Coaches talk too much. There’s one question that does the work of ten instructions. Most coaches never use it.

#SundayShare sometimes in coaches we forget that the most valuable concepts to reinforce are ones that we might take for granted. Our fundamentals might be what others are just learning. To that end here are a few of the best pieces of advice I think I can give grassroots coaches for their sessions. - Have a game/match ready to when the players arrive. You will have a fast start and avoid the "will we have a match" question. - Try to give players time with a ball each. Failing that a ball between two. - Include 1v1s/2v1s/1v2s. Players enjoy them (generally) and they play a huge part in player development. - Try to base your overall topic on principles of play rather than specific tactics. Principles will set players up for life. - Don't be afraid to set up two sessions side by side. Stand in between the sessions so you can observe. You don't need to see absolutely everything all of the time. - Use small practices or games with a constraint or outcome that fits with the overall topic. Use an overload (4v2 for example) if you need the players to experience success. Even the numbers (3v3 for example) to make things a little tougher and more realistic. Players will be afforded more opportunities to practice the outcome under a degree of pressure. - Allow defending/out of possession players to score or attack a target when they win the ball. This will ensure transition within practices. You might then be able to create a 2 way practice, with in possession explicity practicing and out of possession implicitly practicing (or the opposite). - Try to make a versatile set up. Make a single pitch. Put a half way line in. Set up mini goals (pop ups, cones, poles) at the sides. You now have two mini pitches too so you can flow between set ups more easily. - Ask players questions. Their answer might be different to the one in your head. Let them try it. It might work. This is a sport with more than one answer. - Generally the more they play the happier they will be. The happier they will be the longer they will play the sport. Play with a purpose could help them even more. @SundayShare10 @RJPcoach @CarlWild75 @coachtonymee @CraigRudders

TOVO Tuesday Article ✏️ Once Upon a Play 
Once upon a time you played.  

You did not train kick the can.  You did not practice hide and seek. You did not drill hopscotch or prepare for fingerpainting. You ran, you hid, you hopped and made a mess. All in the name of frivolity and fantasy.  

Once upon a time you played. 

You did not need motivation to move. Mindfulness was minding your own business. There was nothing at home but white bread and a thin bed. You were out for the day and home before dark.  

You did not need a playdate to play. You knocked on doors. You gathered the available turning a street into a stadium. “Car, car – C-A-R” was the only delay in delirium. No phones, no fear of missing out. No text, just context.   

And suddenly that bell. The truck was sauntering down Montrose Terrace in Allendale. You sprinted home to grab change from the cracks in the sagging sofa. Forty-five cents a fortune. Push-up cone or ice cream sandwich?  The tough choice of champions.  

And in that process learning emerged. You learned that mowing a lawn was worth the sweet taste of sugar cones. That a morning paper route was worth afternoons of rope swings and bee stings. You learned that poison ivy itches, but that sea water solves rashes and restlessness.  You learned that nightcrawlers are the best bait for bass. And the best bass were hungry at dawn off Earnie’s rocks or Teddy’s dock.   

You learned that your first fight won was a loss because victory hurts when you hurt someone. You learned that baseballs bruise and big dogs bite when you do not pay attention. You learned that play was a privilege, not a down payment for an Ivy application. You learned to stack wood, paint a shed and to shed tears when Muffin dies. You learned that down syndrome kid is just a kinder version of you.

Once upon a time you played.  

You learned about leaners and ringers and the hidden rules of horseshoes. You learned that Grampa was a leftie and Nanny was a tom-boy with grey hair and a stubborn soul.  

Once upon a time you played free from scrutiny and far from adults. You kept score and then washed the slate clean on the bike ride home.  

I am not sure what I offer as a coach if not a safe place to play. And that just may be enough to give to the children of today what I cherish from yesterday.  

Once upon a time I played, too. #TOVO

New post coming Saturday! In this collaboration with @Coach__Luca, we explore how player-friendly language can engage players not just in the moment, but across entire session blocks. Follow or subscribe for updates: open.substack.com/pub/nicksm…

That’s a wrap on week one ✅   This @SundayShare10 features the full session led by Vinny Halsall, designed to help players:   💪 Be positive, enthusiastic defenders 👀 Scan, move and position effectively when marking 🛡️ Communicate and cover when defending in pairs   #SundayShare

Don't Solve The Problem Give The Players A Problem To Solve #SundayShare

I’ve spent the last few weeks exploring “extreme football”, stripping away the norms of positional structure and encouraging shared intention through freedom to interact with the game as the players see fit. A rush GK, 2 anchors and 6 floaters who are free to play anywhere.