At the start of a brand new year, we asked: what strings do you want to add to your bow? We received responses from around the globe - here are a selection...
"I want to add the Veo Cam 2 to my coaching toolbox for the ability to live stream, so we can have real-time feedback in training and games.
"I’m also going to start practising analytics and analysing actions on games.
"The live feed will help us paint the picture of coaching points in real time, and the analytics will give me the ability to add additional detail to these moments.
"This will help us become more efficient as a staff as well.
COLTON BRYANT - Assistant coach, Jackson State University Women’s Soccer
"I want to spend more time reflecting upon my coaching sessions.
"I would also like my players, who are aged 16 to 18, to be a part of that reflective process.
"Their opinions are often valid and honest and I believe this may help me cater to some of their needs."
CARLY JACOB - Football Academy Coach, Hartpury College
“My aim for 2022? Improving in the art of reflection – taking time to consider a range of methods or strategies that will make reflective practice more sticky.
"It could be just spending the time in the car on the way home from practice more effectively, or creating meaningful time to think. I’d love to create the space to record audio or video notes to
capture this.
"I’d like to take time to model vulnerability more – work on sharing with the players what I am working on. Ideally, this will strengthen an environment of psychological safety. If we take a risk, we take a risk together.
"I hope to find different ways to measure success. Working in performance football, results matter - to an extent. But finding some other success measures with the team will be important. I’ll consider linking this to developing confidence, competence, connection and character.
"I want to use language more effectively. I’d love to explore more about the shared language we have in the team that I coach, and use this to give clarity, inspire and build engagement
"Also, make more mistakes – this is tricky for many coaches, but I want to try new things in my coaching practice. Trying different things, and stretching myself, will ultimately lead to lots of mistakes, but this will be gold dust in terms of learning - especially if I am reflecting on it!
"Setting an error target per session/week, and sharing it, might be helpful with this."
TOM HARTLEY - Coach, Oxford United Women
"Nearly every time I wrap up a coaching session, I walk off the pitch mentally shattered.
"I’m too keen to add my voice as a motivational and supportive tool and expend too much mental energy assessing whether the session is fit for purpose and whether each player is engaged and benefitting.
"I hope to find a way to stay calmer, trust the players to function with less of my voice, and simplify my practice set-ups so I can spend less energy session-managing and more energy coaching.”
FRANK LOPEZ - Coach, Brisbane Olympic U16s
"I’m looking to work more on the psychological approach, helping players get over any obstacles after what they deem a poor game, even though everyone can see it being a good performance.
"I hope to achieve more enjoyment out of games regardless of result.
"Bringing it back to enjoying football as happy players makes for motivated players, which makes for yet more enjoyment of the game.
"As a starter, I’m re reading Developing the 5Cs by Chris Harwood and Richard Anderson."
MIKE LANG - Coach, Warrington Town U12s
“In 2022 I can see a new wave of football analysis jobs springing up.
"Analysis and the art of noticing is getting more and more interesting. I have recently started to use Nacsport to analyse and tag full matches of FC Británicos in the Spanish Federated Leagues in Madrid. This is the first time I’ve had access to full match video over a period of time.
"Beginning this process seemed a bit of a challenge. It’s hard to know what software to use and, even when you decide, it can be overwhelming with the amount of information there is.
"It’s a 2022 goal to use this to enhance the feedback I can give to my team as a whole and to individuals to support their development.
"Adding this skill to support your team is going to become more and more prevalent as technology gets more integrated into football.
"From my experience, even though I have just started this season, there is a great supportive community willing to give you hints and tips.
"Make it a 2022 goal to start your journey with football analysis - there is so much to learn!".
JAKE BROWN - Coach, FC Britanicos
"Having my wheelchair while coaching is like an able-bodied person having their legs.
"I can move about freely on the pitch and do what I enjoy, but this is severely impacted during winter where I get bogged down, and have to ask players or parents to push or pull me out of the mud.
"I shouldn’t have to rely on others - I need a new wheelchair, which will enable me to coach freely throughout the whole year and mean I can be fully independent, as I help get people into our sport all year round too."
MARCUS RENZI - Leckhampton Rovers res. and Univ. of Gloucestershire Women
"My plan for next year is to purchase a Trace or Veo camera.
"My biggest focus is to use this to record games and create highlight reels to help my students find college programs, but it will be invaluable as a visual tool to discuss and breakdown aspects on the game.
"We will use it for tactical and positional purposes, as well as individual development.
"Recapping games in a visual context can give better perspectives than reviewing from memory."
BEN SWALWELL - Head coach, SLW Centennial High School
"I would add planning coaching behaviour to my toolbox.
"This is something I want to start including in my sessions."
ANTHONY MURRAY - Coach, St. Mary’s Univ. women’s reserves
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