Red Bulls youth soccer coaches, as part of their on-going professional development with the Red Bulls Academy, were this week given the opportunity to learn more about the how effectively they apply the how-to coach skills. The morning workshop held at the Red Bulls Arena transitioned between the classroom and the turf and presented the coaches with learning opportunities in those different environments.
The coaches first challenge was to consider what excellent coaching practice looks like. Using Poll Everywhere software the coaches answers were collated within a word cloud. Intriguingly not one mention of a soccer drill or practice anywhere! Excellent coaching assumes that coaches have an evolved professional (sport-specific) knowledge base.
Having established that the coaching process is mission-critical to quality coaching, the coaches explored eight how-2 coach skills in detail. Using the coaching bugs concept created by friend and colleague, Penny Crisfield, from Apollinaire Consultancy Associates, coaches used the classroom to explore the concept and then transitioned their learning onto the field.
Supported by the Red Bulls team of Education Managers and regional co-ordinators, all of whom are have recently completed the United Soccer Coaches Coach Developer Diploma, Sarah gave coaches the opportunity to explore and practice individual how-2 coach skills through a number of micro coaching practices. All coaches had the opportunity to put their 'coaching hat' on during the morning sessions. Those not coaching during the sessions were reminded to 'act like players and think like coaches.'
Many thanks to all of the Red Bulls staff, coach developers and coaches, for contributing to a high quality learning experience.