While it is undoubtedly that adding a few words of advice during a match
from time to time might make the difference at a particular moment in a
game, I believe the actual overall benefit is much less than is hoped for by
most coaches; especially since most coaches do not just put a few words out
there. More often than not, the coaches few words becomes a soap box
session where the players eventually will turn off the coach and go about it
on their own. The coach has then lost a valuable opportunity to observe and
see what is actually going on with the team and perhaps has the lost respect
of some players.
The training session is probably the better venue for "coaching" (adding verbally "what to do"). A properly organized training session will give the coach many opportunities to "coach". The '9-Step Practice Routine', which I use, is actually designed for just this purpose. The routine includes a 'Cooperative Step' …where I do my coaching… and a 'Competitive Step' …where I do my observing!
The game, in my opinion, should be viewed as a test where a coach can assess his or her success in developing the team by observing events on the field.
Yours in Soccer,
Jan Eric Nordmo
CYSA Staff Coach
ODP State Head Coach
