The Children of Today

The Children of Today

When young players come into the Academy system it is naive to think that you can engage these players in the same way you did with the cohort from the previous year. The world is evolving so quickly even children within the same generation are showing differences in the way they perceive life and their surroundings. If we are really going to continue developing young players it is the Club's and Coaches that need to change, not the players. With that in mind I'm not taking about discipline or culture as these are fundamental within any industry but the way in which you instil these in your players will need to change. 

Read More

The Secret To Dealing With Soccer Emotions…Quickly!

The Secret To Dealing With Soccer Emotions…Quickly!

Negative emotions – anxiety, frustration, anger, despondency – must be dealt with, and they must be dealt with quickly. So how does a soccer player do that? How does a soccer player snap out of an emotional funk that is damaging his or her game, with speed? How does a footballer improve her ability to manage her soccer psychology?

Read More

Cognitive Acceleration in Practice

Cognitive Acceleration in Practice

In this article on ‘Cognitive Acceleration’ theory, FA Skills Coach Dom Edwards attempts to explain a session he delivered with an explanation of why he used the techniques while striving to relate them to CA theory. He used the technique to develop the understanding the children have around attacking play in football. The process described here encouraged players to use abstract thinking through the problems set and challenges given.

Read More

The Real Way To Train Like A Soccer Pro

The Real Way To Train Like A Soccer Pro

The real focus should be on what professional athletes did when no one was watching- before anyone knew they were going to be stars.  How did they build their athleticism?  How did they improve their skill and technique?  These are the questions that should be getting asked.

Read More

Mentally Prepare to Coach

Mentally Prepare to Coach

In this article coach Josh Brown points out a crucial differentiator when it comes to success and failure as a coach – being mentally prepared to deliver. If we demand it from players then we need to demand it from ourselves – we need to be as mentally robust as them.

Read More

Develop and Demonstrate a Growth Mindset

Develop and Demonstrate a Growth Mindset

The varied tactical approach’s of the modern game demands players who are more flexible in their thinking and willing to embrace change. Today, top teams restructure their tactical approach many times during the course of a game and “intelligent” players who can identify challenges on the field and provide effective solutions will thrive. The modern player will literally be required to “think on their feet” and embrace and thrive during change.

Read More

Emotional Intelligence: Applied Practice in Football – A Perspective for Football Coaches

Emotional Intelligence: Applied Practice in Football – A Perspective for Football Coaches

Positive mindset allows performance levels to increase because it facilitates direction and focus. The relationship between mental preparation and sport psychology therefore becomes important and there is evidence of its use in cricket, golf and tennis. It is therefore not surprising that football has also introduced sport science to their mapped programme of which sport psychology is an integral part. Given the contention that sport psychology plays an integral role within football it would be purposeful to argue of its merit for football coaches in performance settings. 

Read More

The Presence of Body Language

The Presence of Body Language

I keep saying it and I keep stressing it. Keeping great body language throughout training and throughout a match is imperative. It’s a must. In this article former semi pro player and now coach John Kirby tells us a little about his background and his thoughts on the psychology of football…with an emphasis on that all important body language.

Read More

Taking a Coaching Break

Taking a Coaching Break

Coaching sport (especially soccer) can be one of the most fulfilling yet stressful professions or hobbies to do. It can be time consuming, it can be exhausting and the mental strain and wear and tear can deflate you. In this article Westside United senior team coach Josh Brown talks about the importance of taking a well earned coaching break.

Read More

A Young Players Practical Guide to Goal Setting

A Young Players Practical Guide to Goal Setting

Goal-setting is important for young players in order to understand where they are at now and where they are trying to get to. When young players say they want to play for Barcelona these are dreams versus goals. Goals, as defined by Wikipedia, is a desired result that a person envisions, plans and commits to achieve: a personal desired end-point in some sort of assumed development.

Read More

Best of Amplified Soccer Training Volume 1

Best of Amplified Soccer Training Volume 1

Take a look inside our first issue of Best of Amplified Soccer Training, a leading digital quarterly publication for coaches with resources from our partners and contributors, some of the best coaching educators in the game. Get 60 pages of drills, full training sessions, conditioning, psychology, exclusive interviews, sports science, nutrition, recipes and more all geared towards soccer coaches.

Read More

The Secrets to Scoring Goals

The Secrets to Scoring Goals

What I touched on in the lectures were truly secrets. They are geared for player’s 14 years of age and over. Coaches who really paid attention to the details of what was said in my sessions will truly improve their team’s goal scoring. Those who did not missed some of the secrets.

Read More

Winning IS Everything

Winning IS Everything

So what is the point in playing? To win! Winning games is only part of the equation especially as the result can have 3 outcomes (win lose or draw). The real part is the children knowing they are succeeding. The theme should be are we getting better. Are our skills improving? The philosophy should not be are we playing just for fun because; I regard that as an excuse and a loser’s attitude. Why are the children playing anyway? 

Read More

Training Cognition in Soccer

Training Cognition in Soccer

If we want to meet our principle aim of developing the person then we must create sessions that allow the learner to explore and understand the process of learning. One way in which to do this is to use the ‘Cognitive Acceleration’ (CA) approach. This blog entry will try to offer a brief explanation of the approach and answer how it can be useful within our roles as coaches.

Read More