Individualised Programmes
Each player in the academy has individualised six-week programmes. The players pick one to two targets focused on their football performance on the pitch. The players will spend 30 min during their day release at the clubs training ground and 45 min as home to practice these. If players want guidance they ask questions to the coaches for feedback, and ultimately it’s down to the players during this time. The players drive their own learning and they create the sessions. They have six weeks to improve, they present back to the coaches, performance analysis team and sports science team, focusing on their strengths. This presentation also teaches them life skills.
An example of an individual practice sheet for U12-U13 player; will include
· Target e.g. pace to beat players with end product
· Equipment list - balls, mannequinn x 3, Target goals x 4
· Players you can use in your team
· Picture of a pitch and what it will look like using lines and markers
· Key points e.g. type of finish (instep, laces, number of touches), Type of cross (driven, cut back, lofted), First touch (positive to run onto, inside, outside)
· Pattern – e.g. 1. Receive ball from CB/CM 2. Take first touch to beat mannequin (inside/outside) 3. If central finish into target goal, if wide cross into opposite target goal
· Coaches tips
When the individual practice takes place in training you may have 2-4 different groups of players set up all working on different things on the pitch going through their individual practices. The coaches give players this free time to do their own individual work and coaches are around if guidance is called on by players. The players are helping each other work on individual targets even if it may not be directly towards their own targets. This could help other players understand the players they are playing with better on the pitch so they know what that player may need of you also on the pitch. It creates expectations early on to teach athletes how to self-prepare to improve and not rely on the coaches to take the steps for you and to call on the players around you who will be on the pitch with you going through the same things.
Psychology – Understanding Your Senses: Effective Communication
A practical psychology session about ‘Understanding your Senses; Effective Communication’ was delivered by Amy Spencer (Academy Sport Psychologist). They deliver practical psychology sessions with team building challenges for all age groups through to u23’s to teach effective communication skills and to trust who you are working with through challenges and constraints. The psychologist spoke about the preference of practical based psychology sessions vs. seated in a classroom having a lecture by a coach. The practical example included a short obstacle course with hurdles, hoops and cones and working in pairs to get through this with one blind folded and one guiding. This was then progressed and the player guiding could use the same language they would use on the pitch when communicating with other players, e.g. drop right/left shoulder, press, turn, shift forward, step, and to relate this back to the game. This further progressed into a race against other partners, to see who could get back the quickest through the course. The club also use personality profiles for players and although it is not definitive as behaviour is changeable day-day, it is another tool used by coaches to discover the best way to work and develop the individuals.
Meet the Academy Manager – Edd Vahid.
He spoke honestly and openly about the system the club has. He further touched on the importance when making decisions on releasing or keeping players, and to take the time on these decisions as the players’ careers/lives are in your hands. He highlighted the importance of athletes being made aware of being released to prepare them and their families. The club has a key role in this preparation phase after they leave the club to support their next steps. The club has had players on trial who are worthy of being selected but the decision was made not to because they had a player in the squad who they see could develop and add value/impact with potential. They believe in the potential of the current players they have. Ed concluded with the strong statement around what success/failure of their players means and that this is players wanting to repeat the experience of being an academy player regardless of outcome.
It was clear to see the academy focus heavily on developing the players holistically and wanting to produce people who can be great footballers, but also as important is to develop qualities to help prepare the boys for life outside of football - a challenge all coaches likely have. Thank you to all at Southampton FC for this experience.
