Youth Coaching

Check Out MSC High School Course Here: https://www.modernsoccercoach.com/challenge-page/46214942-e036-4f32-afa6-8383d4608e2d Check Out Zone14: https://zone14coaching.com/ This might be one of the most important conversations we’ve had on the Modern Soccer Coach Podcast. In this episode, Gary Curneen sits down with Joop Oosterveld, transition coach at BK Häcken and former PSV coach, to break down what it actually takes to prepare players for the highest level of the game. We get into why most training environments are too easy, how underloaded pressing (3v7, 4v6) can accelerate development, and why the best players often stop improving if they are not constantly stretched and challenged. Joop shares insights from his time in Holland, Sweden, and learning from environments like Liverpool, giving a clear picture of what elite player development really looks like. This is a must-watch for any coach serious about developing players who can perform at the highest level. A big thank you to Zone 14 for supporting the podcast. Their coach and player journals are built around intentional development, helping coaches plan, reflect, and stay organized while giving players a structure to take ownership of their progress. If you are serious about improving your environment on and off the pitch, check them out and use the code modernsoccer20 for 20% off. If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share with another coach. #soccercoaching #playerdevelopment #footballcoaching #youthsoccer #elitefootball #soccertactics #coachingdevelopment #soccercoaching #footballcoaching #playerdevelopment #academyfootball #youthsoccer #footballculture #modernsoccercoach #bodøglimt #youthsoccer #youthcoaching #soccerpodcast #garycurneen #youtubepodcast #youtube #youtubepodcast

Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/247200/fan_mail/new) 🎙️ Episode 122: Coach’s Voice (Episode 1) Episode 122 marks the launch of our brand-new Coach’s Voice series — where the conversation starts with you. In this first edition, Scott and Ray respond to four thought-provoking questions sent in by coaches who listen to the podcast. These are real challenges from real environments, and the discussion is honest, practical, and grounded in lived coaching experience. This episode is less about theory — and more about the realities of coaching in today’s game. 🗣️ The four questions discussed: ⚽ 1. The Match Day Environment How do we create a match day atmosphere that supports development rather than fear? Scott and Ray explore the role of the coach on game day, emotional tone, parent behaviour, and how match day can either reinforce or undo the work done during the week. 💭 2. Building (and Protecting) Player Confidence What does confidence really mean in young players — and how easily can we damage it? The conversation explores the difference between praise and belief, the impact of language, and why confidence is often built through challenge, not comfort. 🎯 3. Over-Coaching Are we saying too much? Scott and Ray reflect on the temptation to control every moment, the dangers of constant instruction, and why silence can sometimes be the most powerful intervention a coach can make. 🧩 4. Tactics & Structure vs Freedom & Creativity How much structure is too much? Where is the balance between giving players a framework and allowing them to solve problems? The discussion dives into whether rigid tactical systems can unintentionally limit game intelligence — and how coaches can design structure that still allows expression. Throughout the episode, Scott and Ray share practical examples from their own environments, challenge common coaching habits, and encourage deeper reflection on how our behaviours shape player experience. This is an episode designed to make you think about how you show up — on the grass, on the sideline, and in your communication. 🎧 Coach’s Voice – Get Involved Coach’s Voice episodes are driven by you. We invite coaches to: • Send in a voice note (up to 2 minutes) sharing a question, dilemma, idea, or opinion • Be reflective, honest, even challenging • Help shape future episodes of the podcast Selected submissions will be played on the show and used as the starting point for discussion. A couple of simple guidelines: • Please don’t use player names • If discussing sensitive topics, avoid naming clubs • If you’d rather not record audio, you can email your question instead 📩 Send voice notes or emails to: [email protected] Thanks for listening — and if one of these questions resonated with you, share the episode with a fellow coach. Your voice matters. This episode was brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly. Established since 2006, Soccer Coach Weekly is a leading source of inspiration and advice for all grassroots coaches. Join thousands of youth soccer coaches, just like you, saving time and effort in their goal of having the most effective, enjoyable and successful coaching journey for them and their players. – https://www.soccercoachweekly.net/ Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoyed the episode!

🎙️ Episode 122: Coach’s Voice (Episode 1) Episode 122 marks the launch of our brand-new Coach’s Voice series — where the conversation starts with you. In this first edition, Scott and Ray respond to four thought-provoking questions sent in by coaches who listen to the podcast. These are real challenges from real environments, and the discussion is honest, practical, and grounded in lived coaching experience. This episode is less about theory — and more about the realities of coaching in today’s game. 🗣️ The four questions discussed: ⚽ 1. The Match Day Environment How do we create a match day atmosphere that supports development rather than fear? Scott and Ray explore the role of the coach on game day, emotional tone, parent behaviour, and how match day can either reinforce or undo the work done during the week. 💭 2. Building (and Protecting) Player Confidence What does confidence really mean in young players — and how easily can we damage it? The conversation explores the difference between praise and belief, the impact of language, and why confidence is often built through challenge, not comfort. 🎯 3. Over-Coaching Are we saying too much? Scott and Ray reflect on the temptation to control every moment, the dangers of constant instruction, and why silence can sometimes be the most powerful intervention a coach can make. 🧩 4. Tactics & Structure vs Freedom & Creativity How much structure is too much? Where is the balance between giving players a framework and allowing them to solve problems? The discussion dives into whether rigid tactical systems can unintentionally limit game intelligence — and how coaches can design structure that still allows expression. Throughout the episode, Scott and Ray share practical examples from their own environments, challenge common coaching habits, and encourage deeper reflection on how our behaviours shape player experience. This is an episode designed to make you think about how you show up — on the grass, on the sideline, and in your communication. 🎧 Coach’s Voice – Get Involved Coach’s Voice episodes are driven by you. We invite coaches to: Send in a voice note (up to 2 minutes) sharing a question, dilemma, idea, or opinion Be reflective, honest, even challenging Help shape future episodes of the podcast Selected submissions will be played on the show and used as the starting point for discussion. A couple of simple guidelines: Please don’t use player names If discussing sensitive topics, avoid naming clubs If you’d rather not record audio, you can email your question instead 📩 Send voice notes or emails to: [email protected] Thanks for listening — and if one of these questions resonated with you, share the episode with a fellow coach. Your voice matters. This episode was brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly. Established since 2006, Soccer Coach Weekly is a leading source of inspiration and advice for all grassroots coaches. Join thousands of youth soccer coaches, just like you, saving time and effort in their goal of having the most effective, enjoyable and successful coaching journey for them and their players. – https://www.soccercoachweekly.net/ Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoyed the episode!

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Episode 122: Coach’s Voice (Episode 1) Episode 122 marks the launch of our brand-new Coach’s Voice series — where the conversation starts with you. In this first edition, Scott and Ray respond to four thought-provoking questions sent in by coaches who listen to the podcast. These are real challenges from real environments, and the discussion is honest, practical, and grounded in lived coaching experience. This episode is less about theory — and more about the realities of ...

Coaches: Register for our FREE MSC Set-Piece Webinar with Michele Aragona below: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/442/k3g3rbgy This week, Gary is joined by Head of Coaching at Wellington Phoenix, Joshua Neff, to discuss the Director of Coaching role at youth and pro clubs. Joshua shares his experience at the New Zealand club of building out a methodology but also aligning it with a 'coaching culture' that is built around trust, honesty, passion for the game, and growth mindset. He discusses the unique environment at Wellington Phoenix and how the coaches work alongside one another to help the players and the club progress. Having also experienced MLS academies, Joshua has some some words of advice for coaches in the US who are working through the sometimes challenging role of a Director of Coaching and where you can get high quality professional support.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 110, Brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly (@SoccerCoachWeek) Episode 110 – Giving The Game Back To The Kids, a conversation with Chris Fraser In this episode we speak to Chris Fraser about grassroots football and discuss if adults are taking the game away from the kids We talk about the experiences Chris has seen this seen and how youth grassroots football has changes over the past few years. Chris sugges...

Gary is joined by Michael Quinn, a former professional goalkeeper and lead author from Dublin City University, who has proven for the first time that goalkeepers perceive the world very differently from both outfield players and individuals with no football experience. Their groundbreaking study - which has just been published in the international journal Current Biology - is just the start of the conversation for Michael, who feels like we are just scratching the surface on the world of goalkeeping development. In this interview Michael discusses: - How auditory senses may be just as important as visual ones - Why cognitive load may impact goalkeeping - What effect this will have at the highest level - Ways that youth goalkeeping coaches can maximize their environment Any much more!! You can read the full article here: https://www.dcu.ie/science-and-health/news/2023/oct/dcu-research-reveals-goalkeepers-really-are-different

Belz is joined by Kirk Kinsey, director of Flagstaff Revolution, a grassroots club in Arizona, and Jesse Howe, the director of coaching at the Calvert Soccer Association, a grassroots soccer program in Maryland. All three of us are working in the trenches of rec soccer, trying to help more kids learn to love the ball and the game. Jesse just got back from a national symposium on grassroots soccer in Minneapolis, and he gives a brief report on that, and then we just talk through a lot of the challenges and some solutions that work in coaching U6 and U8 rec soccer. It's a long conversation and we cover a lot of topics, but I bet you'll enjoy it, find things to disagree with, and maybe even find a few things to agree with!

Send us Fan Mail Episode 93, Brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly (@SoccerCoachWeek) Episode 93 – Developing Your Coaching Blueprint, a conversation with Jason Carney, UEFA coach and author In this episode we talk to Jason about the importance or having a coach’s blueprint and how you can put one together. Jason talks us through his own playing and coaching journey and explains how his own experiences influence his approach to coaching now. ...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 89, Brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly (@SoccerCoachWeek) Episode 89 - Connected Coaching, The Craft of Player Development, a conversation with Ben Bartlett In this episode we talk with Ben Bartlett about his second book Connected Coaching, The Craft of Player Development. Ben updates us on what’s changed since we last spoke (episode #75) and we briefly revisit his first book before taking a closer look at the new book. ...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 78, Brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly (@SoccerCoachWeek) Principles of Play and Developing Skill, a conversation with Peter Prickett, football coach and author. In this episode we discuss principles of play, developing skills, 3v3 and much more with football coach and author, Peter Prickett. Peter talks us through his coaching journey, philosophy and his 3 books (Football Principles of Play, Developing Skill 1 and Developing S...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we discuss effective online resources for clubs, coaches and players with Stewart and Ross from Football DNA (@footballdna_) Stewart and Ross talk about their background and different roles in football. They explain how online resources can support player development and how they see these developing over the next 5 years. To find out more about the resources available at Football DNA visit their website www.footballdna.co.uk Thank you for listening and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we discuss the important role mentoring can play in coach development with the wonderful Robbie Blood (@robbie_blood). We look at what mentoring is and isn’t and the benefits of both being a mentor and a mentee. Robbie shares his thoughts and experiences as a coach and FA Coach Mentor. Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode! www.thesoccercoachingpodcast.com [email protected] @SoccerCoachCast This episode was brought to you in a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are delighted to be joined by the wonderful Luis Melville who shares his background in the game of Futsal and helps us get a better understanding of the rules and benefits of this awesome game. We take a look at the game in more detail and discuss its appeal as a sport in its own right and how it can also be used to support the development of grassroots football players. We hope you get as much out of this episode as we did! Luis can be found on twitter @Lu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we discuss the importance of ball mastery and technical work with the wonderful Saul Isaksson-Hurst from the My Personal Football Coach (www.mypersonalfootballcoach.com). The conversation includes thoughts on homework, SSG's, layering sessions, linking physical literacy with ball manipulation practice, making technical work fun and lots more! We also try and clarify our thoughts on if you should prioritise 1v1 or passing and why we prefer a dual approac...