FA Coaching Badges

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

UEFA B is FA levels 2&3

UEFA A is Level 4.

 

If they do mean that, it seems a bit excessive for coaching U8's, so they might mean just the standard FA Level 1 & 2.  Depends if they mean just coaching, or setting up and running the whole academy.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

What websites do people use for resources and communication?

[Exiled in Texas]

UEFA B is FA levels 2&3

UEFA A is Level 4.

 

If they do mean that, it seems a bit excessive for coaching U8's, so they might mean just the standard FA Level 1 & 2.  Depends if they mean just coaching, or setting up and running the whole academy.

 

Thanks OCK,

 

We are contracting with Challenger Sports (AKA British Soccer) to provide us with some coaches to provide skills and run our U8 academy program (leading in to U10).

 

Academy and Club soccer is very competitive here in TX, and I wanted to understand if these Badges were levels that were gained in one weekend session, or if they were higher level of requirements.  We'll be advertising the program and including the coaching qualifications and didn;t want someone to say"yeah but anyone can get that with a weekend class"

 

Thanks....appreciate the help

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

UEFA B is FA levels 2&3

UEFA A is Level 4.

 

If they do mean that, it seems a bit excessive for coaching U8's, so they might mean just the standard FA Level 1 & 2.  Depends if they mean just coaching, or setting up and running the whole academy.

 

Thanks OCK,

 

We are contracting with Challenger Sports (AKA British Soccer) to provide us with some coaches to provide skills and run our U8 academy program (leading in to U10).

 

Academy and Club soccer is very competitive here in TX, and I wanted to understand if these Badges were levels that were gained in one weekend session, or if they were higher level of requirements.  We'll be advertising the program and including the coaching qualifications and didn;t want someone to say"yeah but anyone can get that with a weekend class"

 

Thanks....appreciate the help

 

UEFA B will take at least 12 months, not more, to get both badges. UEFA A even more.

 

Level 1 takes a week intensive, or a month long course, but really its just a test to make sure you're committed/not a risk to children.

 

FA Level 2

 

COURSE PROGRAMME (Theory & Practical Sessions)

• Learning & coaching process

• Planning preparing evaluation

• Football fitness

• Youngsters in football

• Health and safety

• Attitudes and ethics

• Laws of the game

• Football food

• Basic techniques

• Attacking & defending 1 v 1 & 2 v 2

• Principles of attack & defence 4 v 4

 

FA Level 3

 

COURSE PROGRAMME (Theory & Practical Sessions)

• Match and player analysis

• Learning Strategies & coaching styles

• Attitudes and ethics

• Football fitness

• Injury recognition

• Growing up, youngsters in football

• Psychological factors

• Football food

• Long Term Player Development

• Advanced individual technique

• Functional Practices

• Phases of Play

• Small sided games (8 v 8)

 

If you need coaches, just in general, for a few months work in the Spring time, I'd be interested! For the overall running of an academy, you might want to look at coaches who have their Youth Awards too, or age specific awards.

[TheGuv]

I second what Chris is saying! Ambition of mine to see what the States is like. I have just finished my Level 2 and will be being assessed sometime in March.

 

And christ Obi seems to have a passion for coaching too

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Thanks for the kind words, Guv! Pretty much going to make a career out of coaching football, first time in my life I've had any career ambitions and this just feels right. Going to start my Level 2 within the next month or two. Goodluck with your assessment 

[TheGuv]

Thanks for the kind words, Guv! Pretty much going to make a career out of coaching football, first time in my life I've had any career ambitions and this just feels right. Going to start my Level 2 within the next month or two. Goodluck with your assessment 

 

Cheers mate.

 

I just typed in soccer coaching jobs in america. And there si so many hits. Many seem to take on Level1 coaches and it seems to me to be a perfect platform for pro experience. I am really considering this for next summer now.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Thanks for the kind words, Guv! Pretty much going to make a career out of coaching football, first time in my life I've had any career ambitions and this just feels right. Going to start my Level 2 within the next month or two. Goodluck with your assessment 

 

Cheers mate.

 

I just typed in soccer coaching jobs in america. And there si so many hits. Many seem to take on Level1 coaches and it seems to me to be a perfect platform for pro experience. I am really considering this for next summer now.

 

Aye, me too, though 3 months seems to be the minimum (which is probably the maximum I'd go for - for now).

[Ash]

My 'Future Game' book arrived this morning. Just had a quick look through and it does seem quite impressive. Think it will be a brilliant tool to have and will come in very handy.

[TheGuv]

OCK, What are the top books you recommend? I've got a bit of money to spend in the bank

 

Could you do it in the order you think is best as well? Just i'm pretty skint, so won't be able to purchase all at once

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

OCK, What are the top books you recommend? I've got a bit of money to spend in the bank

 

Could you do it in the order you think is best as well? Just i'm pretty skint, so won't be able to purchase all at once

 

 

What kind of book you looking for? Coaching or general football ones? Suppose I could do both!

 

--

 

#1 Inverting the Pyramid - (Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverting-Pyramid-History-Football-Tactics/dp/0752889958/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282070394&sr=8-1) (Play: http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/8292680/Inverting-The-Pyramid/Product.html).

 

Fantastic look at the history and development of tactics and the roles of players from the beginning of football to the modern era. Well worth the read, a good starting insight into the whole 'Zonalmarking.net' tactics truck craze.

 

#2 How To Coach A Soccer Team - (Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Coach-Soccer-Team-Professional/dp/0600610799/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282070474&sr=1-1) (Play: http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/657539/How-to-Coach-a-Soccer-Team/Product.html)

 

Not very insightful in regards to coaching methods, but a fantastic starting resource for coaching ideas and plans. I use it a fair bit for ideas, so while it might not expand your knowledge of 'why', it'll add a lot more training ideas to your program and 'how'.

 

 

[Exiled in Texas]

Thanks for the kind words, Guv! Pretty much going to make a career out of coaching football, first time in my life I've had any career ambitions and this just feels right. Going to start my Level 2 within the next month or two. Goodluck with your assessment 

 

Cheers mate.

 

I just typed in soccer coaching jobs in america. And there si so many hits. Many seem to take on Level1 coaches and it seems to me to be a perfect platform for pro experience. I am really considering this for next summer now.

 

Aye, me too, though 3 months seems to be the minimum (which is probably the maximum I'd go for - for now).

 

Yes, 3 months is the minimum from my knowledge of the British coaches coming to US.  There seems to be two main options - coming to US to work the kids summer camps.  You spend 8-10 weeks coaching young-uns - week here a week there.  They tend to be based in one main location and your spend a week living with a host family and then move on to the next family. I think the company pays for the ticket out to US and you get one week off during the summer to go somewhere, the rest of the time you're doing the weekly camps.

 

I know that some other opportunities exist where coaches are brought in to coach a team or to be part of a club coaching setup. Consistency is very important, so they would want the coach to be there for the full season. That could be either both for fall/spring seasons or for the full Sep-May season.

 

I wouldn't consider hiring a coach for a period that didn't fit with my program as I want consistency through the season.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Aye, totally understand that. The only issue I have at the moment is trying to work that around family life at the moment, not sure she'd be too impressed with me disappearing to the States for 12 months.  I'd love to though, anything for coaching experience/paid coaching job.

[Exiled in Texas]

Totally understand that perpective too.  Should I include photos of the hot texas babes in the job offer? 

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Haha, its the food I'm looking forward to, man! All I hear about is how amazing Texas BBQ is.

[Exiled in Texas]

BBQ is good, and the TexMex is good too.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Shhhh, quit teasing!

 

Any tips, or tip offs, towards coaching in the US would be great though.

[Exiled in Texas]

Shhhh, quit teasing!

 

Any tips, or tip offs, towards coaching in the US would be great though.

 

Yeah!!  Don't call it football. 

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Swalley made a decent post in the Reserves&Youth thread about a grassroots coach phoning up Talksport and sprouting rubbish about how it was best to coach the physical side over the technical side.

 

Don't suppose you ever listen to 5 Live's World Football Phone In, Chris?

 

Anyway, a caller was questioning the lack of technique and skill amongst English players at the moment. The Spanish football expert they had on gave a very interesting insight into the way players are coached at a young age over there, to be taught how to play with your head up and know when to give the ball at the right time. The technical side of the game is ingrained into players from around the ages of 7 or 8,  hence by the time players develop into adults the physical side of the game can then be added to their natural, honed ball playing ability. Hence producing more allround footballers in the long term who have vision, ability and technique.

 

The pundit (his name escapes me) then mentioned how he talked to a number of coaches at Valencia, and when they came over to do football schools in England and Wales they were absolutely stunned by the lack of ability in the players. That it was almost a waste of a generation because the players played with braun rather than their brain.

 

Anyway, the thing that amazed me most was later in the show a caller rang the show in defence of the English methoding. He mentioned how he was a coach for an 8 year old team aswell as a team of 16 year olds. He explained how he seen it as important to make sure the players were physically capable above anything else, and that he coaches the players to be commited and strong above actual footballing ability. He said that the way he saw it was skill and ability can be taught to the players once they make it, and that readying the youngsters for a physical barrage was top of his agenda. I genuinely couldn't believe what he was saying, he was basically saying the Spanish way of doing things was wrong and that he was right. The pundit then retorted at why England hadn't won anything in 40 years, the caller then just blamed tiredness from too many matches in the club season and subsequently went off on a tangent about how foreign imports and too much money was strangling the game.

 

He really wound me up to be honest, I despair if this is the national standard for football coaching in this country? People like this bloke shouldn't be given the responsibility because their sporting ideology is so, so wide of the mark. Anyway, I know you're doing coaching badges and taking a keen interest in this kind of thing so is this attitude commonplace throughout the UK? Is it actively encouraged to train kids in this way?

 

The show is worth a listen to if you want to hear what he said.

 

That made me wonder -

 

What's your preference in coaching?

 

Are you technical or physical approach?

Certain area you want to go into - GK, Attack, Defence, Fitness, etc or a general approach?

What do you consider the most effective style of play?

Hands on or observant? - Do you coach 100% through the session telling the player everything they need to do, or do you watch and make pointers allowing the player to make mistakes and correct them.

[Caz]

Very interesting questions and opening up for a debate Chris . I've always been very focused on the technical aspects of coaching, especially with younger players to get them into good habits and an attempt for them to naturally do certain things. (Receiving on the back foot for example).

 

I find it important to know about all different areas of the game, afterall each player on the pitch doing something impacts on each and ever other player in someway so high knowledge for each unit really does help.

 

Goalkeeping - it is still really benefical to know the basics. On level 2 and level 3 a small bit of time is focused on involving your goalkeeper more in the sessions rather than sending them off to work together to alone with someone else, bringing them back for a phase/function or ssg instead of just the game at the end.

 

I try to used guided discovery as a coaching method, and give the players time to adapt and attempt to work it out for themselves in some sessions if it does not work straight away. As often you have to repeat a few times before they properly understand what the session is all about. However, if they cannot get it at all a more command style has to be used at times. It all depends on the type of session and age of the players.

 

I have had some good news with regards to my coaching over the past couple of weeks, I am now working as a coach for Sunderland Girls Centre of Excellence. Which I started last week working with the u14s. Loving it so far!

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Caz that is excellent news, well done, really happy to hear someone getting into a good job  I'd happily swallow my pride to work at Sunderland's Academy.

[TheGuv]

Caz that is excellent news, well done, really happy to hear someone getting into a good job  I'd happily swallow my pride to work at Sunderland's Academy.

 

Wel done

 

I think i would work at S*nlun too!

 

I try to implement an all round coaching style. That all links together. Fitness is important, which then links into the style of play. However, if the technique isn't their from certain players you cannot play a certain style which reduces the overall need for certain aspects of fitness!

 

It is very hard (i find) to establish carpet football lets say with my set of players. If it doesn't work in the first 5 minutes of a game they resort to hoofball straight away. It is very frustrating! I've only been coaching for 18 months and i have learned a hell of a lot, but i really do think the way lads play football is implemented in their way of thinking.

 

It's going to take a lot to get rid of this mentality

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

How old are they again?

 

I find my U11s drift between being ball greedy and carpet football nicely. Any long balls they try are often on the deck anyway, or switch of plays. I think I've got lucky.

[TheGuv]

How old are they again?

 

I find my U11s drift between being ball greedy and carpet football nicely. Any long balls they try are often on the deck anyway, or switch of plays. I think I've got lucky.

 

Under 13 this season. To be fair that was last season and we ain't played a league game yet and we've basically got rid of the whole squad! So i'll wait and see