The Web Developers' Strength & Fitness Resistance

Whilst most of the writing on this site has covered getting strong and healthy, another big love of mine is football and I recently got around to completing my FA Level 1 coaching award.

The Football Association are working hard to change the way the national game is developed, especially at youth level and this award is the first step in allowing coaches to learn how to create an enjoyable environment for young players to learn the game at their own pace.

The award was delivered over three weekends and two evenings at the impressive leisure centre in Woodley, Stockport. I was initially a little bit apprehensive about the course as I’d heard a number of differing reviews but as soon as I arrived it was obvious that this was a good bunch of people who wanted to learn about developing the game for their own junior teams.

The material delivered over the course covered youth football in general, from Safeguarding to First Aid as well as delivering a session based on one of the games the FA have put forward to develop the skills of young footballers.

The final day brought about a day of assessments but it was also a good chance to get my boots on and play football all day which I’ll never turn down. Around lunch time it was my turn to deliver a session, which would be based on heading.

I’ve written up my session below using the fantastic Academy Soccer Coach software but the main requirements are to plan and deliver a Football Activity session.

The atmosphere of the day was good as it had been throughout and everyone was chipping in and playing their part to help each other so their were no nerves and I managed to get a group together of eight participants. There are a few things to cover to open a session such as health and safety and warm ups but I left the explaining of the session until the players were in their bibs and on the field.

Bearing in mind it was almost lunch time and we’d already been playing for a few hours I wanted to keep the session up beat and fun for the volunteers as I feel that fun sessions allow people to enjoy themselves but also express themselves in a way they would not if the atmosphere was not good.

Heading – FA Level 1 Session

Eyes Open, Ball Contact

As I was unsure on the heading abilities of the participants I began with the very basics. In pairs, players simply headed the ball from their hands to their partner. I’ve highlighted key tips and coaching points below each outline. It’s important to demonstrate clearly so everyone knows what they should be doing. I am sometimes guilty of trying to explain myself through words when actions would be clearer.

Follow-Through & Body Position

Satisfied that the players were able to progress, I then modified the session slightly so that each partner was now the server and the player had to judge the flight of the ball and head back to their team mate. Again, the players were comfortable with this progression so I made my points and we quickly moved on.

Varying Types of Heading

The third progression allowed the players to get creative and experiment with different types of headers, varying distances and direction. I wanted to keep this section of the session fun so tried to keep my delivery upbeat, encouraging regularly before stopping the play to reinforce a key coaching point before allowing them to try themselves.

Heading in a Game Situation

Finally, I wanted the players to build on what they had covered by using it in a game situation. The players were already split into two teams and the goals were in the correct position so we had a quick game of 4 v 4 featuring only throwing, heading and catching.

When the session was complete, I received some encouraging feedback from the Tutor and was happy with how things had gone. I’ve definitely got things to work on but the session highlighted the importance of preparation prior to delivery. It’s easier to deliver clearly if you have confidence in your subject so take the time before hand to know your subject.

As for continuing down the FA pathways, I’ll be beginning my FA Level 2 coaching award in February and I’m also going to get booked on a Youth Module 1 course. I think that these are exciting times for the development of young players in this country and it’s a great time to get involved. I’ve also managed to find a local junior club in need of some assistance so will be able to develop my own skills with them.

Thanks for Reading

If you have any questions about this session or the FA Level 1 course in generally get in touch either through the comments below, twitter or email.

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