OVERVIEW – LET’S FIND OUT:
1. What do we know?
2. What’s actually going on out there?
3. How can we provide programs and coaches with
the tools to make it better?
REC·RE·A·TION
(NOUN)
1: AN ACTIVITY THAT DIVERTS OR
AMUSES OR STIMULATES;
2: REFRESHMENT OF ONE'S MIND
OR BODY AFTER WORK THROUGH
ACTIVITY THAT AMUSES OR
STIMULATES; PLAY.
WHAT WE KNOW…
Participation in soccer is 30x’s higher now than it was 40 years
ago.
There were 103,432 children registered to play soccer in 1974,
1.6 million children registered to play in 1990, and more than
3 million registered to play in 2014.
Youth participation in soccer is double that of tackle football and
larger than baseball by about 1 million participants.
COMMON PERCEPTIONS ABOUT RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS
• MADE UP OF PLAYERS ASSIGNED RANDOMLY WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
ABILITY OF THE PLAYERS
• “LESS COMPETITIVE” THAN “SELECT” SOCCER
• “LOWER INTENSITY” FOR TRAINING AND PRACTICES
• “LESS SKILLED” PLAYERS
• “LESS EXPERIENCED” COACHES
• A PLACE FOR BEGINNERS ONLY
• TERM IS COMMONLY USED AS AN INSULT
WHAT ARE WE CURRENTLY DOING?
• 1 PRACTICE A WEEK FOR RECREATIONAL
PLAYERS
• 9-10 WEEKS PER SEASON
• 8-10 GAMES PER SEASON
• 1 HOUR PRACTICES
• ½ FIELD OR LESS OF FIELD SPACE
• TROPHIES EACH SEASON
• LITTLE EDUCATION OR LESSON PLANS
PROVIDED TO RECREATIONAL COACHES
60 minute practice days =
9 hours a season or 18 hours a
year
90 minute practice days =
13.5 hours a season or 27 hours a
year
How can we make the most out of
this limited amount of time?
WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON OUT THERE?
Conducted Survey
Sent only to Club Presidents and
Recreational Directors
Cities included: Austin, San Antonio,
Houston, El Paso, Corpus Christi,
Beaumont and Brownsville
KEY AREAS
• WHAT DOES YOUR RECREATIONAL PROGRAM LOOK LIKE NOW?
• WHAT ARE YOUR PROGRAM'S PRIORITIES OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
• WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE FOR SOCCER IN YOUR AREA?
• WHAT ISSUES DOES YOUR CLUB FACE WITH REGARD TO RETENTION OF
PLAYERS?
• WHAT ISSUES DOES YOUR CLUBS FACE WITH REGARD TO RETENTION OF
COACHES?
• WHAT ISSUES DOES YOUR CLUBS FACE WITH REGARD TO THE STATE OFFICE?
WHY DO PLAYERS PLAY RECREATIONAL SOCCER?
• NEW TO THE GAME
• THEY FEEL THEY ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR TRAVEL SOCCER
• PARENTS CANNOT AFFORD TRAVEL SOCCER
• COMMITMENT LEVEL TO THE GAME OF SOCCER. SOME OF THE PLAYERS DON’T WANT
TO PLAY COMPETITIVELY BUT JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
• BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY SOCCER IS PLAYED IN THEIR TOWN
• BECAUSE THE PLAYER HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WHILE PLAYING TRAVEL SOCCER
WHAT ARE YOUR PROGRAM'S PRIORITIES OVER THE NEXT
12 MONTHS?
• INCREASE NUMBER OF PLAYERS
• PROVIDE BETTER TRANSITION FOR PLAYERS TO MOVE INTO COMPETITIVE
SOCCER
• IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR COACHES
• INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS
• PROVIDE PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
• INCLUDE MORE UNDER-SERVED PLAYERS INTO OUR EXISTING RECREATIONAL
PROGRAM
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE FOR
SOCCER IN YOUR AREA?
• PARENT/VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT
• FINDING REFEREES
• COACHING CLASSES FOR THE VOLUNTEER COACHES
• PARENT MISCONDUCT; GETTING QUALIFIED COACHES
• SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES
• FINDING ADEQUATE PRACTICE SPACE
• RETAINING PLAYERS FROM REC/ACADEMY TO COMPETITIVE
WHAT ISSUES DOES YOUR CLUB FACE WITH REGARD TO
RETENTION OF PLAYERS?
• COACHES AND PARENTS PRIORITIZING WINNING OVER DEVELOPMENT
• I THINK PLAYER RETENTION IS A DIRECT RESULT OF PLAYER ENJOYMENT AND PLAYER
IMPROVEMENT, BUT THESE ARE A DERIVATIVE OF COACHING AND PARENT
EDUCATION.
• PEOPLE STILL THINK YOU HAVE TO PAY MORE TO GET QUALITY COACHING
• AFTER U10, PARENTS PANIC AND THINK THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO THE
BIGGER CLUBS TO GET "BETTER TRAINING" EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE LEARNED
UNDER OUR TRAINERS FOR YEARS. THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
WHAT ISSUES DOES YOUR CLUBS FACE WITH REGARDS TO
RETENTION OF COACHES?
• TOO YOUNG, COLLEGE PLAYERS THAT MOVE ON
• THEY LEAVE WHEN THEIR KIDS AGE OUT AND WE HAVE A HARD TIME CONVINCING
NEW PARENTS TO VOLUNTEER
• CAN'T GET PARENTS TO STEP UP AND VOLUNTEER
• WE DO NOT REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COACH RETENTION, BUT THE
EDUCATION OF OUR COACHES GOES IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER. THEY COME
TO CLASS AND GET LICENSED, THEN GO BACK TO DOING THINGS THE "OLD" WAY.
• WE DO PRETTY WELL. IT IS HARD GETTING COACHES TO GET CERTIFICATIONS.
• AVAILABILITY DUE TO THEIR PAID JOBS
THEMES
• HELP PROGRAMS KEEP AND ATTRACT NEW PLAYERS
• BETTER EDUCATE PROGRAMS ABOUT AGE-APPROPRIATE PLAYER INITIATIVES
• COACHES UNPREPARED OR VOLUNTEERS LACK KNOWLEDGE TO STEP UP OR
STAY
• COACHES LACK OF DESIRE OR BARRIERS TO OBTAIN COACHING EDUCATION
• PARENTS NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS
• EDUCATE MEMBERS ON WHAT THE STATE OFFICE CAN PROVIDE PROGRAMS
HOW CAN WE MAKE IT BETTER?
How can we provide recreational programs and coaches with the tools
they need to be successful?
GRASSROOTS EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
CHANGE THE CULTURE
• CHANGE FROM A COACH-CENTERED APPROACH TO A PLAYER-CENTERED
APPROACH
• CHANGE FROM A “DRILLS MENTALITY” TO A “GAME-LIKE ACTIVITIES”
APPROACH
• CHANGE FROM A “RESULTS-ORIENTED” PHILOSOPHY TO A “PROCESSORIENTED” ONE
• ADULTS NEED TO LEARN TO VIEW THE GAME THROUGH THE CHILD’S EYES.
GRASSROOTS PROGRAM OVERVIEW
GRASSROOTS FESTIVALS
• A ONE-DAY EVENT DESIGNED TO ALLOW AS MANY PLAYERS AS POSSIBLE
PLAY THE GAME OF SOCCER IN A FUN-FILLED ENVIRONMENT.
• THE FESTIVALS INCORPORATE BOTH DYNAMIC AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES
AND SMALL-SIDED GAMES. ALL PLAYERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
AND IMPROVE WHILE MOVING THROUGH STATIONS WITH THE VARIOUS
ACTIVITIES AND GAMES.
• A MEMBER OF THE STATE COACHING EDUCATION STAFF IS ONSITE TO RUN
THE FESTIVAL BY ASSISTING IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FIELDS, USE OF
EQUIPMENT, DESIGN OF APPROPRIATE PLAYER ACTIVITIES AND SMALL-SIDED
GAMES.
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS BASED ON NUMBERS
(FIRST 15 MIN WARM-UP, 60 MIN STATIONS, 10-15 COOLDOWN/WRAP-UP)
# Players
Stations
# of coach/parent/volunteers
Setup
40-60
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
General Movement
Soccer Coordination
Small-sided Game
Soccer Coordination
Game-like activity
Small-sided game
Game-like activity
Small-sided game
4-6
Ideal Structure:
•
4-8 coaches with 6-8 stations
•
Requires all stations to change to new
activity after first round
•
1, 2, 3, 4 (first 30 mins) and 5, 6, 7, 8 (second
40 mins)
22-30
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
General Movement
Soccer Coordination
Small-sided Game
Soccer Coordination
Game-like activity
Small-sided game
3-4
Ideal Structure:
•
3-4 coaches with 4-6 stations
•
May require two stations to change to a
new activity after first round
•
1, 2, 3 (first 30 mins) and 4, 5, 6 (final 30
mins)
Less than 22
1.
2.
3.
4.
General Movement
Soccer Coordination
Small-sided Game
Game-like Activity
2
Ideal Structure:
•
2 coaches with 4 stations
•
Coaches have allocated activities and
swap groups or running stations.
•
1, 2 (first 30 mins) and 3, 4 (final 30 mins)
FIELD ORGANIZATION
FOUR STATION SET UP
SIX STATION SET UP
BENEFITS OF THE GRASSROOTS PROGRAM:
• A FUN AND DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT
• CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND PRIDE IN YOUR LOCAL ASSOCIATION OR
CLUB
• PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COACHING EDUCATION
• OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE PARENTS AND PROVIDE EDUCATION
• FLEXIBILITY OF DESIGN
FOSTERING THE “GAME WITHIN”
• THE GRASSROOTS APPROACH ALLOWS PLAYERS TO BE CREATIVE, LEARN
FROM MISTAKES, BE COMPETITIVE, AND HAVE FUN! PLAYERS ARE
CONSTANTLY INVOLVED AND THIS CREATES THE BEST LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY GET TO MAKE THE DECISIONS.
•
LET’S GIVE THE PLAYERS WHAT THEY WANT, LET THEM PLAY GAME-BASED
ACTIVITIES AND THEN SEE THEM DEVELOP AND FALL IN LOVE WITH THE
GAME AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
IS GRASSROOTS THE FUTURE?
I think we really have to get
going on the grassroots
elements and with that goes
the coaching. I think a lot of
coaches, even at the senior
level, need to remember it's a
ball, it's a game. If kids aren't
having fun, what's the point?
- Brad Friedel
It's about creating a grassroots program
that develops players. It's about creating
opportunities and caring about girls.
- Julie Foudy
We want kids to love the game. It's about
the basics that we so often skip in favor of a
quick result.
- Manny Schellscheidt
Jené Baclawski
Assistant Director of Coaching
South Texas YSA
www.stxsoccer.org
[email protected]
Twitter @jbaclawski