Open Bridging the Gap Between Research and Coaching Practice

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Coaching Practice

If you’ve ever found yourself trying to dig through academic papers on skill acquisition only to give up after the first page, you're not alone. For most coaches, research is meant to help us get better at what we do, but too often it feels like it's speaking a different language. Complex jargon, dense writing, and terms that seem designed to confuse rather than clarify create a barrier between valuable insights and the coaches who need them most.

This blog series is about changing that.

The aim here is simple: to break down the best of academic literature on skill acquisition into practical, easy-to-understand insights that can help you coach better. By doing this, we can bridge the gap between the science and the art of coaching.

We know that football is about so much more than teaching players to kick, pass, or d

Open Relationism & Positionism : Language of Play or Game Model?

Relationism vs. Positionism : Language of Play or Game Model?

The purpose of a "language of play" is to provide players with an intuitive and shared understanding of how to approach the game, using metaphors, imagery, or concepts that resonate with their natural tendencies and instincts. It emphasizes adaptability, creativity, and relational dynamics between players, fostering a deeper connection to the flow of the game. A language of play encourages players to interpret situations dynamically rather than strictly adhering to predetermined structures.

In contrast, a game model is a systematic framework that outlines the specific tactics, patterns, and positional responsibilities for a team in various phases of play (e.g., attack, defence, transition). It provides clear guidance on how the team is expected to operate, often relying on predefined solutions for specific scenarios. A game model is typicall

Open Developing a Language of Play

1. Campfire 🔥

This principle emphasizes close player proximity around the ball carrier, fostering combinations such as toco y me voy (I play, I go), tabelas (one-twos), and escadinhas (staircases); all of which are beautifully explained in this article by Jamie Hamilton.

By gathering around the ball, players create conditions for relational play to emerge. This setup maximizes opportunities for progressive play while maintaining compactness for defensive transitions.

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2. Tilt the Table ⚖️

This principle involves overloading one side of the pitch to "tilt" the attack in a particular direction. The concentration of players enhances interaction while also reducing vulnerability to counterattacks by facilitating quick reco

Open It's Time to Stop Saying “Does That Make Sense?”

It's Time to Stop Saying “Does That Make Sense?”

In coaching, words are powerful. When you gather young players around, explain a new training game, and ask, “Does that make sense?” you might mean well, but communication experts like Jerry Weissman would argue it’s time to retire this phrase. “Does that make sense?” subtly implies doubt — either about your own explanation or the players’ ability to understand.

But what if, as a coach, you could shift to more meaningful ways of checking in with players that encourage deeper learning? This approach brings in the critical distinction between “knowledge about” and “knowledge of” a concept, highlighted by O’Sullivan, Vaughan, Woods & Davids (2023) in their research on contemporary player development frameworks.

Knowledge About vs. Kno

Open Inside the Football Factory: Young Players' Reflections on Being Released

Inside the Football Factory: Young Players' Reflections on Being Released

Football is a sport that many young people dream of pursuing professionally, yet the path to success is narrow, and most aspiring footballers experience the harsh reality of deselection. A recent study by Gorman & Blackwood (2023) delves into the psychological and social implications of this deselection process, focusing on identity loss, social isolation, and the struggles faced by players after their football career ends prematurely.

This article attempts to summarise the study’s findings into digestible insights for coaches, clubs, and the footballing community.

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Introduction

Every year, many young footballers are released from clubs, facing the difficult reality that they won’t become professional players. This sudden and often brutal exit from the football system leaves many young men feeling lost and unprepared for life outside the sport.

Open Wayfinding: How Ecological Perspectives Can Transform the Learning Process in Sport

Wayfinding: How Ecological Perspectives Can Transform the Learning Process in Sport

Navigating through complex environments is something humans do instinctively—whether crossing physical landscapes or solving problems in sports. A recent study by Woods, Rudd, Robertson & Davids (2020) explores wayfinding, an ecological concept that reimagines how athletes learn and interact with their environment. By viewing learning as a process of discovery and interaction, this study proposes a shift from traditional coaching methods towards designs that encourage athletes to explore, self-regulate, and adapt their behaviors dynamically.

Here’s a breakdown of the study's key concepts and how they can be applied to football coaching.

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Introduction

The term wayfinding traditionally refers to how humans navigate physical spaces, but in this context, i

Open How Coaches Structure Youth Football Training for Player Development

How Coaches Structure Youth Football Training for Player Development

In the world of youth football, coaches are responsible for developing the technical, tactical, and decision-making skills of young players. But how do most coaches actually structure their training sessions to meet these goals? A recent study by O'Connor, Larkin & Williams (2017) observed youth football sessions to explore what activities coaches use, how much time players spend actively engaged, and what coaching behaviors are most common.

This article breaks down the key findings of the study into simple, actionable insights that you can use to improve your own training sessions.

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01. Introduction

Football coaching is more than just setting up drills and running scrimmages. It’s about crea

Open Premature Professionalism or Early Engagement: Insights for Football Coaches

Premature Professionalism or Early Engagement: Insights for Football Coaches

The question of how best to develop young football players has sparked debate around early specialization versus diversification. Should young athletes focus solely on football from an early age, or is a broader approach to sport participation more beneficial? A study by Sweeney, Horan & MacNamara (2021) critically examines the practice of early specialization in football academies and offers guidance for coaches on how to balance early engagement with long-term player development.

This article simplifies key insights from the study, focusing on practical takeaways for football coaches.

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Introduction

Professional football clubs invest heavily in their academies, often recruiting players as young as six. This has raised concerns about the

Open Ecological-Dynamic vs. Traditional Prescriptive Approach in Improving Soccer Skills

Ecological-Dynamic vs. Traditional Prescriptive Approach in Improving Soccer Skills

Coaches are always looking for ways to improve their players' technical abilities, especially in young athletes. Two common methods for training technical skills in soccer are the Traditional Prescriptive Approach and the Ecological-Dynamic Approach. This article explores an interesting study by Espositio, Ceruso, Aliberti & Raiola (2024) that compares these methods to see which is more effective in developing passing skills in young soccer players.

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01. Introduction

Soccer is a complex game where players need to develop not only technical skills but also adaptability and decision-making abilities. Traditionally, coaches have used the Prescriptive Approach—structured drills with specific instructions on how to perform tasks. However, the Ecological-Dynamic Approach emphasizes adapting to real-game