title: Observations of youth football training: How do coaches structure training sessions for player development?
abstract: We used systematic observation tools to explore the structure (i.e., activity and inactivity) and sequencing (i.e., the types of activities used) of football coaching sessions in Australia following the implementation of a new National Curriculum. Youth soccer coaches (n = 34), coaching within the Skill Acquisition (U11-U13 n = 19) and Game Training (U14-U17 n = 15) phases of the Football Federation Australia National Curriculum participated. Participants were filmed during a regular coaching session, with systematic observation of the session undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of the practice activities and coach behaviours. Findings indicated a session comprised of Playing Form activities (40.9%), Training Form activities (22.3%), inactivity (31%), and transitions between activities (5.8%). Coaches prescribed more Training Form activities (e.g., individual (5.4%) and drills (15.1%)) early in the session and progressed to Playing Form activities (i.e., small-sided games (15.3%) then larger games (24.8%)) later in the session. Most inactivity reflected the players listening to the coach - either in a team huddle (9.9%) or frozen on the spot during an activity (16.5%). In addition, coaches generally spent over 3 min communicating to players prior to explaining and introducing an activity regardless of when in the session the activity was scheduled.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Education and Social Work , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Education and Social Work , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.affiliation: b Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation , The University of Utah , Slat Lake City , UT , USA.
authors.forename: A Mark
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D000071252:Mentoring; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009517:New South Wales; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D012916:Soccer / Q000193:education*; D013648:Tasmania
keywords: Skill development; coach behaviours; expertise; practice