Coaches Log – Zara Phillips
ASF end of Spring staff day out – PAINTBALL!
It was a great Friday morning and we all had to be at Matt’s house for 8:15 am to help him with rebuild his deck, or so we thought…. When we arrived we were all informed that we will be going paintball as a team bonding session!! How happy where we?? ha. We all pilled in the cars and headed out to Paintball Invasion, with everyone plotting who they would shot first and gang up on.
Team Driver: Matt D, Mike, Nenad, Barry, and Jamie
Team Staff Coaches: Stuart, Zara, Charlie, Hadley, Matt F, and Steve
After getting all kitted up with a vest, helmet and gun along with Mike in a bright orange boiler suit (we rented a suit that someone would have to wear so they would stick out like a sore thumb!) we were escorted out the to the safety zone to load our guns. There were three areas in which we could play in, 1st was a speed ball area with all the inflatable’s, 2nd a forest type area and the 3rd being an open area with crates and walls to hide behind. A team vote meant we would start in the 2nd area first just a normal elimination game. Matt D did not waste any time and was the first one to get shot, 20 minutes later after demolition team Driver, the score was 1-0 to the coaches. The second game we played was called capture the flag which was played on the 3rd area, which was a lot harder as it was more open. The flag was placed in the center and both
teams had to capture the flag, to get to it was harder than we thought but once again my team won, I think it was because we are fitter and younger hehehe.
It got to about 11:30am and Matt D decided to challenge someone to a suicide run for $25 and let everyone shot them. No one would do it so I stupidly said “hey, why not ill do it”….It would turn out to be a terrible idea… so I quickly got padded up and did a short interview and then it was time. Everyone lined up and I started to run, all I could think of was run, run, run, boy did it hurt !!!!!! Right after you could see where I had been hit and for THREE DAYS! I had huge welts all along my arms and legs.
What a great day we had, it was great to get out of the work mode and hang out with everyone in a fun setting. Thanks Matt!
Thinking back on the day I came up with some rankings based on how everyone did:
Best shooter: Matty fry and Nenad
First to Die – Every Game! : Matt Driver
Most Skillful – Steve
Scaredy Cat: Charlie
Biggest Moaner: Mike
Sneakiest: Stuart
Craziest: Zara
Biggest Bruises: Jamie
Most Bruises: Zara
Coaches Log
As part of our commitment to provide a high quality service to every soccer player we come across, Atlantic Soccer Factory administered a two week training course for its coaches. Run by Matt Driver, Wayne Grocott and Seamus O’Connor, it allowed the coaches to learn new techniques, improve communication and work on developmental session plans. Evaluations where given and the coaches where able to work off each other, learn from each other and help each other when needed. All topics where covered.
Week 1
Day 1: We have just had the first day of staff training and we have got off to a good start. It was the first time all the staff from the company has been in one location and under the same roof. We got to interact with one another, but more importantly, we got to learn more about the company and vital position/role of every single employee/coach. Each coach was addressed in a direct manner and Matt Driver explained how the relationships with clubs and future of the company rely on us – Thus leading on to the topic of how he has acquired a group of coaches that he believes to be the best in the business.
Day 2 and 3: Today we went more in depth in to the role of the company in terms of what we can offer players, and the plans for the future. Even though some of the staff has only been in the country a few days, I am sure that they were happy to see that the option is there for them to really excel as a coach, and a member of Atlantic Soccer Factory. We also had a guest speaker; because of the new staff Matt Driver brought in a top Atlantic City Detective to talk about the does and don’ts in Atlantic City. Even for us longer serving members of staff it was a real eye opener.
Week 2
Day 1: It’s the start of field sessions. We have all been given topics to cover and there are a few nervous faces. No matter what the age, I think that when you know that you are going to be assessed, there will always be nerves and butterflies in the stomach. Anyway, the new staff was selected to go first and we were all eagerly waiting to see the new staff coach and what sessions they have in their arsenal.
As coaches we are always developing. I think that if a coach turned around and said that they know everything or that they have nothing to learn from another coach in the same situation, then their ego’s will certainly let them down and they will not be able to develop. As such, we were all their to learn off Matt Driver, Wayne Grocott and Seamus O’Connor in terms of their feedback, but more importantly, we were there to learn off each other. The rules were simple, leave the ego’s at the cars and be prepared to learn – and boy did we!
The girls stepped up with “Working in the Final Third” and “Transition”. We weren’t expecting much from them as they are new to the country, but they put on a surprised autocratic performance. After their session Matt Driver demonstrated how an individual with 5 A-licenses would put on the same sessions. It was great to see the difference but it wasn’t there to show anyone up, but to show the similarity in coaching points.
Day 2: It was my turn to step up today and I was given the topic of a 30minute Speed and Agility session (including the warm up) without using any equipment apart from cones. Having done similar sessions before I was fairly confident. After I put on the 30minutes I received feedback from coaches. I didn’t see it as negative as coaches have different philosophies and I welcomed their opinions. From this point on I will include a soccer ball as much as possible.
Day 3: Another day on the field – I am starting to feel like a professional athlete with all this training and field time we are having! It is time for the experienced boys to take charge and show the rest what they can do. All of us coaches have lots of respect for each other so no matter what session was put on we always tried our best to put on a good performance. It was almost refreshing to see that the experienced coaches have received a lot feedback – not in terms of negative points, but in terms of developmental possibilities.
Day 4: So far we have done age groups over the ages of U10s, today’s topic are the micro sessions (U5s, or there about). Michael, our General Manager decided to strut his stuff and do some coaching. He put on a great Micro session. It showed that he has developed as a coach and that even the most experienced of us have learnt from him. With the young ones it is all about the rapport a coach has with the players and the presence that they have on the field.
So as a coach, what have we learnt over the last two weeks?
A coach is always learning and developing. Every time they step on to a field they are learning new techniques and developing their skills. It is not only their coaching that makes them successful, but also their “presence” on the field. A player needs to know that they can trust the coach; they need to be able to hear the coach and sense that the coach is confident in terms of the material that they coach.
A coach must be able to adapt around their surroundings. This can be a poorly lighted field, a limited space, a group decimated by numbers. We have learnt how to adapt our coaching in a session plan dependent upon the above. As well as this, we have also discovered that there is a massive variety in coaching styles. I prefer the autocratic approach, however, another might use a diplomatic method to gain a rapport with the players – this also varies dependent on the age of the players.
I think the biggest thing over the last two weeks is that every single coach in this organization knows their role and has strengths in a particular area. We are all there to help each other, learn off each other and support one another.
All in all, I would say that the last two weeks has been a great success.
