Players keep asking to play games? Try these 4️⃣ session must haves to be a more games based coach using MatchPlay Cards©️:
Increase ball rolling time
"I would like to think our sessions have 90% ball rolling time, with the other 10% being pauses and small interventions."
"I have tried really hard to be aware of why I intervening or pausing the game. It maybe I note down 3 core focuses for the session and then pick MatchPlay Cards©️ 3 that then fit the session theme and keep them in my pocket, it saves time and maximises engagement."
"I use MatchPlay Cards©️ in so many different settings to play more games; School inclusion settings, to holiday camps and all the way up to Middlesbrough FC Academy. "
Give players what they want
"We played on 4 different pitches, each pitch being a different zie, each themed around a different Premier League player, Sterling to Marhez, Bernando and Foden. I go through the deck of MatchPlay Cards©️ before the session starts and then select cards for each of those pitches as team challenges, when the players rotate they get to play a different MatchPlay Card©️"
"Sometimes it is total random and when players change pitches, I will invite a certain player to come and pick a card"
"What I like about giving players choice with MatchPlay Cards©️ is the variability it brings, in football we never know what is coming next so for players to get use to that is powerful."
Start training with games
"Parents will look over sometimes and think; they've gone straight into games, 1v1 and 2v2s, what are the players learning tonight. Now what I try and do is be tactical and when I am stopping the game to speak to the players, I am actually doing it loud enough for parents to hear and in a position for them to see."
"Adults sometimes get in the way of youth players development because we structure everything. Small things like not wearing bibs, we play a lot without bibs so players can scan more and is less formal for them"
"The power of MatchPlay Cards©️ is massive! The impact of when I don't use the challenge cards is a lot less for the players."
Keep the energy buzzing
"We do a lot of games continuous games by time; 4 minute games, 2 minute games, 6 minute games and at different times during the game, I would add a new MatchPlay Card©️ into the game to keep the energy high"
"The power of MatchPlay Cards©️ is massive! The impact of when I don't use the challenge cards is a lot less for the players."
"I am a massive believer in the constraints based approach to coaching, that's why I use MatchPlay Cards©️. If I say what is on the card to the players they will listen and do it but when I pull out MatchPlay Cards©️ and let them read it, the impact is so much higher, you see more emotion and involved.."
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3 session must haves for young players
Why your players keep asking for games