Soccer Toolbox

Know Your Coaching Personality Type

by

By Dawn Redd-Kelly

I think personality assessment should be a must for every team.  Why?  Because I think the cause of most conflict is expecting others to act like you do.  I’d written before about the DiSC assessment I use, focusing on your team’s interactions with one another.  Now I want to talk about coach-player interaction.  Even though most people are a mixture of more than one letter type, see if you can find your top one or two personality types here.  I believe it will help you as you work with your student-athletes.

The 4 DiSC personality types and how they impact your coaching style

D’s are dominant and like to be in charge.  I’d hazard a guess that a lot of coaches are D’s.  On the positive side, D’s enjoy solving problems and trust their ability to produce results.  At their best, D’s can mobilize teams to solve a problem or achieve a goal.  That sounds awesome right?  As Newton said though, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  D’s can be blunt to the point of being rude and may make rash and reckless decisions.  At their worst, D’s can be bullies, loud mouths, and tyrants.

What to do: Understand that not everyone thinks as quickly as you do…give them time to mull things over.  D’s could do well to build bridges and relationships rather than expecting people to comply just because they say so.  I mean, your team will comply because you’re the boss.  But if you want your team to play for you and not in spite of you, D’s should see the value of cooperation.

I’s are influential and the life of the party.  These are your extroverted folks who love to be around people.  I’s are charming, optimistic, and outgoing…those we’d call a “people person”. At their best, I’s can be inspirational and communicate a vision or goal in a manner that motivates others to work toward it.  I’s see the best in others and help them to believe in their abilities.  Sounds like an awesome coach, huh?  On the other side of the coin, I’s dislike details and can seem scattered.  I’s can sometimes lack follow-through, rarely finishing what they begin…they overpromise and underdeliver.

What to do: Understand that you can get folks super fired up with your words…so that means that you’ve got to deliver on those promises.  You don’t want to have a group of ten freshmen who you told would be starters…and your sport only starts five!  I’s should try to listen more and talk less.

S’s are the steady Eddy’s out there.  S’s are loyal, friendly, and supportive…they are team players.  At their best, S’s can calm tensions and stabilize unsettled situations.  S’s work hard to create stable and harmonious environments.  Does this sound like you, Coach?  Well, on the flip side, S’s are too hard on themselves and take criticism other their work very personally.  Creatures of habit, S’s enjoy their daily routines and are resistant to change.

What to do: Understand that flexibility is the name of the game.  It’s great that S’s will have a routine and a to-do list prepared for each day…you’ve just got to be prepared for things to go sideways every now and then.  One of your players might get sick (on the day where she’s a big part of your practice plan!) or it may rain when you were planning on taking your team outside.  S’s can have their beloved plans…just be willing to adjust it.

C’s are conscientious and careful.  If you’re a C, you like to be right and are a stickler for details.  You have very high standards for yourself…and those around you.  Where I’s are outgoing and boisterous, C’s are quiet, reserved, and business-like.  C’s are fair and objective and will always maintain high standards, even when asked to compromise.  That’s pretty good, right?  At their worst, C’s can get bogged down in details…some would call them a nit picker.  C’s prefer to work alone and need to analyze all available options before making a decision.

What to do: C’s should understand that some decisions have a timeline and need quick action.  Your assistants understand that you’ve charted stats for all practices during the season and the numbers say that you’ve got the right lineup out there.  But right now it’s not working and you’ve got to make a change.  C’s are cautious by nature, so you should surround yourself with folks who are more adventurous.

Each season, we try to create team chemistry among our athletes and help them to get to know one another, but it’s just as important that the coach knows their personality type…and how it’ll interact with each player.

source

 

 

Are you tired of walking into practice and seeing lackluster effort from your players?  Have you had it with trying to get your female athletes to care about the team as much as you do??

Click here to find out more about Coach Dawn’s eBook: Motivating Female Athletes

Comes with a FREE PowerPoint presentation called Guarantee Your Success: Using John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success To Increase Your Team’s Cohesion.


Functional Finishing Drill

by

In the video clip below Lee Cullip the Sporting Director of TTI, an advanced soccer education and training organization for players, leads players in a Functional Finishing Drill.  This drill was just part of his presentation at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic. 

The drill is set up with two different groups of players that are 20 – 25 yards away from goal.  There are training poles and mannequins used to simulate defenders, which could be substituted with cones, corner flags, or other training equipment you may have.  Coach Cullip demonstrates two different finishing drills that he wants the players to follow.  The first involves the right side of the line starting by touching the training pole, checking inside to receive a short pass, and pushing the ball out on an angle around the mannequin to get a shot on goal.  The left side of the line receives a short pass and then pushes ball past the mannequin towards the inside to get a shot on goal.  Both lines go at the same time with players rotating to the back of their same line after a shot is taken.  The final finishing drill involves a side of the foot volley shot after receiving a bouncing ball tossed over the head of each player.

Coach Cullip instructs players on several key points during these drills.  First, the ball should not be pushed too far out when going around or between the mannequins for the shot.  There will not be lots of space during a game and players need to learn to get shots off quickly when beating a defender.  Next, all shots need to be on goal.  It’s important to do the drill properly with the touches and moves, but the final and most important part is the shot.  Make sure players understand that getting shots on goal is more important than trying to hit the upper corners.  Shots that are not on target don’t go in the goal and they also don’t allow rebounds for more shots.  Finally, technique is always the key when shooting.  Players that try to swing extremely hard are usually the least consistent.  Power does not come solely from how hard you swing your leg.  Technique is critical and having good balance, as well as staying over the ball with your body, will always help create better shots.

For more information about gaining access to Coach Cullip’s entire presentation,  and hundreds of other clinic presentation click on the Glazier Clinic Vault.

The clip below has sound so please make sure that your sound is turned on.


Going to Goal Drill

by

In the video clip below Schellas Hyndman, current Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Grand Canyon University, leads the Going to Goal drill as part of his Exercises to Train the Striker demonstration.  Coach Hyndman, who has over 30 years of coaching experience, has excelled at both the collegiate (Eastern Illinois, SMU) and professional (FC Dallas) levels.

The set up for this drill is as follows. Place  three offensive players about 30 – 40 yards to goal and one goalkeeper.  The two players that are closest to the goal are supposed to simulate forwards and the player passing the ball to start the drill is a center midfielder.  The players work on several passing combinations including up, back, and through, give and go, and a dummy run that allow one of the forwards to get into space to take a shot on the goalkeeper.  

This drill was demonstrated at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic. If you are interested in gaining access to Coah Hyndman’s entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other clinic presentations, click the link Glazier Clinic Vault.

Coach Hyndman does not limit the range of the shots, but instructs the players to not get too far in or close to goal.  This is an important coaching point because lots of offensive players struggle with wanting to get too close to goal.  Players should be encouraged to shoot from distance during drills like this to not only improve their foot strength and shooting, but to realize that you don’t have to be extremely close to goal to score.

The video has sound so please make sure that your sound is turned on.

 Also, there should be an emphasis on quick passing combinations to free up the offensive player into space.  In games, these passing combinations will never work against good teams if done slowly.  Finally, another great part of this drill is that it involves the use of goalkeepers.  Any time you can work in goalkeepers, you should make it a priority.  These offensive passing combinations and shots are realistic game type situations that goalkeepers need to be ready for during games.  Make sure your goalies are cutting down shooting angles and ready to save all types of shots that are coming from distance.


Soccer Agility Training

by

 

This article provided by Training and Conditioning

 

By Jay DawesJay Dawes, PhD, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA, is an Assistant Professor of Strength and Conditioning and the head strength coach for women’s soccer at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Jay has worked as a strength/performance coach, educator and post-rehabilitation specialist for over 15 years, and continues to act as a performance consultant for a wide-variety athletes, law enforcement officers and those in physically demanding occupations. Jay was recognized as a Fellow of the NSCA (FNSCA) in 2009.

 

Most sports require the muscles of the body to work together in a synergistic and coordinated fashion to produce skilled and complex movement patterns. For this reason many athletes utilize drills to enhance their overall body control, foot speed and coordination. One training device that is commonly used for these purposes is the Agility Rings.

The Agility Rings are an excellent tool for beginners seeking to improve their overall athleticism because many of the drills performed with this tool are relatively easy to learn and simple to perform. However, as athletes progress in their skill and proficiency of movement the reactive demands and speed of these movements can be altered to challenge the abilities of even the most advanced athletes.

The Agility Ring drills discussed in this article would be considered low level plyometrics. Plyometrics drills are commonly used by athletes that require the stored elastic energy and reactivity of the body to produce force rapidly. These drills are characterized by a quick stretching (eccentric muscle action) of the muscles followed immediately by a strong shortening (concentric muscle action) to produce movement. This stretch is very transient in nature, and not the same as what you would perform when doing flexibility training. Instead this rapid stretch occurs when the feet land on the ground and absorb the forces from the landing of the hop or jump. As the feet contact the ground a rapid stretching movement will occur. In order to maximize the benefits from this type of training the athlete must land on the balls of the feet with good body position, and in a smooth and controlled manner get off the ground quickly, as if they were a hi-bounce ball, and redirect their bodies to the designated ring.

The drills featured in this article are known as “multiple response“ drills because they involve either single or double leg movements performed without breaks between hops. They follow a basic progression from low-intensity to higher intensity and from simple drills to more complex drills.  However, prior to performing these drills it is important that the athlete has a solid strength base and is able to perform each drill correctly with proper technique and body position before progressing to the next drill. The following are just a few examples of drills that can be performed using the Agility Rings.

Figure 1: Agility Rings:

  1. Scissors: Begin with the right foot in Ring 1 and the left foot in Ring 4. Bend the arms at 90 degrees, and using a reciprocating opposite arm and leg action, alternate the feet back and forth in a rapid scissor like manner. It is important to remember when performing this drill that this opposite arm opposite leg movement pattern be maintained to ensure balance and coordination.
  2. Forward/Backward Hops: Begin by placing the right foot in Ring 1 and the Left foot in Ring 2. Simultaneously hop forward landing with the right foot in Ring 3 and the Left foot in Ring 4, and then rapidly hop back to the starting position. Repeat this drill for the desired number of repetitions.
  3. Lateral Hops: Begin this drill by standing with both feet together in Ring 1. Hop laterally back and forth between Ring 1 and 2.
  4. Diagonal Hops: Begin this drill by standing with both feet together in Ring 1. Hop diagonally back and forth between Ring 1 and 4. Once the desired number of hops has been completed repeat this drill hopping back and forth between Rings 2 to 3.
  5. Ring Hops: While moving in a clockwise manner hop with both feet into each Ring. Once this has been completed repeat this drill hopping counterclockwise into each Ring.
  6. Reactive Ring Drill: This drill is performed in the same manner s as the Ring Drill, however on the coaches/trainers command the athlete should ”switch” directions and hop in the opposite direction.

Once the athlete becomes proficient at these movements the demands of these drills many of the drills discussed above may be progressed by performing them on a single leg. However, it is important to make certain the athlete is strong enough to perform these drills and can maintain proper foot position, body control and good body alignment throughout the duration of each drill.

Upper-body drills can also be performed in the Agility Ring. These drills are great for improving power, reaction time, and stability of the trunk and shoulders for the experienced athlete. However, as previously discussed, should the athlete lack the appropriate amount of strength, not be able to maintain good body position , or has an upper-body injury (such as to the hand, wrists, elbows, or shoulders) more strengthening work should be done prior to using these drills or other drills that will not aggravate these injuries should be utilized.

  1. Forward/Backward Upper-body Plyo Hops: Assume a plank position with the right hand in Ring 1 and the left hand in Ring 2. Allow the arms to slightly flex and then extend them forcefully shifting the hands forward until the right hand is in Ring 3 and the left hand in Ring 4. Repeat this movement and return the hands back to the starting position.
  2. Forward/Backward Plyo Push-ups: Assume plank position with the right hand in Ring 1 and the left hand in Ring 2. Lower into a push-up position and on the upward phase forcefully explode upward and slightly forward until both hands and feet are in the air. Land with the left hand in Ring 3 and the right hand in Ring 4, and immediately drop down into another push-up and explode upward and slightly back, returning to the starting position.
  3. Upper-body Scissors (Crocodile Hops): Assume a plank position and place the right hand in Ring 1 and the left hand in Ring 4. Allow the arms to slightly flex and then extend them forcefully; simultaneously shifting the right hand forward to Ring 3 and the left hand to Ring 2. Repeat his movement for the desired number of repetitions.
  4. Upper-body Plyo Scissors Push-ups (Crocodile Plyo Push-ups): Assume a plank position and place the right hand in Ring 1 and the left hand in Ring 4. Allow the arms to slightly flex and then extend them forcefully simultaneously shifting the right hand forward to Ring 3 and the left hand to Ring 2. Repeat his movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Below is a sample weekly workout for beginners. Keep in mind these drills, the number of sets and the amount of time performing these drills may need to be modified based on the athletes current levels of skills, strength and abilities.

Day 1: Monday Day 2: Wednesday Day3: Friday
General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc-5 minutes General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc-5 minutes General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc-5 minutes
Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes
Scissors    3 sets x 8 sec. ea Scissors    2 sets x 8 sec. ea Scissors    2 sets x 10 sec. ea
Forward/Backward hop3 sets x 8 sec. ea Forward/Backward hop2 sets x 8 sec. ea Forward/Backward hop2 sets x 10 sec. ea
Lateral Hops3 sets x 8 sec. ea Lateral Hops2 sets x 8 sec. ea Lateral Hops2 sets x 10 sec. ea
(*)Diagonal Hops4 sets x 6 sec. ea (**)Diagonal Hops2 sets x 8 sec. ea (**)Diagonal Hops2 sets x 10 sec. ea
Total Time: 96 sec. Total Time: 64 sec. Total Time: 80 sec.

 
(*) Jump between Rings 1 and 4 for the first and third set, and Rings 2 and 3 for the second and fourth sets.

(**) Jump between Rings 1 and 4 for the first set, and Rings 2 and 3 for the second set.

 

This article was originally published on the website of Elite Sports University (ESU) and is being used with permission from the organization. ESU is an online university that offers the latest scientific courses on strength and conditioning, speed agility, nutrition, and specialty classes for tactical coaches, LTAD, and personal trainers. ESU classes can be taken to fulfill CEU requirements, college credits, or to improve your knowledge base. More information is at: elitesportsuniversity.com.


Pass Move and Defend Drill

by

In the video clip below Tony Massie, a Celtic Soccer Academy coach, leads his Pass, Move, & Defend Drill as part of his Defending as an Individual and in Pairs demonstration at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic.  

Coach Massie is an experienced coach in youth and academy soccer with his current role as the International Soccer Academy Manager for Celtic Football Club.

If you are interested in gaining access to Coach Massie’s entire presentation as well as access to hundreds of other clinic presentation, click the link Glazier Clinic Vault. If you are interested in attending a Glazier Soccer Clinic click HERE to find one near you.

This drill is set up by splitting players into three different teams and colors.  There is a large grid or space with four small goals set up on the outside and four mannequins in the middle.  The mannequins are to simulate offensive players, but corner flags or any stationary object could be substituted.  Coach Massie instructs players to start passing and moving with their teams inside the grid as a warm up activity.  The next activity involves all the players from one team going to defend the mannequins, steal the balls next to them, and go score once their team color is called out.  Once the goals are scored, the players bring the balls back out next to the mannequins, and continue passing and moving as a group.  The next color is called out and those players repeat the same things.

The video has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on.

 

This drill is set up by splitting players into three different teams and colors.  There is a large grid or space with four small goals set up on the outside and four mannequins in the middle.  The mannequins are to simulate offensive players, but corner flags or any stationary object could be substituted.  Coach Massie instructs players to start passing and moving with their teams inside the grid as a warm up activity.  The next activity involves all the players from one team going to defend the mannequins, steal the balls next to them, and go score once their team color is called out.  Once the goals are scored, the players bring the balls back out next to the mannequins, and continue passing and moving as a group.  The next color is called out and those players repeat the same things.

There are several important coaching points to make during this drill.  First, the passing and moving is a natural part to any soccer game.  Players need to constantly train while moving and transitioning from offense to defense.  Second, the players are instructed to play defense on the mannequins before stealing the ball.  This is important because players need to be patient in defending and make sure they don’t dive in trying to win the ball.  Finally, the players are instructed to steal the soccer ball and score a goal on the closest small goal.  Players need to understand the importance of transitioning quickly to offense once they have the ball.  If you can attack and score during a game, this is your first priority.