How do you define success in training?

Sessions are ’successful’ depending on a number of technical factors. Did you achieve your intended learning outcomes? Did the players use the principles of play you wanted?

Success is also shown through more psychological areas, as well - a player gaining confidence to try something new, for example. Whether it worked or not doesn’t matter, because they felt safe in your space to try.

With my U10s girls, my biggest success came when I ran a session on specific skills. The group differ in ability but, by the end, every one of the girls had implemented a move into their game.

I wasn’t overly fussed about the technical learning - it was more of a psychological session to help build their confidence on the ball. And it worked.

During a session, many coaches see something not go the way that they planned, resulting in them needing to alter the practice. This is totally normal.

One time, I expected 14 players to turn up, but in the end only nine were present. Not only was this an odd number when I had prepared for pairs work, but also a five-player loss. However, at other times, I have expected nine and ended up with 24!

Both can be frustrating - but you can’t lose your head. For the lower numbers, I tweaked the session by working more on their technical and tactical development, as I could focus on individual players more. For the higher numbers, I paired the kids up so they could help each other if my assistants or I didn’t get much chance to work with the individuals.

 

"I prefer to do a ’cold reflection’. I wait until the next day to review my session..."

If my session isn’t working, I will usually tweak it by making the area bigger or smaller to start with – for example, if the tempo isn’t there, then a smaller area forces them to work harder. 

If, after the session, you are thinking ‘that didn’t go so great’, you can deal with it in different ways.

Some coaches prefer to do a ’hot reflection’, where they reflect and review immediately after the session. This is great for remembering specifics but it can be a very emotional time, so you may exaggerate certain factors in a negative light.

I prefer to do a ’cold reflection’. I wait until the next day to review my session, as I’m more likely to be in a clear mindset. 

As a coach, and even a person, I tend to be more critical of myself than anyone else, so it is important that I keep reminding myself of the positives.

Sometimes, the players themselves can provide valid and helpful feedback - but when asking for this, be mindful of the age of the players to determine if this is appropriate for you.

Taking these factors into account, it is important to reflect and review if your session has been a success. 

Not every session is going to go well and that’s normal. We don’t expect our players to be successful in every training session, so it shouldn’t be expected of coaches, either. 

Most grassroots coaches are unpaid, and every coach, paid or unpaid, puts in more work than they are credited for.

So, if you have had a bad session, build on it and move forward. Success is key in football - but a dedicated coach who genuinely wants to better their players is success in itself.