Player Development Project Podcast - Learning Tools for Soccer Coaching

In this Q&A, PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright is joined by PDP Coaching Advisor, James Coutts to discuss some of the core skills that are critical for young players to develop, how we can support them and some practical ideas for you to implement. Don't forget you to head over to playerdevelopmentproject.com to find out more about our new online courses or to sign up for a monthly or annual membership to access all of our coaching content.

The Foundation Phase broadly covers the ages of 8-12 in youth soccer and is a crucial period of experimentation and skill acquisition for young players. So what game formats should we use in order to give them the best opportunities to learn, enjoy the sport, and develop? Below, we look at the range of formats available to coaches and consider how we can incorporate them into our training and games programs to give kids a variety of positive experiences playing soccer. Read more here.

Leadership is an inherent part of coaching. In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright is joined by father and son coaches, Keith & David Mayer for an in depth discussion on the topic of authenticity and leadership. Keith and David Mayer have just released their second book, The Lone Wolf: A Story About Assumptions, Authenticity & Action. Some of the key concepts from the book underpin this conversation with Keith, David and Dave diving into the following areas: If you enjoy this discussion, you can buy Keith & David's book on Amazon and don't forget to check out their previous PDP Masterclass Discussion on Building Connections by clicking here.` Become a better coach by joining a supportive global community of coaches sharing ideas and learning together. Check out the PDP Membership here.

In this podcast, PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright sits down with Andrew Watt, Youth Development Phase Manager at Fulham FC, to discuss how the Premier League club supports players across the U9-U16 age groups. Andrew provides insights into the Fulham Academy’s principles, his views on talent identification, the different approaches to coaching children from U9s all the way through to U16s, and how to manage the transitions to different game formats. For the full video discussion head to playerdevelopmentproject.com or click here to be taken straight to the post and don't forget you can sign up to PDP on a monthly or annual membership to access our huge range of learning resources.

The question this week comes from Gav through the PDP Slack Community: Gab asks, “How do you support players with self reflection?” Try PDP Free for 30 Days

The question this week comes from the PDP Slack Community: How do I help teenage players value defending? Start your Free 30 Day Trial Now

Professor Stephen Rollnick is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years experience. In this Masterclass Discussion, Stephen joins PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright for an in depth discussion on coach communication, the skill of motivational interviewing and much more. Stephen is a truly world-class thinker and practitioner who is applying his extensive knowledge to sport. This conversation covers a range of topics around connection, communication, tradition and relationships which will help coaches improve their ability to build effective relationships in their coaching. Watch the full conversation here.

The question this week comes from Tom through the PDP Slack Community: Tom asks, "How do you support players with self reflection?"

In our latest masterclass PDP Coaching Advisor James Coutts is joined by former QPR player and current Bristol City FC u18 lead coach Trevor Challis. In this discussion Trevor shares some invaluable stories from his playing days and in particular the late great Ray Wilkins that has helped shape how Trevor coaches now. A great discussion around 'guiding' players through their journey and ensuring that being honest along the way is very important.

Warren Grieve is an AFC Pro License holder and Technical Director at Football NSW in Australia. In this interview, PDP Editor, Dave Wright sits down with Warren to talk coach education, learning environments and more. This conversation covers a range of topics including: This is an insightful discussion for developing coaches, particularly those who have an interest in pursuing formal courses and qualifications.

In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor, Dave Wright hosts Sean Douglas for an in depth conversation on coach development. Sean is the National Coach Education Manager at Football Federation Australia and has vast experience as a Technical Director, Coach and Coach developer. In this discussion, Sean and Dave discuss formal coach education courses, advice for coaches who are on a coach education pathway and what to expect, the importance of self reflection and the Australian football landscape. If you're considering a coaching course or want insights into how it works, this is a great discussion to get a better understanding of the process and how you can develop as a coach.

This week the question comes from our PDP Members Slack channel: “Should my club run trials for players?”

In our latest Masterclass Webinar we sit down to discuss the coach/athlete relationship with Keith and David Mayer, authors of Gold Dust: How to Become a More Effective Coach, Quickly. The focus of the conversation is how we build connections with young players, using empathy, understanding, patience and communication. Keith is has over 40 years coaching experience at a number of professional clubs and has worked as an FA Tutor. David is currently completing his UEFA A license and has experience in the USA and Africa. This wide ranging conversation discusses how coaches can build quality relationships with players and shares insights into the book, giving practical advice for you to implement in your environment.

The question this week comes from Percy via Facebook: "Would you ever use isolated technique training?" Exclusive offer for Podcast listeners: 30 Days Free Active Membership. Visit www.playerdevelopmentproject.com/podcast

The question this week comes from the John via Facebook: “What are some of the common mistakes when you start coaching?” Exclusive offer for Podcast listeners: 30 Days Free Active Membership. Visit www.playerdevelopmentproject.com/podcast

In this episode Dan is joined by Ray Power. Ray, is a UEFA A Licence coach, an FA tutor and author. In this discussion Dan and Ray touch on ‘collecting badges’, the importance of informal learning and the some practical tips for coaches and coach developers. We also discuss some of the best educators including some golden nuggets from Dick Bates. If you enjoy the show please like and share!

In this episode Dan is joined by Adrian Bradbury. Adrian has spent the last 10 years identifying and nurturing talent in East Africa. In this conversation they discuss character – which Adrian is truly passionate about. Adrian shares his approach to character development. Why he thinks it is important, how we could go about delivering it – both on and off the pitch, as well as some of the complexity when working with young people! If you enjoy the show please let us know via twitter - @coachdanwright or @playerdp

In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor, Dave Wright sits down with Parkour coach, Ben Westbook and physiotherapist Jade Martin. Ben and Jade are experts in human movement and in this conversation we discuss injury prevention, functional movement, integrating variety into sports programs, specialisation and more. This is an insightful conversation with two innovators in youth development with some great tips for coaches and parents.

The question this week comes from Stuart via Twitter: “I coach U12 footballs and I have a player that wants to play rugby as well as football, how should I manage this situation?” Exclusive offer for Podcast listeners: 30 Days Free Active Membership. Visit www.playerdevelopmentproject.com/podcast

In this Masterclass Discussion PDP Editor, Dave Wright is joined by Head Coach of Auckland Aces Cricket team, Heinrich Malan to discuss a range of coaching topics. Heinrich is a highly successful young coach having one national titles with both Central Districts and most recently his Auckland Aces side in the 2019/20 Ford Trophy One Day Competition. Dave and Heinrich dive into a number of topics including the individual nature of cricket, the future game, specialist coaching, technique and managing athletes transitioning into the team and returning from international duty. This conversation is essential listening for coaches who want to understand a high performance environment from a top practitioner with a big future in coaching. For the full discussion head over to our website or click here. Exclusive offer for Podcast listeners: 30 Days Free Active Membership. Visit www.playerdevelopmentproject.com/podcast