I was sat on the office, waiting for the next two weeks to pass until I start my new job, when I decided to write a blog. "What should I blog about?" I asked myself.
Well, the biggest things happening to me in the near future are obviously my new job, although I used to work there a while ago so it's not exactly new in the truest sense of the word. My daughter is about to turn 13, but I don't really want to even think about that, let alone air my thoughts in public! So what else?
The only other thing in my life that's happening to me that might be vaguely interesting to anyone outside my family is my football coaching. I'm a really enthusiastic grass roots coach and I'm about to go on the FA Youth Appropriate Module 2 course being run at the Berks and Bucks FA. For anyone that doesn't know, the Youth Appropriate Modules have been designed by the FA for coaches of all abilities to learn more about what it means to coach kids between the ages of 5 and 11. The first course ("Developing the environment") focuses on the Social corner of the FA's 4 corner model (Social, Psychological, Physical and Technical) and covers how kids learn, motivation, self-esteem, managing mistakes, managing differences in the 4 corners and planning activities to suit your group. It really made me think about how I coached and has made a huge difference to how I coach now, particularly around the self-esteem and managing mistakes areas.
The FA Youth Appropriate Module 2 ("Developing the practice") is a further step forward in my development as a coach and is intended to help me develop the practical side of my coaching, as well as understanding how players develop physically and mentally. The pre-course reading took a good few hours and has already got me thinking about how I can change my coaching sessions. When you don't come from a science background, talk neuro plasticity is a bit daunting at first, but once I'd read the introductory booklet sent to me, I wanted to find out even more!
Apparently the course is mainly practical sessions, and as a slightly overweight, 45 year old youngster I'm really looking forward to it. The only football I normally get to play is against 10 year olds and my regular Sunday night vets league matches. I wonder what the other coaches attending will be like?
The only thing I'm not really looking forward to is the 90 minute journey at the beginning and end of each day. I was meant to go on this course a couple of months ago with the Beds FA, but I got the chance to spend the weekend at St Georges Park so that had to take preference!!!
I'll post here tomorrow evening when I've (hopefully) completed the first day.
