Coaching Badges

[Fin Feds Dad]

Have a look at Coerver Coaching - I did an evening with them this week at Clayton Wood, the stoke city training ground.
Really good course - adopted by a lot of the premier league clubs too now.

[olaftab]

In Germany you drive on the right, but it is still important to wear a white short sleaved shirt with a tie and at least 3 biros in the breast pocket.

Breast pocket and  1 biro is mandatory. 3 indicates a higher status in life.

[Holte L2]

I've got the FA Level 1 & 2 badges. Courses were pretty good and the FA have "modernised" the courses over the last 5 years or so. I think once you have them they are good for pretty much everywhere. Levels 3 and 4 are a lot more in depth and as well as the tactical side, they include things like handling high profile players and such like.

It's all about how you put them into practice though I guess.

I'm going to start studying for my Level One. I've been saying if for years. How much study time do you reccomend before actually sitting the course?

[Mister E]

Have a look at Coerver Coaching - I did an evening with them this week at Clayton Wood, the stoke city training ground.
Really good course - adopted by a lot of the premier league clubs too now.

The regional variation talked about in the OP comes from two things: (i) the general footballing philosophy of the country in which you do your coaching (as you go through the levels, you are expected to get more practical coaching hours done, and so where it's practised will influence your ultimate coaching style and approach); and (ii) the rigour with which the local FA applies the overall UEFA guidelines to coaching. The EFA are reputed to have a very comprehensive and robust approach toward coaching and so the EFA coaching badges are highly regarded.

Re an earlier comment, the EFA does indeed have approximately only 10% of the number of UEFA 'B' /'A' and Pro-licence coaches compared with Spain and France: part of this relates to the rigour of the EFA coaching standards; partly, it's our amateur approach to junior footie; partly, it's that the professional clubs simply see their role as developing kids for themselves (rather than for the broader benefit of the community).

My son's done levels 1 & 2, has coached Coerver in Mexico and is about to do level 3 (UEFA B badge). He's also done some specific coaching modules related to junior / youth coaching. He's been doing this on his own initiative 'cos he wants to go into youth coaching professionally.

[Dante Lavelli]

Thanks Mister E.  Do you think the “rigour” of the EFA badges is putting coaches at youth level doing the badges?
I’m going back 10 to 20 years now but generally all the managers I had were the keenest dads.  One from memory had experience of coaching.

I do feel that the way our football is structured - i.e. a brutal capitalist system compared to american sport’s socialist systems (drafts etc) - that the onus should be on the bigger clubs to train youth coaches at lower levels.  When you consider how much a player earns each week, the same money could employ a team of trained coaches that each take charge of a youth league.  Their job is to then go to each club and (occasionally) coach the players and crucially also coach the coaches.

Great for the community - might create a few extra fans - and overall the quality should increase.

[Mister E]

Thanks Mister E.  Do you think the “rigour” of the EFA badges is putting coaches at youth level doing the badges?
I’m going back 10 to 20 years now but generally all the managers I had were the keenest dads.  One from memory had experience of coaching.

Quite possibly, Dante, although I think the ethos around junior clubs generally is to encourage winning and results rather than player-improvement and inclusivity. Kids in Spain spend far less time simply chasing up and down a large claggy pitch chasing the ball.

I do feel that the way our football is structured - i.e. a brutal capitalist system compared to american sport’s socialist systems (drafts etc) - that the onus should be on the bigger clubs to train youth coaches at lower levels.  When you consider how much a player earns each week, the same money could employ a team of trained coaches that each take charge of a youth league.  Their job is to then go to each club and (occasionally) coach the players and crucially also coach the coaches.

Great for the community - might create a few extra fans - and overall the quality should increase.

I rather think that this was what the FA hoped would happen.
It is starting to happen at the lower reaches of the semi-professional game, and local pro clubs often supply coaches for training courses (up where I am, Leeds and Middlesbrough get their coaching staff out into the community). But the challenge is having enough coaches to really make a difference for all; hence my point earlier about the number of coaches and the fact that my lad is tryng to get in there and make a difference.

[Dante Lavelli]

The way I see it, Villa must have a fair few YTS players which are released each year.  The club would know which ones have shown an aptitude to learning and might make good coaches.  These selected players could be retained within the club on smallish wages and asked to do their coaching badges/specialise in different areas of the game etc.  Each one would be given a league to monitor and effectively coach.

I’d love villa to be the first club to wholeheartedly try something like this.  Cheaper than starting a Masia and has greater benefit to the community.

[avfcpg]

I've got the FA Level 1 & 2 badges. Courses were pretty good and the FA have "modernised" the courses over the last 5 years or so. I think once you have them they are good for pretty much everywhere. Levels 3 and 4 are a lot more in depth and as well as the tactical side, they include things like handling high profile players and such like.

It's all about how you put them into practice though I guess.

I'm going to start studying for my Level One. I've been saying if for years. How much study time do you reccomend before actually sitting the course?

Level One doesn't really need much studying. It's really all about safety, getting sessions set up and organised, getting the basics into the sessions. You won't fail it.

Level Two is pretty good though. Massive step up. It goes much deeper into the tactical side of things in all aspects of the game (defending, attacking, switching play and such like). There's not much studying you can do before to be honest, it's all about your understanding of the game but the course helps you understand that.

[The Left Side]

I did my Level 2 for a week in March 2005 through BCFA in the pooring rain and loved it, it is hard work but you learn a lot from some really good coaches.

[inside right]

Kevin Keegan apparently never had any coaching badges in his time at the Geordie Nation

[villa1]

I've got the FA Level 1 & 2 badges. Courses were pretty good and the FA have "modernised" the courses over the last 5 years or so. I think once you have them they are good for pretty much everywhere. Levels 3 and 4 are a lot more in depth and as well as the tactical side, they include things like handling high profile players and such like.

It's all about how you put them into practice though I guess.

I'm going to start studying for my Level One. I've been saying if for years. How much study time do you reccomend before actually sitting the course?

No need to study. You'll pick it up as you go. L1 is very basic and virtually impossible to fail (although I have known it).
Big step up to level 2 and then another big step up to level 3 (UEFA B). Can't comment on UEFA A, although again I should imagine it's another significant step up.

I'd definitely recommend getting yourself on the Youth Award as soon as you've completed L2. Some great stuff on there and much more about your ideas and adaptations, rather than simply telling you how to do things.

[tomd2103]

Thanks Mister E.  Do you think the “rigour” of the EFA badges is putting coaches at youth level doing the badges?
I’m going back 10 to 20 years now but generally all the managers I had were the keenest dads.  One from memory had experience of coaching.

I do feel that the way our football is structured - i.e. a brutal capitalist system compared to american sport’s socialist systems (drafts etc) - that the onus should be on the bigger clubs to train youth coaches at lower levels.  When you consider how much a player earns each week, the same money could employ a team of trained coaches that each take charge of a youth league.  Their job is to then go to each club and (occasionally) coach the players and crucially also coach the coaches.

Great for the community - might create a few extra fans - and overall the quality should increase.

There was a debate on youth coaching in this country on Talksport earlier today.  Someone called in and made the point that the best youth coaches should be coaching the youngest kids so that they can get the basics right from an early age, as opposed to them coaching kids who may have already formed habits.    Seems we always have these conversations when major tournaments come around (usually after England have been knocked out!!).   

[Salsa Party Animal]

If you are crap in football, can you still do the coaching course ? Just interested

[Merv]

Thanks Mister E.  Do you think the “rigour” of the EFA badges is putting coaches at youth level doing the badges?
I’m going back 10 to 20 years now but generally all the managers I had were the keenest dads.  One from memory had experience of coaching.

Quite possibly, Dante, although I think the ethos around junior clubs generally is to encourage winning and results rather than player-improvement and inclusivity. Kids in Spain spend far less time simply chasing up and down a large claggy pitch chasing the ball.

I did my Level 1 in January; it was a requirement (along with CRB check) prior to me taking on the coaching of an U9 team (U10 this forthcoming season). The overwhelming message from the FA throughout the course totally contradicts that above - it's not about results and trophies, it is about developing technique and giving all your players equal playing time.

The huge pitches, chasing the ball, kids stuck out on the wing, etc, is always trotted out as reasons for the national team's failure in international tournaments and will be again in a fortnight's time, but it's pretty outdated compared to what is actually happening. The media have been rattling on about small-sided games being crucial in the UK but that was implemented years ago; my boys played six a side last season, it'll seven next season and at U11 it's 9 v 9. It's been that way for a while.

As for Level 1 prep - none really needed. It's a fair few hours and quite intensive but worth doing, and gets you started on the coaching pathway. I'd like to go Level 2 next, but it's longer and more demanding; or start on the Youth Awards, which is specifically for youth footballers.

[Holte L2]

Cheers for all of the great advice. I'm going to start getting them done and push on asap. Didn't realise home many job vacancies there are either for qualified coaches.