Social Change | Footballing Community

Football and Social Change have been in the forefront of my thought for at least the last decade. Somehow they co-existed daily in my thoughts, but I never seemed to thread the passes to connect them.

Recently, I attended an event sponsored by Senda Athletics, a Berkeley Fair-trade soccer ball manufacturer. The event electronically connected my two passions and gave me clarity. I know how I can use Soccer (Football) for social change. It is in the cultivation of a healthy Footballing Community.

There was something right in front of me that I could not see yet; it was lurking behind the Redwoods waiting for me to change focus and see the forest between the trees.

The book Coaching Outside the Box: Changing the Mindset of Youth Soccer by Paul Mairs and Richard Shaw landed in my lap. This book gave me a new clarity, not only as a developing coach, but also into my experience as a player. I saw how my youth coaches molded my future; I digress for later blogs on this topic.

I coached before; I enjoy coaching. I have always landed as an assistant coach. Sadly, when I was in sole control of a team, I felt discouraged because I was “stuck” with the 3rd tier “C” team. I did my best to tactically overcome technical deficiencies in my team and we ended up winning games. However, my heart was not in to coaching for the right reasons, the money was not worth the time; I quit coaching. “Someday when I have a child, I will coach again” -was my parting thought.

I realize now, I was repeating a pattern that is undoubtedly replicated all over the USA. I was coaching my boys as if they were miniature professionals, I coached them as I had been coached. I was strict and stern. I demanded maximum effort at all times and lead from the sideline like a lieutenant ordering troops in battle. I was there to win and whip my kids into winning shape with my tactics to hide the weak players and highlight the best players. I carried on a legacy as phrases my former coaches used came bellowing out of my mouth.

“Check to…Diagonal Run” (during game) vs “What options do you have” “Where is your support? Where is the space?” (during practice)

“You have to Play it Quick“(during game) vs “analyse the space and know your options” or “think two passes ahead” (during practice)

“GET STUCK IN” (by far the worst of them all, I hated this phrase and still do) vs “take pride in your effort”

Paul Mairs and Richard Shaw’s book opened my eyes to the effects of focusing on short-term goals – winning – is not best for the individual player’s long-term development. Instead of viewing the player as a long-term constantly developing and improving individual, coaches tend to focuses on winning the next game and preparing for the next tournament by default. All too often, coaches maximize the team’s chance to advance by using tactics to overcome the technical deficiencies of their team. I found myself not playing kids nearly as much as others and I justified it because I was focused on winning; I was not focused on player development. Each player is an individual, their physical, mental and social maturity needs to be considered by the coach. The Beautiful Game is an excellent teacher and children that are new to soccer need to learn to play in a fun environment where a love for the game is cultivated while the basic foundations are focused on. Touches on the ball need to be maximized. Pick-up culture needs to be cultivated.

As a coach, I emulated my soccer experience, never considering that there may be another way to coach. Mairs and Shaw’s book opened my eyes to a new reality, a chance to create a better soccer experience for local youth. An experience less focused on traveling and competitive physically demanding training and playing schedules. Instead, fundamental skills are developed in a predominately small sided-game playing environment. The love of the game and passion is cultivated in young players in conjunction with maximizing their touches on the ball. Ultimately, the theory is that when the young players are coached in an environment where player development is understood from a multidimensional perspective, where short-term glory through winning is deemphasize and honest complete player development is understood and applied, only then will higher skilled, creative and intelligent players with a deeper passion and love for the game will blossom.

In Humboldt, I can help make social change through football by coaching in my community and focusing on what is best for the children’s longterm development. I am going to continue to coach the youth in my community to help give back to the Beautiful Game that has given me so much. I will work hard to create better experiences for children to enjoy and benefit from the Beautiful Game.