Coaching Courses

It has been my experience that many inexperienced coaches sign up for coaching courses or clinics with the idea that they will learn what to coach or what they should do at practices. Although you will see drills and exercises performed by demonstration teams at these events that is not actually what a coaching course or a clinic are all about.  Even so, we find people signing up for coaching courses or clinics based on the topic and drill the clinician will present.  The real intent of a coaching course is, or at least should be, to teaching coaching methodology.

Learning HOW to coach rather than learning WHAT to coach.

 

No doubt about it that knowing what to coach is important as well, but knowing what to coach without knowing how to properly coach it isn't very beneficial to you, or the players, is it? 

 

Choose your courses and clinic wisely. Sometimes with coaching courses you have no alternative, but to take the courses within the structure of the USSF or NSCAA. In that case, you must select the course based on the clinician presenting the course. Research who will present topics and how well they do so from a coaching methodology standpoint. Google search or ask on a soccer forum, but find out ahead of time.

 

I have personally found I learn more about actual coaching in camp settings than I do in most coaching courses or at most coaching clinics. Spending several sessions observing and interacting with the same coach or group of coaches is more valuable to me than a 5 or 6 sessions with several different coaches each presenting a different topic for a half an hour or so.

 

You should understand why you wish to attend a coaching course or clinic.  If you just want new ideas for practice activities, save your self the money of a coaching course or clinic and go to youtube for your fix.  If you actually want to improve your coaching ability research and carefully select the course whenever possible. And do not forget the camp option if you really want first hand or hands on experience learning how to coach.

 

Remember learning HOW to coach is what a coaching course or clinic should be about.