21 Days of Positivity

Over the next 21 days The FA & Thurlby Tigers will outline a variety of top-tips, tasks and take-home messages to ensure your football environment is a positive one – for you, your players and parents – 21 days of positivity.

A positive experience of football can help inspire the lives of young people and begin a life-long love of the game. As a coach you have a huge part to play in making this happen.

Week 1 – A Positive Learning Environment;

England manager, Gareth Southgate, believes in giving his squad ownership and a chance to voice their opinion. Watch and consider this clip.

Positive coaching sessions provide players with confidence and the opportunity to try new things and experiment. Watch this video and think about how the coach helps his players.

Your players are more likely to engage with your coaching session if they have some ownership of the tasks they take part in. In this video, how does the coach help his players?

Positive communication from the coach plays a big part in creating a positive learning environment. Think about this video.

As a coach, your actions on match day send a strong message to your players. Watch this clip and consider the message the coach is sending to his players.

When young players are playing a game they are mostly focused, engaged and motivated. As a coach, it is crucial that the things you say on the touchline don’t negatively impact on their enjoyment.

Most young players are aware of their parents on the touchline whilst playing football. The body language and communication that parents use sends an important message onto the pitch.

Week 2 – Positive Practices;

How you communicate information to your players is crucial to the learning experience.

Through clever communication you can give your players permission to find their own challenge within a coaching session.

Players often lose interest when the coach stops the session for too long.

Giving players ownership for the rules of their training games is one way you can help them develop independence and responsibility.

Matchday can be an emotional event and it is easy to forget about the things you have been working on in training. The matchday warm-up is another opportunity for the players in your group to learn and develop.

Matchday can be an emotional event and it is easy to forget about the things you have been working on in training. Each game is an opportunity to review learning and reflect on individual and team challenges.

Matchday can be an emotional event and it is easy to forget about the things you have been working on in training. Just because the game has finished the learning doesn’t have to stop.

#WeOnlyDoPositive