The Soccer Coaching Process
In its most general terms performance soccer coaching is the process to improve an individuals or teams performance in a competitive surrounding, which is achieved through rationally planned and implemented programmes. The main element of that definition is that coaching is a process. It is not just simply one or two isolated and unrelated elements. It is nearly impossible to break down the overall role of soccer coaching in such a way. Instead coaching should be viewed as a process that incorporates the many differing tasks, roles and responsibilities the coach has.
If forced into it’s most simplistic, the coaching process can be broken down into 3 cyclical stages: assessment, planning and implementation.
Assessment
The coach must look at the performances of those under their guidance and evaluate what their strengths and weaknesses are. Not just as individuals but also as partnerships, units and a team. They may also be required to assess and evaluate their opponents.
Planning
The coach must decide on what soccer sessions they will conduct for their players. For these sessions to be appropriate and relevant, the coach should plan them in advance based on their findings in the Assessment stage. A coaching programme, one of quality, cannot just be created ad hoc as the coach goes along. Instead the soccer sessions should be systematically planned and prepared. The planning phase will be greatly aided through previous experiences, knowledge gained and an open mind.
Implementation
The coach should then be able to conduct and execute the soccer sessions they have planned. Regardless how well planned the sessions are they need to be implemented in the correct manner and to the correct level of technical detail for the standard of the team and players involved. Then once the implementation stage is completed the coach will then assess the players again and restart the whole process.
However, it does not take a lot of consideration of the 3 stages outlined above to see that it is possible to dissect them further to discover, other factors and requirements that contribute to the successful completion of the coaches role. Such factors include:
Expert or Specialist Knowledge: How can any of the stages be successfully completed without the coach possessing any relevant knowledge? To begin with in the assessment stage the coach will have to know what to assess and what is expected of each player to complete their assessment. Goal Setting: How can plans be created if they do not know what it is they wish to achieve? The coach must therefore develop goals to aim for and thus plan according to them.
Man Management: How can the sessions be conducted and be effective if the coach has no man management skills? The coach must be able to communicate their ideas and knowledge across. It is beginning to become clearly obvious that there are many additional factors that contribute to the successful completion of the 3 original stages. It is then possible to break down the additional factors even further to generate more components of the soccer coaching process. For example man management involves discipline, communication and an analysis of their general persona. So to attempt to break the profession of soccer coaching down into simplistic stages that incorporate all its elements is difficult and highly unrealistic.
To be a good coach an awareness and appreciation must be gained as to all the elements that contribute to the overall coaching process. Any individuals that do not embrace the idea that coaching is a process and still view their roles as isolated elements will never reach their full potential or help their players reach theirs.