Once a person makes the decision to take soccer coaching seriously they usually end up getting some type of soccer licenses. You attend courses and get evaluated by coaches who have been doing this a long time. Most coaches are very nervous as their training sessions get picked apart and dissected by their mentors. Taking these courses is very helpful and I recommend them highly. Feedback from experienced people is priceless. But one day I am watching some news show and this CEO comes on talking about his daughter’s basketball team. He was from India and had no experience in basketball what so ever. The team’s coach had just given up the position with no one to take over. The girls had not won a game and were by far the worst team in the league. This businessman with no sports experience agreed to coach his daughter’s team. He noticed right away they could not shoot well at all from outside and determined that particular skill was very difficult. The man analyzed the game and broke it down into mathematic algorithms. Mathematically he determined that controlling the turnover ratio was the key to winning games. He also insisted that all shots be taken from directly under the basket because of the increased percentages compared to the complicated skill of long range shooting. The girls went on to win the league. They played defense in a ferocious manner that swarmed the opponents with multiple defenders as soon as the ball was turned over. Sounds a little like a team called Barcelona! It is even proven that most goals in soccer are in the area in front of the net and not from the side or long distance shooting. The similarity of this business mans findings to soccer are incredible. This CEO essentially created his own mini method for his daughter’s basketball team by himself. There is no doubt learning should involve experienced coaches who can mentor you. However, you must be aware coaching is still an art of thinking for your self. Take what you learn from others but you still must apply it, manipulate it, make it your own, adjust it and be creative. I have a friend who is a trader on Wall Street who I talk to quite often about the stock markets and trading. Do I know anything about the markets and trading? No! That’s the best part. What I am is a tactical thinker from my coaching career. I come up with questions, theories and ideas that his Wall Street friends wouldn’t. Why? Because I’m not a Wall Street guy, I’m a guy that wants to win and can think strategy outside the financial world. By the way I am not saying I would invest my own money or that I can come up with a winning formula. What I can do is come up with ideas based upon logic. If they work or not that’s another question! On the flip side he can do the same with me when talking about coaching. Just like the CEO of the girl’s team my friend also writes his own algorithms for trading! The minds of traders and coaches are not to far from each other! The point is that looking at things from a different perspective can help develop your own coaching method. Think for yourself and make changes to whatever method you are using. Change things up and challenge yourself!
Buy “The Method” at Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYHL9OI