🫶 10 pieces of advice for kids football coaches

The standout tips from our pod guests

Author

Team IOKF
September 01, 2024

Hey everyone,

We’re just a few episodes deep into the podcast, and I’ve got to say, it’s already helped me a lot.

We’re all swimming in a sea of information these days—endless streams of tips, tricks, and tactics. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

What I’ve been after is something more practical, advice that’s not only relatable but also realistic.

The insights we’ve been getting from ex-pros and coaches who’ve been in the trenches—whether at the elite level or on the grassroots pitch—have been pure gold.

In a world full of distractions, it’s crucial to have some guiding principles to keep you on track, to remind you of the bigger picture. And that’s exactly what these conversations have delivered.

So, I’ve pulled together some of the standout advice from our guests so far:

Here’s hoping you find them as useful as I have…

10 pieces of advice for kids football coaches

  1. Paul Robinson: Using positive and constructive feedback and asking questions can be effective in coaching children. Allow players to make mistakes as it is essential for their learning and development.

  2. Jimmy Galustian: Start by clearly defining your goals and what you aim to achieve with the team over time. This helps maintain focus and deliver impactful coaching efforts.

  3. Saul Isaksson-Hurst: Every minute of every session, a player's not on the ball in your session is a wasted minute.

  4. Harry Brooks: Keep sessions simple and fun to engage young players. Use targets and challenges to motivate players. Create a positive and enjoyable environment for young players.

  5. Jimmy Galustian: Using game day as an extension of training to ensure players get the necessary repetitions to improve over the season.

  6. Saul Isaksson-Hurst: Start each session with one ball per player to help develop their relationship with the ball.

  7. Harry Brooks: It's not about you. Help the player find their own journey in football. Find their own personality, not your little robot.

  8. Saul Isaksson-Hurst: Encourage players to take risks to aid in their development.

  9. Paul Robinson: The only advice I'd give for your kid is just let them enjoy it... just let them do it with a smile on their face.

  10. Jimmy Galustian: "Incorporating fun games or competition into coaching sessions keeps kids engaged and focused. Emphasise the importance of repetition and touches on the ball through activities like relays and small-sided games."

Harry Brooks dropped this piece of advice for all of us to remember:

👀 And if you needed a reminder of what not to do. It’s this.

OK moving on… some nuggets from the internet 👇️ 

🌟 The mentors who shape players long before they turn pro

Every pro has an origin story.

Parents, coaches, grassroots teams.

It’s good to remember that the game is connected. Every journey has a beginning.

I’m sure you recognise the players in the picture?

You might recognise the writer of this one too… 😉 

🌟 The little man took matters into his own hands

We hear about instilling joyful, fearless football into players.

This is what it looks like.

 📋️ Some drills for your sessions

OK there we go. More to come next week!

Thanks for reading 🙏