|
Post by jonjohnson on Oct 27, 2017 20:09:14 GMT
I would like to get peoples feedback on the current CSA/OSA Community Coaching Courses and Licensing Courses and some ideas on how they could be improved? Whats could be done to improve the overall courses, structure, how they are delivered? What are your thoughts?
|
|
|
Post by jonjohnson on Oct 27, 2017 20:21:00 GMT
Here are some of my ideas that i think would improve what is currently offered.
1. All courses should be provided at cost to coaches they should not be a money making venture for the club hosting it 2. All courses should be arranged and organised by the CSA/PROV and delivered regionally by their staff, should be marketed and paid to the CSA direct not up to local clubs to organize 3. The content of the Community Courses (Fundamentals, Learn To Train and Soccer For Life) need to be far more progressive in nature at the moment over 60% of the content is repeated and at the same cost, it should not be a refresher course, the courses should provide distinctly different content 4. We should have more basic online courses to help educate new coaches and PT unpaid coaches on a variety of topics, more online learning and an introductory course like the USSF F licence should be made available online and at a very low cost or Free 5. Courses should be pass or fail. Stop giving out certificates just for attending make coaches earn it 6. Stop making coaches take courses that are not necessary or promoting them to be something they are not. If you are involved in Grassroots Coaching then focus on that, I have been told by OSA staff that the licensing stream is not really applicable for those coaching in grassroots and development soccer, so why is it pushed so much and required for any clubs to be able to join OPDL or OASL
These are some of the improvements i would like to see
|
|
|
Post by Ana Bond on Oct 28, 2017 0:07:08 GMT
Hi. I have a son who quit playing soccer when he was 12 because all his coaches kept "coaching" the fun/passion out of him. He asked to play soccer when he was 10 and we had a hard time finding a team for him to play on as it was already too "late" for him as most kids had been playing since they were 7/8. Even though he was a lot better than most of the kids who had played 2 years more than him and had a "natural" ability and had such a good sense of the game he did not get as much playing time as the kid whose father/uncle or something like that was the coach or as someone whose relative 'sponsored" the team (it was always about the money). He was able to read the game and always be where he should be and was always a "team" player. He was always the smallest one on the team but he had the speed and skills so was able to get some playing time because of that. All his teammates and parents loved him as he always made the other players on the team look good. He was not selfish and was able to see where the ball should be but would always be substituted to give the "privileged" kids some minutes so the parents of those kids would be happy. He started playing rep when he was 10 and always had so much fun just playing even though the team he was on lost every single game that season. He then joined a "better" team and that was when the passion and fun he had for the game was "coached" out of him and he became afraid of playing his game and upsetting the coach. By the time he was 12 he was so stressed and anxious about playing that he used "pain" as a way of getting out of playing. He had so much "pain" that he couldnt' play for more than a couple of minutes before he had to stop. Unfortunately he stopped playing altogether at 12. I really believe he was over coached and that had he just been allowed to play for fun he would have kept playing. I believe that "coaching" will either make or break a player and that the CSA should get involved and ensure that all coaches are qualified and experienced. I also believe that there are too many clubs and leagues and that the CSA needs do a better job of overlooking them and not allowing so many clubs in the same area. Clubs should be working together and not against eachother. They should be looking to play against the very best to get the best competition instead they are looking to "poach" the best players so they can play against weaker teams and win the "league". I started looking for alternatives for my son to play when he was 12 and was pleasantly surprised to find futsal and have become a huge fan of futsal. If I were the CSA I would do away with all the indoor turf soccer leagues in the winter and have all clubs play futsal. All of the best futbol countries in the world play futsal and are so much better at soccer than we are. My son will only play futsal now and not soccer and has gotten his passion for playing back and is having fun again. So, forget about the best league and find a coach who runs a great practice and who doesn't focus on winning. My son who is 17 now will never be a professional soccer player but he will always love playing futsal and I'm happy watching him play and having fun and in the end that's what it's all about. If only the CSA went to all the clubs out there that are not a part of the "norm" they would find some really talented players and maybe then Canada could compete in the world where it really matters.
|
|
|
Post by jonjohnson on Nov 1, 2017 21:02:50 GMT
Thanks for posting Ana but you don't really address the question which was "How Could Our Coaching Courses Be Better"? Any thoughts on how they could be improved?
|
|
|
Post by luisluis on Nov 2, 2017 11:56:50 GMT
I think Ana Bond raises an interesting point about coaching. Without adequate training, its possible that many coaches, though well intentioned, may overcoach the enjoyment out of the game.
At grassroots level, U12 and below, should it be the coach's responsibility to impart a lifelong relationship with the sport regardless of where the athlete ulimately ends up? A question not limited to soccer of course.
|
|
|
Post by Fedup on Nov 2, 2017 12:50:06 GMT
In my opinion the best way any course can be improved us to Evaluate coaches in their comfort zone. I personally witnessed coaches doing the
1) screaming at a U8 player during a 'festival' of small sided games to the point that you could see the kid give up and parents in attendance murmur to themselves at how horrible the coach was and how glad they were he wasn't their kid's coach
2) setting up a practice where one small sided game for U9 was setup adjacent and vertical to a U8 small sided game and so when a U9 shot and missed the ball would stream through the U8 area. As a result a U8 player was hit 2x in the head by a ball and had to leave practice. The U8 and U9 teams had same coach but he delegated the small sided game to an U14 academy player U14 to conduct
3) a U12 player at a practice complaining of having an asthma attack but the coach not being approachable or the parent accesdible to administer asthma medication. Coach was too busy yelling instructions to perfect the passing play his session was completing
4) a Club who lauded LTPD and said they followed the published curriculum for a U8 "FUNdamental" 8 week course but did not follow more than 3 of 16 published practice sessions. No passing practices were conducted and end of session small sided games would degrade in to run and shoot by the most athletic child on each
If no one is setting a Coaching standard and then evaluating and adjudicating Coaches then all sorts of poorly executed sessions go on each anf every week, all year. Coaching credentials mean nothing if the coach isn't evaluated and critiqued/challenged - paid or volunteer.
|
|
|
Post by Ana Bond on Nov 3, 2017 0:29:25 GMT
Hi. Sorry I posted under the wrong subject...
I guess my point is that a lot of kids quit playing because of bad coaching, etc.
I'm not sure that any course will change that. People can take as many courses as they want and get as many different licenses and still be a bad coach. I know some really good coaches who haven't taken any courses and just like some players have a natural ability for the game I guess some coaches have the natural ability to coach. Maybe the first thing that needs to done about coaching is to get better coaches to teach the courses. Not sure that the powers that be have the right people in charge for teaching courses or anything else for that matter.
I actually have no problem with coaches coaching (yelling) from the sidelines at practices and games. As long as what they are yelling is constructive and not mean then I'm all for yelling. It shows me that the coach is passionate about coaching and cares about how the kids are playing and is correcting them when required. I think everyone is so worried about upsetting the kids and refs and that's why they will never improve. My son never minded coaches yelling instructions at him but hated when parents did it.
Also, all this active start/fundamentals stuff is so meaningless. Most kids are pretty active and don't need to be taught that. What they do need is to be taught tactics and ball skills. If I wanted my kid to be active I'd take him to the park, gym or make him go outside and ride a bike or something like that not take him to futbol practice. When my kid goes to futsal I expect him to be taught futsal. Any fitness related stuff should be done outside of practice and if they are not already fit then maybe they shouldn't be playing.
I also think there are way too many standards that really do nothing to improve players and the game. Clubs and districts need to be more unified. Also indoor soccer is really bad for futbol. Everyone should be playing futsal in the winter. Indoor turf fields are the worst for injuries.
|
|
|
Post by big2267 on Nov 3, 2017 18:48:27 GMT
Here are some of my ideas that i think would improve what is currently offered. 1. All courses should be provided at cost to coaches they should not be a money making venture for the club hosting it 2. All courses should be arranged and organised by the CSA/PROV and delivered regionally by their staff, should be marketed and paid to the CSA direct not up to local clubs to organize 3. The content of the Community Courses (Fundamentals, Learn To Train and Soccer For Life) need to be far more progressive in nature at the moment over 60% of the content is repeated and at the same cost, it should not be a refresher course, the courses should provide distinctly different content 4. We should have more basic online courses to help educate new coaches and PT unpaid coaches on a variety of topics, more online learning and an introductory course like the USSF F licence should be made available online and at a very low cost or Free 5. Courses should be pass or fail. Stop giving out certificates just for attending make coaches earn it 6. Stop making coaches take courses that are not necessary or promoting them to be something they are not. If you are involved in Grassroots Coaching then focus on that, I have been told by OSA staff that the licensing stream is not really applicable for those coaching in grassroots and development soccer, so why is it pushed so much and required for any clubs to be able to join OPDL or OASL These are some of the improvements i would like to see I agree generally with what is said here, with a few exceptions: 1. I would go even further. I read somewhere that Iceland offered centralised coaching courses for free. Imagine what a difference that would make. As long as OS prefers the club model to academies, maybe they make it free contingent on being referred to by a club. 4. Yes and no. There is a lot to learn out there for free - most people who are resourceful enough can find that sort of stuff if they want to. OS already has their "grassroots practices" youtube series. 6. You don't think that Nat B., etc. is applicable for U13+ (where OPDL requires it)? Maybe not, but at least that's pass/fail. I suppose if you did (5), you might be alright here. Again though Iceland has all those UEFA A/B coaches for their kids ... I think another big factor is that Club Head Coaches/TDs need to have much more oversight of their coaches. They should monitor their practices at least once a month and provide feedback and/or discipline if needed. At every club I have been at, I have rarely seen a CHC/TD at practices. They seem to have their own team (L1O or some other HP team) and occasionally address the club as a whole.
|
|