I work with about four other guys with the indoor sport complex and Texas Stars S. C. I have been a fill-in coach for the others who have been with the club and have teams. If adults show up for personal training I take care of them. Soon I might be appointed to a team. It has been a long time since I have taken such responsibility. I walked away from coaching eleven years ago. Besides getting married and having kids, I also had burn out.
This time I have a different set of motivations, perhaps more external ones, like saving money on my own kids fees, and just knowing that the players can benefit greatly from me. When I was in my twenties it was more about the glory. Now taking such leadership roles at age forty is less prestigious and more just natural occurrence. I still was a competitive player then as well. Now I seem to be able to focus less on myself and more on the youths.
I enjoy the sharing with the other coaches. They are good men most with children playing as well. We are all from totally different walks of life but have our love of the game in common. I feel respected among them. That is important to maintain and I must return it and conduct myself professionally at all times.
Differences in styles is apparent. I may not be comfortable with what one coach is doing, saying, or focusing but regardless I always go with the flow if they are leading practice. If I have ideas I must share them tactfully and with relevance to their agenda.
I only have a D license but I was on my way to a C when I quit. I have been trained unofficially by others that have coached professionally in England, Mexico, Iran, and Argentina. I have learned some things from guys with World Cup experience. On my own I am an avid student of training techniques. I believe I am a strong addition but I know my weakness.
For one, I have no management skills. I have to have someone to handle paperwork, money, communication, scheduling. I have to have a 'uber' manager. Plus I have to have a plan, I can't run practices off the cuff. It stresses me out if I don't already know exactly what I am going to do. I don't like lines, or any kind of standing around. I don't like to talk alot. I don't like to yell. At games I believe my role is very limited, like a teacher administering a state exam. I can sub, move players around, advise on the sideline, break it down at halftime, but beyond that I become a distraction. My greatest power is positivity. Once I get negative I need to dismiss myself. My players will feed on it real quick and some will choke on it. If you see me at a game I am most likely sitting down with a clipboard making notes toward what we will work on in the next practice. Some parents and other coaches may see my silence at times as a weakness but most coaches who are loud, are just that-- loud. They don't realize that after awhile there players tune them out. I like to think that when I talk my players hear me deeply. Usually, I rather hear the players talk and help them figure out things for themselves.
Patience might be a problem for me. But as long as I come with a good plan my patience doesn't get so depleted.
Some of my techniques build off the 3v1/5v2, and I often work in grids. I like scrimmages with restrictions that focus on possession. I like players to get the maximum touches on the ball.
