.
h. Loss of weight.
Recommendations for coaches and parents involved with players:
a. When transporting children to games/practices, always have a minimum of two players in
your vehicle. Never travel alone with a child.
b. When staying overnight at hotels, never share a room with a player.
c. Have player meetings in the lobby of the hotel not in a hotel room.
d. When making room checks have two adults present and if a male coach coaching girls,
have a female adult present.
e. Do not enter locker rooms when players are changing.
f. When attending an injured player be mindful of appropriate touching when assessing the
injured area of the player. If in doubt leave for proper medical attention.
g. Be careful when paying monies for a player. If donating monies try and do this through the
club the player is playing for.
h. If players need to change uniform on or near the field due to inclement weather, have the
coach or parent turn around or walk away until they have finished.
i. Do not have players playing without a shirt on.
j. Do not give any medication to players without permission from parents.
k. Do not drink alcohol in front of players.
l. Do not invite players to stop over at your residence.
In closing, we need to take the time in making sure children/young people are protected in a safe
environment.
Therefore, as a club, are the staff/volunteers background checked? If the answer is no then
action must be taken to resolve this issue. However just because someone has no prior police
record for abuse does not mean you should not monitor the staff/volunteers.
Gary Walker
CMU
DIRECTOR OF SOCCER
CMU YOUTH SOCCER
CHILD PROTECTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
I, ______hereby give consent to
______for the safekeeping of my
son/daughter ______in my absence.
Including but not in its entirety:
1. Traveling/transporting with a single adult.
2. Training with a single adult.
3. Remaining at venue with a single adult.
SOCCER
161 West River Road, Waterville, ME 04901
Tel: (207) 944 0393, Email: , Web: www.allprosoccer.com
COACHING OVERVIEW
STAGE ONE
Individual ball control “first touch”
Turning
Running with the ball
Dribbling
STAGE TWO
Passing
Defending Technique
Attacking Technique
Shooting
Communication
STAGE THREE
Movement off the ball
Observation
Positional Play
Stage Two and Three can be combined, but have the foundations of Stage One been achieved?
Without completion of Stage One, the player will not realize his or her full potential.
The coach has to decide whether the players have reached the level of stage one to continue with Stages Two and Three?
Homework has to be set for the children to become proficient in individual technique. As the coach we can help on practice nights, but the children need to take 20 minutes a day to practice on their own. If the children do not practice then their positive outlook regarding soccer could diminish, as they struggle to come to terms with Stages Two and Three. We as coaches can only advise the children to do their homework and not demand this regime. Hopefully, watching their friends improve will motivate them to practice that little bit more.
OPEN DISCUSSION
Develop the player and results take care of themselves. There is nothing wrong with competition, making games non-competitive is not dealing with the real issue, which is how to win with dignity and not play a structure just to win at the detriment of the player’s development and how to accept defeat gracefully. If the players have tried their best, then as coaches we cannot ask anymore of the players. There are three key elements that the coach needs to bring to practice and games.
1. Enthusiasm
2. Encouragement
3. Discipline
Knowledge is obviously needed to share with the children; however without the first three key elements knowledge will be lost. Everybody remembers the good teachers and the bad ones that have come across our paths. The same can be said of coaches. We remember these people many years after the event, therefore, as coaches we must be careful what we say to our players, for we cannot take back what has been said.
Create the right atmosphere both at training and games. Make sure you have your equipment ready for practices. For example, all soccer balls inflated to the correct pressure. Plan your sessions to include the following:-
U11’s and below a one hour session is adequate, if we start on time! If they are traveling a distance then 90 min session, with water breaks.
Above this age group a 90 minute session or 2 hours if players are traveling from any distance.