Day 3: Coaching the Player

Originally posted January 2, 2020 on playbeautifulsoccer.net

The focus of the coaching course for day three was all about Coaching the Player. Davis and I taught on a holistic approach to player development and providing feedback through player evaluations. Drawing on information from participation learned working with US Soccer and SoccerPlus as well as experience analyzing players across the world at various age groups and ability levels, we provided the coaches with a template for analysis and set up games in the evening for the coaches to practice their ability to evaluate players.

In the practical, coaches were assigned to a player. They were to coach and mentor this player while evaluating their performance. The match was a friendly between Oyiengo Starlets u18 girls from Seme versus Davis’ girls whose ages were 17 and below. Within the mix was an incredible young player who is 13 years old named Velma Awuor who has received honors as both the top scorer and best player in East Africa. As a winger (#7), she dominated the opposing team’s #2 with positional superiority; physical/technical superiority with her pace, touch control, and confidence; and causing for numbers up situations with electrifying 1v1 ability, taking on all daring defenders. She scored four goals in the 11-1 win over the Onyiengo Starlets u18 girls.