Club Development Manager John Brown and North Ayrshire's Development Officer Craig Hamilton were recently invited to Kilbirnie's KCFC to provide an in-service to their coaches. KCFC's club chairman Stevie Wilson writes -
KCFC held a coaches in service evening on Friday 29th May with John Brown (SFA South West Region Club Development Manager ) talking on the Positive Coaching Scotland project, followed by Craig Hamilton, (K:A Leisure Football Development Officer) demonstrating the new skills programme being put out to the clubs as an integral part of their training sessions.
John emphasised that we as coaches should praise effort, setting the young players tasks to try in a game and encouraging them when they try even if not always successful.
Kids love to play, they love to have fun and enjoy it so we should not knock that enthusiasm by criticising, making sarcastic comments or giving negative actions.
We should build them up giving praise (truthful and specific), showing appreciation, listening to what they have to say about the game or their performance, and with positive actions from the side lines.
Honour the game, its rules, your opponents and the officials.
Craig showed a short video of the skills being piloted in the North region, then it was out doors to practice those skills ready to take back to the teams. Side by side, diagonal attack, face to face, back to goal were all demonstrated.
Drag backs, step overs, twist offs, stop turns had some of the older guys in knots but the young ones coped no problem and these skills will definitely improve the level of play of our teams. A great evening enjoyed by all who were there.