Our opinion on this has changed over the years and context obviously matters.

For us, it comes down to the small things that parents don’t always see from the sideline. Here’s a few examples:

The great coaches connect before they correct.

Before they give any feedback they get down to the child’s level, make them feel comfortable. The not so great ones constantly correct first and wonder why it doesn’t have an impact.

The great coaches start with the child who needs them most.

The quiet one on the edge. The less confident one who hasn’t touched the ball much. The not so great ones naturally drift toward the best players and the rest get left behind.

The great coaches let the game do the teaching.

They set up the right situations and step back to let the players play. They guide and only step in when it’s necessary (not simply because they want everyone to show everyone how much they know about football). The not so great ones stop the session every few minutes while the kids switch off and the learning stops.

None of this is about coaching badges or qualifications.

Some of the best coaches we’ve come across weren’t the most qualified.

It’s about understanding children and knowing what they need.

Players won’t remember everything a coach said to them.

They’ll remember how that coach made them feel.

That’s the standard we hold ourselves to at Foot-Tech. Every session. Every child

What comes to mind when you think of a great children’s coach?