He's fit...but not 'match fit'.
How many times have you heard someone say of a player.....He's fit, but he's not match fit.?
What does it mean? How can we be sure that a player is match fit? What can we do to get players match fit?
Match fitness can only come through playing games. Unfortunately, some have taken this to mean that a player needs to wait for a competitive game against another team before he can work on his match fitness. This is not true.
As I have said already, the only way to get match fit is to play games. If the right game is played in training then the coach can not only bring a player up to speed in terms of match fitness but can also set the limits for all players.
You see, match fitness is about how quickly a player can make a decision, how well he can react to a situation, how aware he is of the play around him. It has to be founded on physical fitness [particularly sharpness] but it is a 'brain' thing more than anything else.
When you hear people say that a player can't cope with the speed of the game, it doesn't mean that he cannot run as fast as the other players. It means his thinking, his reactions and his awareness are not as sharp as they should be.
So....what can coaches do?
The best games are based on the clock. Try playing a game, with normal rules except for the condition which allows each player a maximum of 3 seconds on the ball. Just count 1,2,3 when a player is in possession. This is better than calling for one toe-tap and/or one bounce. The best way to play this is to use one coach to referee and another to run the 3 second rule and blow only when this is broken.
If players really respond, cut it to 2 seconds. You will really only be able to do this after a number of weeks working on the former.
Another way to use the clock, is to decide on a certain number of seconds during which a team may score. Imagine the keeper kicks the ball out and a player gathers the ball at midfield. The coach/referee calls out a countdown......10, 9, 8 ,7 etc. The team must shoot for a score before 0 is reached. If the opposition wins the ball, the coach decides on the number from which to start the countdown [e.g. the opposition wins the ball only 45m from the goal. The coach needs to speed up their play, so he begins the countdown from 5.]
There are many modifications to such games...all based on working towards match fitness at speeds where opponents cannot hope to compete.
Showing posts with label Philip Kerr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philip Kerr. Show all posts
Monday, 6 April 2009
Friday, 3 April 2009
Coaching Tips By Philip Kerr - Tip 4
Increasing the Traffic
Many drills and practice exercises on the pitch are excellent, but often they do not mirror reality.
For example: A coach may run two or three drills in different areas of the pitch, all involving passing or catching or solo running or lifting etc. and all happening at the same time.
Small groups of players take part in each and there is always plenty of space in which to work. This is fine up to a point.
If coaches took two or even three drills, let players get used to them first and then moved the cones to superimpose the exercises one on top of the other in the same area of the field, this would allow players to practise skills and techniques while others moved among them and around the same area.
Players who can learn to cope with 'increased traffic' in a smaller area will be able to carry this through to a game, where there are team-mates and opponents getting in the way of passes etc.
Go on...try it!
Many drills and practice exercises on the pitch are excellent, but often they do not mirror reality.
For example: A coach may run two or three drills in different areas of the pitch, all involving passing or catching or solo running or lifting etc. and all happening at the same time.
Small groups of players take part in each and there is always plenty of space in which to work. This is fine up to a point.
If coaches took two or even three drills, let players get used to them first and then moved the cones to superimpose the exercises one on top of the other in the same area of the field, this would allow players to practise skills and techniques while others moved among them and around the same area.
Players who can learn to cope with 'increased traffic' in a smaller area will be able to carry this through to a game, where there are team-mates and opponents getting in the way of passes etc.
Go on...try it!
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Coaching Tips By Philip Kerr - Tip 3
Gaelic Football's Lost Tribe [The Half-Forwards]
Flavour of the month is to by-pass this group when attacking and employ them more and more as defenders who track back to block opposition attacks and close in to look for breaks from midfield.
A centre-half forward must be a creative player...one who orchestrates, who has great passing ability [preferably with both feet] and who has a tactical brain.
Wing half-forwards must be blessed with both stamina and pace, for they are link players who have to fetch, carry and support more often than any other group.
So, how about looking at your own team! Have you a playmaker pulling the strings at CHF? Do your wing forwards have the necessary characteristics to take them through a game? Or have you created three extra defenders who help the defence and watch long balls fly over their heads at such a rate that a Derby horse would do well to get up in support?
Oh...and one more thing they should be able to do.......SCORE now and again!
Flavour of the month is to by-pass this group when attacking and employ them more and more as defenders who track back to block opposition attacks and close in to look for breaks from midfield.
A centre-half forward must be a creative player...one who orchestrates, who has great passing ability [preferably with both feet] and who has a tactical brain.
Wing half-forwards must be blessed with both stamina and pace, for they are link players who have to fetch, carry and support more often than any other group.
So, how about looking at your own team! Have you a playmaker pulling the strings at CHF? Do your wing forwards have the necessary characteristics to take them through a game? Or have you created three extra defenders who help the defence and watch long balls fly over their heads at such a rate that a Derby horse would do well to get up in support?
Oh...and one more thing they should be able to do.......SCORE now and again!
Monday, 30 March 2009
Coaching Tips By Philip Kerr - Tip 2
Drills v Games
As players develop, their technique improves more rapidly than any other part of their game. They can usually learn to kick, catch, fist,block, solo etc. with a fair degree of comfort. The better players often practise these skills at home and come on faster than those who only rely on drills in coaching sessions once or twice a week.
What they find more difficult is to develop the ability to make the right decision in a game - when to pass, who to pass to, where to run, how to pass. A coach who prepares a squad through sessions filled with drills, is only working at one part of the game.
How can a drill solve problems like 'forwards bunching' or 'lack of midfield support' or 'no width' or 'poor use of quick frees'? The answer is...it CAN'T!
If a player is a poor kicker of the ball, there is work done to solve that problem. What are we doing to help the player who takes the wrong option more often than the right one in a game?
Get working at games. Remember...Games = Problems. Start solving the problems!
As players develop, their technique improves more rapidly than any other part of their game. They can usually learn to kick, catch, fist,block, solo etc. with a fair degree of comfort. The better players often practise these skills at home and come on faster than those who only rely on drills in coaching sessions once or twice a week.
What they find more difficult is to develop the ability to make the right decision in a game - when to pass, who to pass to, where to run, how to pass. A coach who prepares a squad through sessions filled with drills, is only working at one part of the game.
How can a drill solve problems like 'forwards bunching' or 'lack of midfield support' or 'no width' or 'poor use of quick frees'? The answer is...it CAN'T!
If a player is a poor kicker of the ball, there is work done to solve that problem. What are we doing to help the player who takes the wrong option more often than the right one in a game?
Get working at games. Remember...Games = Problems. Start solving the problems!
Friday, 27 March 2009
Coaching Tips By Philip Kerr - Tip 1
The Four Storey Coaching Model
Each player aspires to be the best. Each coach tries to bring the best out in players. One of the better ways to do this is to check for ways to improve individual players.
A top player should have four main qualities:
Superb Technique / Athleticism / Speed of Thought / Ability to be a Teamplayer
Think about your coaching sessions. In every session you should be working to develop at least three of these qualities, one on top of the other. If not, you're not really coaching. If you need to change, do it now!
A group of five year-olds might practise bouncing [technique], running and dodging [atleticism], tag-belt tig [speed of thought] and relays [teamplay].
A group of eight year-olds may work on kicking with either foot [technique], races [athleticism], two-touch football [speed of thought] and a 7 a-side game [teamplay]
A squad of senior players may work on various drills [technique], sprints [athleticism], conditioned games [speed of thought] and backs v forwards [teamplay].
Each player aspires to be the best. Each coach tries to bring the best out in players. One of the better ways to do this is to check for ways to improve individual players.
A top player should have four main qualities:
Superb Technique / Athleticism / Speed of Thought / Ability to be a Teamplayer
Think about your coaching sessions. In every session you should be working to develop at least three of these qualities, one on top of the other. If not, you're not really coaching. If you need to change, do it now!
A group of five year-olds might practise bouncing [technique], running and dodging [atleticism], tag-belt tig [speed of thought] and relays [teamplay].
A group of eight year-olds may work on kicking with either foot [technique], races [athleticism], two-touch football [speed of thought] and a 7 a-side game [teamplay]
A squad of senior players may work on various drills [technique], sprints [athleticism], conditioned games [speed of thought] and backs v forwards [teamplay].
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