One of my underage soccer coaches was a remarkably progressive man on the training field. He encouraged everyone, even the big lumbering centre-halves, to put their foot on the ball, take a touch, develop their close control, look up, play what's in front of them, etc. An excellent coach, his watchwords were "pass and move."
However, when a match arrived this progressive coach too often gave way to a panicky, shouty individual, who spent 90 minutes on the verge of falling prey to a massive coronary attack, and whose primary instructions to his big lumbering centre halves were now invaraibly "KICK IT FUCKING ANYWHERE!" He generally carried on like there was some sheepskin coat and shades-wearing foreign billionaire standing over his shoulder threatening to take his livelihood away should the U-13 side he was looking after lose a game.
Well, Tony Mantero, aka The Coach Diary, has a cracking initiative aimed at preventing this persistent yelling from the sideline during underage matches. The Sideline Sideline, outlined in a post published on his blog last Friday, aims to show parents and coaches the benefits of simple observation.
The weekend it’s about giving the game back to the kids. Allowing them to learn the game in a natural manner by letting them make decision by themselves. Letting the game be the teacher on match day. It’s certainly not about taking the atmosphere out of game but instead trying to encourage less coaching from the line. Which in turn puts the kids in control of their decision making for the duration of the game.
Mantero argues that the excessive hectoring of parents on the sideline is sucking the enjoyment out of the game for kids. And not only does it lessen the enjoyment, it harms their development as footballers.
This culture of over-coaching and too much “input” from the sidelines actually thwarts the decision-making ability of young players, which is a very important part of their development if they are to make it to the higher levels of the game.
A number of Leagues have signed up to Mantero's idea including the North Dublin League, the Kilkenny League and the Carlow League. As part of the Slient Sideline, kids are encouraged to think for themselves on a football pitch and develop a love for the game.
Those on the sideline are encouraged to develop their powers of observation rather than their already well developed powers of barking instructions. Mantero quotes Alex Ferguson as saying, “the very best coaches are great observers.”
