This is a course that is designed for those coaches who wish to elevate their professional practice so that it is excellent and exceptional. The course adapts classical coaching theory in order to make it relevant to the soccer game. The designers of this course have gleaned insights from a range of disciplines including psychology, sociology, sports science, and biology. By joining this course, you will be improving your own coaching competencies and understanding of soccer.

The course is arranged under the following thematic areas:

VIDEO 1: Underlying Principles of Soccer Learning

• PRINCIPLE 1: “The thing itself”           
• PRINCIPLE 2: “The SAID Principle”      
• PRINCIPLE 3: Specificity         
• PRINCIPLE 4: Transfer             
• PRINCIPLE 5: Loading and Overload

VIDEO 2: Using 'Constraints' in Your Youth Soccer Practice   

• Example of the Manchester United 4 v 4 Pilot Scheme
• Selected and constrained 4v4 games               
• Conceptualization of constraints        
• Individual characteristics as constraints          
• The environment as a constraint        
• Constraints related to a specific task or set of tasks    
• Using constraints to solve problems

VIDEO 3: Nurturing Creativity            

• The Wallas Stage Model of creativity
• Creativity and the Human Brain         
• The Universality of Creativity               
• Setting the Stage for Creativity in Soccer        

VIDEO 4: Optimal Learning Environment      

• What is a learning environment?
• How to design a learning environment when coaching soccer?
• The 7Cs of Learning in the 21st Century

VIDEO 5: Habits of Great Coaches    

• What are the qualities of great coaches?
• Ten habits of highly effective coaches             
• How to cultivate good habits of coaching?
• Using Socratic questioning as a great coach

VIDEO 6: Designing Your Sessions    

• Teaching versus learning in your coaching sessions
• Establishing the priorities of the soccer coaching session         
• The structure of an effective coaching session

After attending this course, you will achieve the following:

• You will get a certificate confirming your competencies
• You will improve your knowledge about the latest soccer coaching techniques
• You will get insights into your role as a coach, parent, trainer, and supporter
• You will learn more about soccer generally

You should consider this course if:

• You are new to coaching and want to learn more about professional practice
• You already a good coach, but want to improve your professional practice
• You have been given an opportunity to coach elite athletes and wish to support them well
• You are already an established coach, but wish to update your competencies
• You are studying soccer coaching and wish to identify areas of further research
• You are generally interested in soccer coaching
• You are a soccer parent wishing support your child and other soccer players
• You are a trainer or other member of staff that wishes to improve their knowledge about the game