Hiring a Travel Coach... questions to ask?

[paulb]

We've started a new travel soccer team, Girls U14, and are in the process of hiring the coach. Most of the girls have only played rec before. They're good athletes, all, and fine rec players. But we're hoping for good things with better coaching and a higher level of competition.

What sorts of questions would you ask a prospective coach? What would you look for?

Thanks...

[uniteo]

We've started a new travel soccer team, Girls U14, and are in the process of hiring the coach. Most of the girls have only played rec before. They're good athletes, all, and fine rec players. But we're hoping for good things with better coaching and a higher level of competition.

What sorts of questions would you ask a prospective coach? What would you look for?

Thanks...

How are you involved in the team?

What is the ultimate goal of the players? And the parents?

A lot of it will come down to player development vs. winning, especially at this age. What are the coach's priorities?

What style of play will he/she be looking to install and what are the tactical and technical strengths/flaws in that approach?

Will the coach be doing some/all/most of the training or bringing others in? If himself, what is his coaching background and his strengths/weaknesses? If trainers, what for and why? What support will he/she have?

Having coached girls teams at that age I'll say that most teams emphasize styles that highlight athleticism at the expense of technical play...a problem (if you want to call it a prolem) that filters up through high school and college ball and even into the national team program I think. Such styles can be very effective at this age and nurture the most athletic girls but reduce the roles of players to being water carriers and can inhibit their skill development.

[paulb]

Thanks.

We definitely want to be development-oriented at this stage. Don't want players becoming "water carriers" to the better athletes. (Curious, more specifically, about what styles you are referring to on that point.) Alot of the girls aspire to playing for their high school team. Entering 8th grade, so they've got a couple of years before thinking about varsity.

[BigGuy]

We've started a new travel soccer team, Girls U14, and are in the process of hiring the coach. Most of the girls have only played rec before. They're good athletes, all, and fine rec players. But we're hoping for good things with better coaching and a higher level of competition.

What sorts of questions would you ask a prospective coach? What would you look for?

Thanks...

He has to have at least a "C" License not a D.

Is he a current player he should be and what level has he played.

What clubs has he coached for in the past what age groups he has coached and what division did those teams play preferbly the highest level in his age division

He has to have a back ground check just in case.

Ask him to run 2 team practices. If he is who he says he is he won't mind doing that. I would do that and have done that.

[BigGuy]

"A lot of it will come down to player development vs. winning"

I think development eventually equals wins not vs winning.

[efernandez9]

"A lot of it will come down to player development vs. winning"

I think development eventually equals wins not vs winning.
the License is D or even E, is a goo start out for a traveling team! some one with License C will see no challange here, and the money will not do -probably-

again, I do not know what are you Offering for the job.

is this for an established academy? or just a grp of parents that want see the U14 excel into a better level of play?

One more question to ask: If he has been able to keep his past teams together, what kind of drop out rate he/she has?

[uniteo]

"A lot of it will come down to player development vs. winning"

I think development eventually equals wins not vs winning.

yeah, of course over time, but in the first season or two the coach will run into situations where the choice is "do I go for the win now or keep on with what will be best for the players down the road..." do they cosnsistently make one choice or another?

Especially with a middling team, it's easy to let a season of opportunities go by and find out you've lost a lot of potential development for some of your players by trying to scratch out results from game to game.

[uniteo]

Curious, more specifically, about what styles you are referring to on that point.

I was referring more to style of play than any formation, and mostly I'm talking about the fast break style of play that many (hell, I'll say most) teams use, especially in conjunction with a 4-3-3 formation where offensive play is equated with long diagonals, single combinations, and runs down the wing to get a cross off from the corner.

Very Old English stuff much of the time, and if you have better athletes very effective at younger (U12-U16) ages because youth teams will break down.

How many quality number 10's have we seen in the women's game? Aly Wagner. Anyone else? At the college level I'd say Kimmie Francis. Almost no emphasis on possession play or creativity in the attack. How often do you see a backpass that's not part of a short-long sequence.

Can anyone recall an 8 or 10 pass sequence resulting in a goal? How often do women's teams try it?

[BigGuy]

the License is D or even E, is a goo start out for a traveling team! some one with License C will see no challange here, and the money will not do -probably-

again, I do not know what are you Offering for the job.

is this for an established academy? or just a grp of parents that want see the U14 excel into a better level of play?

One more question to ask: If he has been able to keep his past teams together, what kind of drop out rate he/she has?

D is good for 12 and not for 14. E forget it.

I would not even pay anyone with less then a C.

[BigGuy]

yeah, of course over time, but in the first season or two the coach will run into situations where the choice is "do I go for the win now or keep on with what will be best for the players down the road..." do they cosnsistently make one choice or another?

Especially with a middling team, it's easy to let a season of opportunities go by and find out you've lost a lot of potential development for some of your players by trying to scratch out results from game to game.

What you want is interchangable parts.

However, you want the players on your team to push themselves in practice and in games to become a starter.

You don't want to be complacent either once they become a starter.

"Your only as good as your last game."

[efernandez9]

D is good for 12 and not for 14. E forget it.

I would not even pay anyone with less then a C. but this girls are coming from the rec system......let the E or D take over and get an upgrade to C... (but,man I had other understanding of the License deal)

can you try to answer my question from the thread on D instruction? the one about 'ground control'

[BigGuy]

I was referring more to style of play than any formation, and mostly I'm talking about the fast break style of play that many (hell, I'll say most) teams use, especially in conjunction with a 4-3-3 formation where offensive play is equated with long diagonals, single combinations, and runs down the wing to get a cross off from the corner.

Very Old English stuff much of the time, and if you have better athletes very effective at younger (U12-U16) ages because youth teams will break down.

How many quality number 10's have we seen in the women's game? Aly Wagner. Anyone else? At the college level I'd say Kimmie Francis. Almost no emphasis on possession play or creativity in the attack. How often do you see a backpass that's not part of a short-long sequence.

Can anyone recall an 8 or 10 pass sequence resulting in a goal? How often do women's teams try it?

"How many quality number 10's have we seen in the women's game? Aly Wagner."

I have never been impressed by her. She makes a lot of passes to nobody. But, I have not see her play in a while. Am I wrong about her?

I think the first option is the quick strike right after your team wins the ball on that first pass or second pass. So to do that you need skill, you need space and a lot of practice. Just like a good counter attack.

After that you think possession if you can't hit the first or second pass.

That is how you should play. How long will that take possible two seasons. Then after that you build on that game even if your winning.

So this phrase is wrong "If it is not broken don't fix it."

This is the right phrase "If it isn't broken break it and make it better."

It only took me years to understand that.

That is how you can continuing winning for years. Even when the opponent thinks they know your game. Then they find out they really don't know your game after they lose to you again.

[uniteo]

I think the first option is the quick strike right after your team wins the ball on that first pass or second pass. So to do that you need skill, you need space and a lot of practice. Just like a good counter attack.

After that you think possession if you can't hit the first or second pass.

That is how you should play. How long will that take possible two seasons. Then after that you build on that game even if your winning.



Wagner, I like her game, but she's out there with 10 people playing a different way so you can see that she gets the ball and has an idea but her teammates are up to something else. I'd have liked to see her at Santa Clara.

Unfortunately most teams play it so that if your early pass isn't available you pass it into space anyway, over and over again, a duel with a defender in a superior position, hoping that once over the course of a game they make a mistake.

[BigGuy]

Wagner, I like her game, but she's out there with 10 people playing a different way so you can see that she gets the ball and has an idea but her teammates are up to something else. I'd have liked to see her at Santa Clara.

Unfortunately most teams play it so that if your early pass isn't available you pass it into space anyway, over and over again, a duel with a defender in a superior position, hoping that once over the course of a game they make a mistake.

I forget to mention the pass goes to your skillful, speed player into that space. Practice leads to success.

[loghyr]

D is good for 12 and not for 14. E forget it.

I would not even pay anyone with less then a C.

It is the coach that is important and not the license.

I was once a contracted employee to a large firm and I was new to both the firm and the contract house. When they found out I knew where the list of interview questions were stashed, they offered my a 1k bonus to get them a copy. I replied that while that helped them place people, I didn't want to be working with someone who only knew how to answer the interview questions and not how to really solve problems.

I.e., give me someone who can coach and not someone who can pass a license test.

There are external factors which can influence whether or not you can get a certain licensing level. Money, personality conflicts, etc.

[BigGuy]

"It is the coach that is important and not the license."

Most of the coaches here don't even have licenses. But, they were all former or current players and they do a good job.

But remember how many mistakes we made when we first started to coach?

We can learn from others mistakes so we don't have to make the same mistakes all over again. That is what a license can do for you.

Plus it does give the coach more creditability.

[rca2]

If the kids are relatively inexperienced, all the more reason to give them a qualified coach. Thinking that they can get by with a less experienced coach because they are less experienced is a mistake. The point which is very valid is that a "D" or "E" license does not teach you how to coach the whole game. Qualified by experience is the best recommendation. To get a "C" license a coach is going to have at least some experience in addition to training that covers player development beyond age 12.

[BigGuy]

Another old post Imade on hiring a coach for the club.

"First your club should have bylaws on behavior for players and parents.

Your club should also have bylaws for the coach to follow. What you expect of
him with your club, the team, and concerning treatment of players.

On parents the coach should be friendly, accessible, and very honest if they
approach you with a question. That honesty will not always make them happy,
but at least they know what is really on your mind. Always show your love of
game to them as well as to their children. I think that is an import to a good
soccer experience for everyone. Give them a love for the game. Player does
something good on the field praise that play. Praise a good effort. Take notes on
play that is not so good. Then address it on the practice field

First question to the coach should be will he follow all the club rules?
Have that in writing list all those club rules, and let him sign it.

As you do or should do with the players and the parents with their rules.

I am not sure whether you should make all the club rules concerning coaches
on all club issues public. That the club should decide, give it some thought
first. You don't want parents acting as police men watching every move the coach
makes.

What you want is someone from the club watching every move the coach makes.
You owe it to the club, the team and the players to do that in my opinion. In a
low profile way. So the coach does not notice it.

"The kids will go through try-outs."

That coach should run the tryout. He can have other coaches with the club
helping him. Ask him how he does it? Better if the try out is not a one day try
out. Do it over 2 or even three days you will not only see the players skills,
and knowledge of the game. You can see his heart his will by that time.

Before that let him run a practice session with another team in the club.
Give him a subject to coach for the practice. Give him a day to make up a
practice plan in writing. Let him do the practice, someone in the club take notes on
the practice as the coach would take notes on a player. Then after take that
written plan and read it. See how he kept to it. See if he left it in some
cases, and see why.

See how he teaches? Can the player and you understand what he is trying to
get across? Would you find it interesting if you were the player? Does he work
well with the players? Would you like to play for him? Does he seem to want all
the players to do well? Does he make good coaching points as they come up? If
not he probably is not the right guy.

>
>
> 1) Sometimes we have two very good coaches for a single team and we
> suggest a co-coaching opening. How would you go about making the
> co-coaching a positive experience?

I like assistant coaches not co-coaches. There has to be a leader. If not you
both better be on the same page or you have a big problem. So if you go with
Co-coaches one better be an easy going, go with the flow, kind of guy who is
on the same page with the other coach.

> 3) You suspect a parent, fellow coach, or even player has been abusing
> another player, what would you consider valid indications and what
> would you do?

Talking about a parent abusing his son? Only thing you can do is tell the
father he cannot stay for games. Then hope he lets his kid come to the game.

On players and coaches warn them if it continues they are gone. Then stick to
that.

> 4) Your keeper has just missed a ball, yells something unpleasant at
> her teammates, and stomps off the field in tears. What do you do?

Crying? What can be so bad that a player in the 13 to 15 yr. old range would
feel the need to cry? Player is feeling too much pressure. Who's fault is that
is the coach or the parent? As a coach you cannot make a mistake seem like a
big deal. Mistakes are all part of the learning process. Have to look at it
like that. The player has to know that. Make a mistake it happens, learn from
it, and move on.

If you do coach like that, and the player still breaks down. There might be
something wrong with the player, or what is happening in there house. Most you
can do is talk to the player and possibly the parent. Then you as a coach has
to move on.

> What other types of questions would you ask during the interview to
> get the information on who to trust with the lives of 18 kids for the
> rest of the year?

Ask what does he feel about the player and the game? See what he says. Look
for things like he wants to see every player do well. He respects them, expect
them to respect him in return, expects them to work hard. Want to hear things
like he has a love of game and want to share that love of game with the
players and their parents. So if they don't have they will catch it from him.

What's more important winning every game or the player? I did not phrase it
like "what's more important winning or the player" for a reason. You can still
want to win and not mess up a player in the process.

[uniteo]

Before that let him run a practice session with another team in the club.
Give him a subject to coach for the practice. Give him a day to make up a
practice plan in writing. Let him do the practice, someone in the club take notes on
the practice as the coach would take notes on a player. Then after take that
written plan and read it. See how he kept to it. See if he left it in some
cases, and see why.

See how he teaches? Can the player and you understand what he is trying to
get across? Would you find it interesting if you were the player? Does he work
well with the players? Would you like to play for him? Does he seem to want all
the players to do well? Does he make good coaching points as they come up? If
not he probably is not the right guy.


Excellent suggestion, but before asking a coach to design a session on any topic it would be fair to let them observe a practice session for the team they'll be working with, so they can see what level the players are at and so design the most appropriate activities.

[loghyr]

Another old post Imade on hiring a coach for the club.


Lot of good points there BigGuy....