Liverpool CFA Grassroots Youth Coach 2021 | QTS in Primary Teaching (PE) | Pre Academy & Academy Coach l Author of The Leaked Diary of a Grassrootz Kid
I am a qualified Primary PE Teacher/Coach seeking a permanent full-time position. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, I have been made redundant, and my fixed-term contract has now ended. I would appreciate any retweets. Thank you in advance.
Wow! Faroe islands grassroots. 47,000 inhabitants! 6,000 play. 20 clubs; each with an artificial pitch + small pitches in towns. Leave balls on the pitch for kids to play with anytime. No one steals the balls! All clubs have a full-time coach; kids train every day after school.
WHAT MAKES A PLAYER GOOD AT PASSING? Six core areas that young players should look to develop over time. Taken from the FA Bootroom article on 15th March 2022, and well worth a read!
Grassroots, if you pay your child for scoring goals; a reward apparently. Do you pay them for defending? Tackles won? Assists created? Unlikely! This does not aid learning it creates a player focused on one aspect of playing and neglects their overall player development. 🤔
When a child plays, this is how it looks in their imagination. Pure joy, happiness and celebration. If your watching your son/daughter today, don't be the one who stands out from the crowd shouting and barking, you've had your childhood, let them enjoy theirs. Let them play!
Grassroots is back tomorrow. Remember they are kids, they want to emulate their heroes, fall in love with the ball and the game. They don't want adults shouting at referees, coaches and them! We are privileged spectators and it is their game!
#enjoy
#respect
#lovetheballandgame
Educating and developing players is a long process. If some parents want to rush it for plastic trophies they are forgetting their greatest trophy! Their child!
Thank you again to all of you who have liked my original post of an old U7 session plan. I am utterly shocked and amazed it has nearly 300 likes and over 200 bookmarks! I am keeping my promise so here is another old session.
It does not matter at what level you are playing, or your age, our human instinct is we enjoy playing and having fun! 👇🏼 It’s not a kid's game, it is a game! Use them, have fun and enjoy playing. 💪🏼#🔑tolearning
The content of this work was created by
@GarthWSmith
and
@PeterPrickett
a while ago. I have tried to do both justice in this re-design. When creating sessions around decision making; retain or release, our young players have a lot going on up there? How can we support them?
A keepsake for a special award! Thank you to all of my parents and players (past and present) who made this unbelievable moment possible by supporting and trusting me to coach their kids.
I don’t do traditional awards! I want the awards to grow with the kids, so this year I used the school games values and
@Awards_FC_
brought my design to life! 🙏🏻
@sturge_p
@sallyneed3
@KeithMayer5
Many young children have a shadow looming over them! They're seen as the adult before being allowed to be a child, allowed to develop, be creative, and try new things. Instead, they're led down a path of early specialisation and don't fully explore fundamental movement skills.
What an experience for all of the academy U9 players this weekend! Every premier league club played games against each other. No points, no trophies, just lots of fun, challenging and competitive games! It was a pleasure to watch and coach. It makes you want to do this full-time.
If you are a coach/parent that is prepared to leave and watch kids stand on the line until a game is comfortable, to win at all cost, you should not be involved in grassroots! This is when
@EnglandFootball
and
@Liverpool_CFA
should make L1 mandatory and include a game time clause
If you are new to coaching in the Foundation Phase, watch this video! We want to develop independent decision-makers which we cannot do if you joystick them through a game and tell them to “pass”. Play the long game, encourage them to love the ball and become a skilful player.
@Teamgrassroots_
There are too many “I’s” here. Most children move because the adults get involved. The children are happy but it is the adult egos that want their child or team to be “higher” because it makes them look and feel better. Children can be challenged in many ways; adaptive teaching.
It is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision not to continue managing or coaching Litherland Remyca U12’s next season. I have had five great years with this team and twenty-eight years involved in grassroots but it is time for a break. Great young people and players. 👍🏼
@StevenD1977
Harvey Elliot demonstrates in abundance the importance of developing the person first and the player second. Something every coach should be reminded of. I bet you have one beaming young man!
#class
I am currently updating some of our club safeguarding and welfare practices following our annual audit. In preparation for 2022/23 and beyond I have put together our new proposed codes of conduct.
@Liverpool_CFA
@EnglandLearning
@EnglandFootball
OUT NOW! The Leaked Diary of a Grassrootz Kid. Please retweet and help to promote my first-ever publication aiming to capture the interest of our young players through the game that they love; encouraging them to read, learn and perhaps write too.
What a session tonight! Thoroughly enjoyed coaching BFC U8’s. I can now say that I have completed my FA Advanced Youth Award! What a course and journey.
I’m proud and lucky to coach these kids. They are some of the youngest kids in their year. They have developed a love for the ball as well as the game. They are all on their unique learning journey together; creating life-long memories.
#equaltime
#development
#leaguewinners
@SkySportsPL
We have to be very careful with young kids because this is premature professionalism. Let him play a variety of sports and enjoy his football. We don't need to know who he is, age, who he plays like, where he is from etc. We should be protecting young ‘juniors’.
If you are new to coaching and want to understand why children cannot just simply “do it”, spend a couple of minutes to check this video out. “It’s not magic, it’s neuroscience” The Neuroscience of Learning via
@YouTube
U8 Games Tonight. 2 x 4v4. One game involved GKs and the other had none. Game constraint without GKs was, you must be inside the att half to score. No long-range efforts from inside their half. Encouraged positive play and an attitude to win the ball in def half.
I loved coaching this evening. There was a point I stood back and just felt myself saying “wow”. When you see young players play with such creativity, intensity and passion it is better than watching any premier league game. 👌🏻🤯
#developtheplayer
#lovethegame
After a slight restructuring, my previous role as Pre Academy Coordinator has changed to Lead Pre Academy Coach. Any role is a privilege because as a player or coach, you never know when the journey might come to an end.
#playerdevelopment
#lovecoaching
After an extremely challenging grassroots season, and as of yesterday, I notified Litherland REMYCA that I will be leaving my post as Safeguarding and Welfare Officer. It’s been a privilege but also the most challenging, demanding, and heartbreaking.
#passionateaboutgrassroots
Sometimes as a coach, you will doubt yourself, external influences will try to steer you toward another path. If you are brave enough to keep to it or jump back on after coming off, you will get your reward. Development is not linear, it's spaghetti! Trust the process of learning
As a coach who wants to continue learning and growing, there is nothing quite like having your Academy Manager and Head of Coaching on the pitch with you, sharing their knowledge and experience. A truly brilliant CPD session tonight.
My debut book, The Leaked Diary of a Grassrootz Kid, is now available! It's perfect for young football enthusiasts between six and twelve years old and features stunning illustrations by Helen Poole. A great stocking filler this Christmas!
Grassroots football is not about the amount of trophies you win, but it is about the memories and experiences you create together. Remyca U9s enjoying their trip to Burnley FC Academy last night.
My debut book, The Leaked Diary of a Grassrootz Kid, is now available! It's perfect for young football enthusiasts between six and twelve years old and features stunning illustrations by Helen Poole. A great stocking filler this Christmas!
Development is a long term process, often cut short to win things. You will lose players along the way, but it is great to see the pay-off when you stick to your beliefs and then start to see the next progression you’ve been waiting for! Absolutely made up with REMYCA U10’s today
A farewell to my Remyca FC team this evening. I've been involved in grassroots for 28 years but coached this group from U7 to U12. It has been a journey of making the boys fall in love with the ball and game. It has never been about trying to win trophies, it has…
@RyanJ_White99
Please go and speak to your Club or County Safeguarding and Welfare Officer. You are a volunteer and this is not acceptable. Talk about what has happened and they will support you. It’s ok, not to be ok. 👍🏻👌🏻
“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connections and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” - Rita Pierson 👇🏻 Gareth Southgate is spot on here...
PRACTICE PLAN for STARGATE.
@EnglandLearning
@SundayShare10
@sturge_p
One for the GKs here! Encouraging them to be brave and come off their line. Also, lots of dribbling, running with the ball and encouragement to use feints and body movements.
@sturge_p
hopefully likes this slight adaptation for his brilliant Stadium Game! Trying to incorporate some of the learning from AYA psychological block.
An example of staying on the ball and mastering the ball. Under the microscope; hooks and cuts and an ablity to control/travel with the ball in tight spaces. Excites and seeks a creative solution to deal with the swarm.
@sturge_p
is it Spain that combine academy and grassroots?
We cannot thank
@ChrisKirkland43
enough for coming down to
@LcfaSefton
with
@SFoodbanks
this evening. We have two GKs and lots of other players with wide smiles this evening! In return for coaching our GKs, we managed to provide lots of food for the homeless this Christmas.
STAY ON THE BALL is often misunderstood as being greedy. It is not the case, it is learning. It is a player being put in or finding themselves in a decision-making situation, and they might need a skilful toolkit to find a way out. But just pass, and their toolkit is empty.
I had one of the best moments as a coach tonight. Sometimes it is not about anything to do with the on the pitch stuff. One little boy was very nervous and upset about joining in. Thanks to some techniques shown by
@sallyneed3
on AYA, this young kid had a fab time and left 😃.
In short, master the ball and then you will master the game. You won't master the game by just passing and receiving from U7. Ball confidence is a priority, but most skip the individual possession phase. Patience is key.
I was very lucky to share a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life tonight. Seeing what it means for a young player to join the club he supports and loves. Sometimes you do get to make dreams come true. 🥲 Enjoy every single opportunity and experience.
An example of staying on the ball while travelling forward. This can only be achieved if young players love having the ball, dribble, make mistakes and their own decisions. Why would we want them to give it away as soon as they get it? They're not greedy, they're learning.
It was a great moment to share with players and coaches. In Academy football, you must appreciate every opportunity and experience because you never know when the journey will end or take you in another direction. 👏🏻
Job 1 - Make them love the ball and game. Inevitably kids will move on, so give them the best start possible. Job 2 - You invest your free time to help them so you never stop following their journey. There will be other coaches who’ve helped them, so it’s never just you.
“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connections and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” - Rita Pierson
I am proud to have been a tiny part of the staff for the Burnley International Cup once again. It has been a delight to watch some of the most talented players worldwide, observe coaching techniques and styles of play, and witness some fantastic goals and celebrations!
Well...Remyca U9’s final training session of 2021 didn't quite go to plan! I cannot possibly think...why! 😂 Thank you to The Grinch for making the kids night, you know who you are! 👌🏻
It is sad to see kids out there being told to pass, pass and pass before they've even learnt to love the ball and had the opportunity to try things like this.
REMYCA U7s had their presentation tonight! Not a traditional award in sight! Each player is on their own unique journey and their award was personal to them and their strengths this season. Thanks to
@mytrophy
@sallyneed3
@KeithMayer5
for your support to bring an idea to life. 👍🏻
@7Godders
Every player is only ever on loan. Coach them to the best of YOUR ability, but expect them to move on at some point - be it to another club, academy etc. If they are still playing and enjoying the game beyond 16+ at any level, it is a job well done! 👌🏻
ESCAPE POINT - 1v1 Practice - Encouraging players to excite with the ball and seek creative solutions, as well as being positive and enthusiastic defenders.
@sturge_p
@EnglandLearning
@AcademyDad1
Commitment - to improve at home, at school, and at training as a person and player. Regular attendance at school, training, and games. Respecting all those they come into contact with. When things get tough, setbacks, they don't run away they're committed to problem-solving.
I've never considered coaching 1:1 sessions, but working on a player's Individual Learning Plan this week has encouraged me to think about it more. I've always been hesitant about being paid for working in grassroots, an environment that has allowed me to develop as a coach. 😩
Putting the player under the microscope. This is an example of how fundamental movement skills come into play for any player, no matter their age. Playing tag and chase as a warm up and turning 1v1s into cat and mouse games subconsciously creates the environment for this. 👇🏻🙌🏻👏🏻