Senior Boys

I am of course playing on the senior boys team, and not coaching, but I can still take a lot out of how we are coached. The biggest thing I find about coaches, is that they have to CARE. I don't mean that they have to care immensely about every kid in a camp type environment where they have to care about the level of soccer. But on a team especially the coach must care about winning, but more importantly how his or her players are performing individually, and as a team.

Coaching Hugh Williams Camp

The second to last week in August I coached for an entire week with Hugh at his camp. I think that this was a perfect place for me to do my sort-of final coaching hurrah. The way that Hugh puts the soccer in these camps together really embodies what I want to be as a coach. I will go through day by day.

Monday: Warm up. Warm up in Hugh's camps include game like drills (tottenham, soccer volleyball, small sided possession) but also things like lanes. After warm up there is a skill rotation. This includes two finishing drills, a larger possession drill, and a dribbling station. Not only is this helpful for the kids skill. It also allows the coaches to asses how skilled each player is. The day finishes with first world cup competition, and then 3 v 3.

Tuesday: warm up is the same. Team competition begins. The entire camp is split up into 4 teams allowing a tournament to happen. This tournament encompasses 4v3 rapid fire, king louie, and a passing competition on the first day of the tournament. Points are awarded to winning teams in each event.

Wednesday: warm up. Team competition continues. Today is 7v7 points gambling, and shootouts. The winning team at the end of the day gets prizes which are usually expensive shorts, socks, and tshirts.

Thursday: warm up. 2v2 tournament. Every participant is put onto a team of 2 or 3 (1 sub). Tournament takes place. Winning team receives expensive full team kit.

Friday: warm up. 3v3 tournament. Ever participant is put onto a team of 3 or 4 (1 sub) this time. The winning team gets kit as well.

The main reason I love this camp setup so much is for a few main reasons. First off, it makes it fun for the kids. No one ever feel like, "damn we are doing this drill". The large majority of drills are incredibly fun. This often leads to high effort from kids. Second, the large number of competitions (and great prizes) teaches competitiveness, which of course in a competitive sport like soccer is incredibly important. And finally, all of this together increases kids skill. Competitiveness leads to faster play which makes kids better, and fun drills also increases intensity allowing the kids to become better players over the short week period.

All in all it was a great place to work, and I learned a lot!