is passing the USSF D course hard.

[AABestor]

hey guys, I was wondering who has taken the Ussf D course and what they thought of it? is it hard to pass the tests if you pay attention? my club has pretty much kept me in the dark about it. what should I expect to do all day while I'm there?

Any tips would be great.

[loghyr]

This deals with my experience:

Make sure you can be heard across the field. You don't have to shout, but when you talk, try and position yourself such that your mouth is facing the evaluators. Ask your fellow coaches if they can hear you okay during the practice runs.

Don't worry about introducing something new for your lessons. You want something that is on topic, but don't stay up all night devising something new. Make sure you understand the coaching points for the lessons and make sure you know how adjusting the space and/or number of players will impact each game. I.e., if your practice is not working, you need to be able to recognize that and you need to be able to adjust the game to make it work.

Make sure that you correctly identify a coaching moment and make sure that you coach at that moment.

Get in shape before the course. Make sure to hydrate before and bring plenty of fluids for the long days.

Finally, realize that you are being taught how to coach a certain way - you may not agree with that approach, but get over it quickly. The courses didn't change my approach while I was taking them. Instead I incorporated the stuff into the way I taught later. There is a reason they want you to wait between courses.

[dncm]

Don't worry about introducing something new for your lessons. You want something that is on topic, but don't stay up all night devising something new. Make sure you understand the coaching points for the lessons...


All very good points. Just to add the following:
1. Stay on your assigned topic
2. Stay on your assigned topic
3. Stay on your assigned topic


Make sure that you correctly identify a coaching moment and make sure that you coach at that moment.


Remember there are 3 scores you can recieve:
1. National D License
2. State D License
3. Fail

This is one of the keys to passing for the National D. Again, the key is making sure that your coaching point is your assigned topic(even if it is the right coaching point, if it is not your assigned topic, this will hurt you), and listed on your practice plan(again, even if it is the correct coaching point related to your topic, and it is not on your practice plan, that will somewhat hurt you as well), and that it really just happened (some coaches create phantom situations, and while creative, is not the intention)


Finally, realize that you are being taught how to coach a certain way - you may not agree with that approach, but get over it quickly...There is a reason they want you to wait between courses.

Great final points - couldn't agree more!

[Val1]

My D course notes are here:

http://www.grassrootscoaching.com/forum/downloads-other-goodies/364-maryland-d-license-course-notes.html

The last page has the list of topics we were graded on in Maryland, but I understand that these are national topics. I would prepare training sessions for each one before you go there, then you can tweak with the key points your instructor is looking for.

The best prepatory information I found was published by the New Jersey association. Their manual can be found here:

http://www.grassrootscoaching.com/forum/downloads-other-goodies/312-d-license-manual.html

There's a lot more in-depth discussion about designing lesson plans for your topics at this site, so look around.

[uniteo]

Well, when I took it, there was a brief classroom session the first weekend and then a lot of time on the field with the instructors demonstrating. The second weekend was a little review and a then the practical testing where the attendees did all the drills. It was pretty physically demanding (especially at 90+ degrees and humid).

And make sure you pay attention to the mechanics of coaching...where you position yourself, speaking so everyone can hear.

If you take it seriously you should pass...it's certainly no gimme and a lot of my group (including me) had to re-do the practical exam...so pay attention to feedback.

[BigGuy]

hey guys, I was wondering who has taken the Ussf D course and what they thought of it? is it hard to pass the tests if you pay attention? my club has pretty much kept me in the dark about it. what should I expect to do all day while I'm there?

Any tips would be great.

No it's easy, tip on taking any license don't think you know more then the instructers even if you do.

Show off how much you really know is a receipt for failing.

[schmuckatelli]

No it's easy, tip on taking any license don't think you know more then the instructers even if you do.
The correlary to this is give them back what they gave to you. If they give you a model session on passing in the attack, give them back that model session.

[AABestor]

The correlary to this is give them back what they gave to you. If they give you a model session on passing in the attack, give them back that model session.


should I copy the session they gave me?

I thought they would assign me a topic and that I had to create a session that would promote or correct the topic.


Am I correct to assume that I will be playing in the practices as well?

I am a bit nervous about this and I really want to do well so what about studying?

Should I Do a bit of studying before hand? should I take notes or will they give me packets?
How much reveiwing should I do in between day 1 and 2?

[loghyr]

should I copy the session they gave me?

I thought they would assign me a topic and that I had to create a session that would promote or correct the topic.


Am I correct to assume that I will be playing in the practices as well?

Typically, yes. Which is why I advise you to hydrate properly. You play, then you conduct a session, and then you play some more. You'll do this several times for the practice rounds. And then you get to do it again for the exams.

The suggestion for already having practice plans in place is great if you have a bunch of nervous energy to burn off. But again, we were told we didn't have to be original (we presented plans straight from our manual). We had to coach the plan and fix things when the plan didn't properly illustrate our coaching point.

I.e., you might have a practice plan with space for U13 boys. That space may not work well for U35 men. So be prepared to recognize when your current minigame is not working and adjust properly.

Don't make the minigame too complex - if a 10 year old can't understand it in 15s, it will make your life miserable. You might have a great drill/game that you use all the time with your kids. But you aren't coaching them. Keep it plain and simple.

An example I saw was a finishing drill which had two lines. Player 1 was to run to cone A and receive the ball from player 2. That player then went to cone B and received the ball back and shot. Then a player on the right side of the goal would loft a ball to cone C. Player 2 would get it and shoot. Right after that, a player on the left side of the goal would pass to cone D, where player 1 would drill it into the net. Player 1 would go to the left side to stand ready for the next player in line. Player 2 would go to the right side to wait.

Only, it wasn't really that simple. You want your games to be easy to explain, easy to execute, and easy to find coachable moments.


I am a bit nervous about this and I really want to do well so what about studying?

Should I Do a bit of studying before hand? should I take notes or will they give me packets?
How much reveiwing should I do in between day 1 and 2?

I don't know that you can study for it. You've been coaching and that is what you will be applying. Take for example finishing - you need to be able to recognize why players are not putting the ball in the net. If it goes over the crossbar, what is the most likely reason?

Just apply your knowledge of fundamental technique to pass the technical. And for the tactical, again, know the concept and coach it.

As for what to do between days, shower and sleep. Hydrate some more.

The best studying you can do is take the feedback they have given you and work on the issues that they identified. Listen to what they are critiquing on for the others in your class and learn from that.

What I distinctly remember:

1) Look professional.
2) Make sure that they can hear your coaching. (Which is why I advise you turn to face them, the instruction will carry better.)
3) Make sure that you coach and that you aren't babysitting. I think they called it facilitating.

Make sure that you are clear and concise.

Oh, and if you can't find something going wrong, find something going right. If you have someone who really does 1v1 speed dribbling well, stop them when they do a great run and break it down for your "players".

But really, after a couple days in the sun, we old people get tired and mess things up. Just pay attention.

[Val1]

You can certainly study. Read the New Jersey D manual I posted.

[loghyr]

You can certainly study. Read the New Jersey D manual I posted.

I looked at the grading policy for NJ: http://www.njyouthsoccer.com/coaching/DCourseGradingPolicy.pdf

In OK, we didn't have the video exams. For the field exams, we had one on technique and an optional one on tactics. You got your state by passing the technique on and your national by passing the one on tactics.

All of the assessment was based on what you did on the field. I've mentioned the main things they were looking for in general. When it came to your practice topic, you knew it a day in advance. You did your lesson plan (which did not have to be original) and made sure you knew your coaching points.

I.e., there wasn't much to study for in OK.

AABestor, any decision on whether to study or not will be based on the state you are testing - which you didn't mention.

[AABestor]

I looked at the grading policy for NJ: http://www.njyouthsoccer.com/coaching/DCourseGradingPolicy.pdf

In OK, we didn't have the video exams. For the field exams, we had one on technique and an optional one on tactics. You got your state by passing the technique on and your national by passing the one on tactics.

All of the assessment was based on what you did on the field. I've mentioned the main things they were looking for in general. When it came to your practice topic, you knew it a day in advance. You did your lesson plan (which did not have to be original) and made sure you knew your coaching points.

I.e., there wasn't much to study for in OK.

AABestor, any decision on whether to study or not will be based on the state you are testing - which you didn't mention.




Colorado


Also could someone explain coaching points

[loghyr]

Also could someone explain coaching points

A coaching point is a key point of the lesson that you are presenting.

Take my earlier example of sending the ball over the crossbar in a finishing drill. When that happens, you have an opportunity to strike home a coaching point. Your topic is finishing and they aren't doing it.

In this case, you stop the drill/game and coach. If you were just facilitating the practice, you wouldn't stop to coach. The coaching point will probably be that the player does not have his knee and/or head over the ball. If he does, then you need to figure out why he lofted it.

By the way, say the topic was something else, like defensive heading and you are in the midst of a 4v4 game. If someone punts it, then it is not a coaching point. The reason is that while it is wrong, it is not on topic. At that point you would be better off coaching over and not stopping. By this you might shout out a simple reminder, "Head down."

[Phoenix13]

One thing none of us can really give you advice on is the instructor. Every instructor(s) is different so it's hard to tell you what to expect. Like what everyone has mentioned above stick with how your instructor presents things.
Some of the instructors are on a power trip so if it's different you could find yourself screwed. I've seen people fail for doing things 'there way' and not following the 'instructors directions'.

My other piece of advice is keep it simple. A lot of people fail for trying to overdue the session. At my 'D' one guy had 5 different exercises in his session and we had to travel from exercise field to exercise field so there was a lot of down time between exercises...not good. Our instructor's comment - "I feel like I'm on an f'n (edited for the kids) safari."

1) Show 'n go is the best advice I can give you.
2) Relax you'll get coaching points, give the exercise a minute or two to go so that the player's can get acclimated to it then make your coaching points.
3) Relax and enjoy yourself...it's only soccer not brain surgery.

[amaranto]

I had heard that failure in the D license course was relatively rare. From your description, it sounds like it happens fairly frequently. Did many people fail in the D license course you took?

[loghyr]

I had heard that failure in the D license course was relatively rare. From your description, it sounds like it happens fairly frequently. Did many people fail in the D license course you took?

You really don't know unless you hook up with them much later when the assessments come back.

I'd say that the state portion is easy to pass if you really listen to the feedback that they give you and you change your approach based on that.

And I'll say that the national portion is harder to pass. Things that were okay on the state portion are graded harsher on the national portion.

We had an indication on whether we should try the national exam. I knew of several people who wouldn't even try it - they needed the state D to coach at a certain level and not the national.

[Val1]

Pass rates for the Maryland D course are like 20% and 50% for the National D and State D respectively. I consider myself an experienced, qualified coach, (though I do most U10-U14 kids) and I passed the state and failed the National.

[CarRamRod]

I took mine in Wisconsin and I am pretty sure that all but one out of the 20 or so people in my class passed the State and not the National. When my father took his two years ago they suggested that about 10% fail and 10% get the national D. That seems to be consistent with the group that he was a part of, although mine was about 5% fail and everyone else got the D license.

The two things I'd say I learned that weekend were to show enthusiasm... I'm generally a low key guy but it's made a big difference with the U13/14's that I'm coaching. The second thing was that it isn't always necessary to stop the activity to add a coaching point. They said that there were 4 ways to make coaching types and they demanded to see at least two.
The 4 ways were:

Stop and demonstrate... pretty standard, the only thing they taught us in the E course.

Natural stoppage... wait for the ball to go out of bounds or a goal to be scored or any other way that the game can stop itself.

Pull aside... pulling a player out of the game (obviously only an option in larger 4v4+ game) and having a 1 on 1 moment with them to address something

Coaching in the flow... just shouting something during the flow of the game.
I'd say have fun and listen to what they tell you. I imagine that every instructor grades differently, but hope that they'd grade consistent with the information that they give you throughout the course.

[Val1]

Pull aside... pulling a player out of the game (obviously only an option in larger 4v4+ game) and having a 1 on 1 moment with them to address something
That is how I normally coach, but it served me poorly my class. Our instructors were 15 yards from the play and their standard was that your coaching ought to be observable to anyone. So they would have no idea what you are teaching if you're pulling players aside. When I took my D the first time, I had one of the best teaching sessions I ever had, but because the instructor I had, I failed.

This is for the instructor in Maryland, Graham Ramsey, so it may very well be different elsewhere. The lesson: do what your instructor recommends.

[amaranto]

That is how I normally coach, but it served me poorly my class. Our instructors were 15 yards from the play and their standard was that your coaching ought to be observable to anyone. So they would have no idea what you are teaching if you're pulling players aside. When I took my D the first time, I had one of the best teaching sessions I ever had, but because the instructor I had, I failed.

This is for the instructor in Maryland, Graham Ramsey, so it may very well be different elsewhere. The lesson: do what your instructor recommends.

I know there is value each time you take the course, but after spending two whole weekends out there working hard, it has to be unpleasant to fail.

When I took the course, the instructors wouldn't give an estimate of the percentage that failed each time. They seem to focus more on the difference between a national D and a state D. Even at the end, when I expected to hear the whole "for those of you that didn't pass, remember that taking the course is a learning experience, etc", they never mentioned the possibility.

Considering that it was around 95 degrees and that we served as players most of the time, I'm really hoping that I don't have to take it again.