Here at Woodley Saints Football Club we are always looking to improve the fun,

experience and education of all the boys and girls registered with the club.

All of the coaches at Woodley Saints have been on FA coaching courses and have

been assessed.

Part of the courses that our coaches have attended is about the psychology of the

education of children.

The basics of what the coaches have learned are that- children learn in many ways

however, there is a hierarchy of the best ways.

The best way that children learn is by doing.

This is totally different from being told what to do.

A child that learns by completing an activity or a movement in football and being

praised for what he/she has done, will have learned in a concrete way.

A child that is shown what to do and then repeats the activity will also learn.

It is rare that a child will learn well by being told what to do in football.

It is important for parents and coaches to remember that yelling instructions from the

side of the pitch will rarely be heard except as a criticism by the child. Praising good

behaviour will however be heard and accepted as congratulations for something done

well.

The FA considers the teaching of football to not only be about learning the game but

also learning of life skills, teamwork and how to have fun.

The drills and mini games that our coaches have devised are based on the four corners

model of teaching that the FA promotes.

The four corners approach to learning considers the physical, social, technical and

psychological aspects of each drill and learning outcome.

It may sometimes seem abject chaos during a training session. Sometimes during

practice matches or drills the coaches may just stand and watch. This is to allow the

children to make mistakes and learn the game of football by themselves.

By correcting children too quickly we are taking away the ability of them to learn for

themselves.

footballers. It is used to demarcate going from preparing for a match to playing, thus

going from the sidelines onto the field.

What we are looking for when our children cross the white line is for them to feel

confident in their game, not to be thinking about mistakes, or expecting complaints

moans or groans from the sideline.

When children are asked what they want from their football, it is to have fun, to play

with their mates, to enjoy themselves, to make their parents happy, sometimes to win

and unexpectedly- to get good exercise.

Children will often look to the sideline for reassurance from their coach or their parent

when they have done something exceptionally well and when they feel they have

made a mistake. What they should see is encouragement and smiles. What they

should hear is ‘well done, excellent job, brilliant etc...’

On crossing the white line, whether in training or in a match situation a child should

be thinking:

It is our job as parents and coaches to give them the equipment/skills to be answering

these questions that they are asking as they enter the field of play and play the game.

This is not just for older children but it is for all ages from mini-saints to the adult

game.

When a young footballer makes a mistake it is important for us to think about what

the child was going through when the mistake happened. We must not project the

question would Messi have made that mistake or oh! He’s playing like (insert name

of your least favourite player.)

By trying to get inside the child’s head, or, far more easily, asking him/her what was

happening at the time of the incident- we will learn, as will the child.

A break in the play may be an appropriate time to have a short discussion with a child

about a passage of play or issue a brief instruction that will help; it cannot be done

whilst the ball is at the child's feet.

Let's face it, only a few years ago they could not walk and talk, let alone perform a

Ronaldo and a swivel shot into the top corner, especially when being screamed at to

Most of us were 'trained' by being yelled at by a red-faced coach that matched his

and saying ‘well played’ after an 11-0 drubbing is also wrong, but positive

constructive and true comments are appropriate.

It is a fallacy that the European players are more technically gifted than the UK based

players. Just watch the children’s feet during training, especially when having a kickabout

where there is no pressure.

The difference between them seems to be in their confidence in their ability to use the

skills without fear.

Our England team has consistently clammed up in the face of the press and the

expectations of the supporters heaping pressure up on them.

Most of us watch football and see what happens to our team when fans are unhappy

with what is happening on the pitch.

We should remember that these players are professional; so think of what our children

will feel if they hear criticism when we're watching them.

We hope this gives a little insight into the psychology behind modern football and

training.

Simon Ruffle

Woodley Saints Football Club