Beyond the Pitch – May

Posted on by

Welcome to FYSC’s monthly newsletter! Here we’ll share news about the club, and provide supporting materials to help parents navigate the often confusing and complex youth sports landscape.

We’re passionate about our 3 pillars of learning:

Educating Players | Educating Parents | Educating Coaches

Subscribe to Our Monthly E-Newsletter

Fremont YSC Programs Open for Registration

Registrations are OPEN for Competitive, Grassroots, and Summer Camp programs.

Fremont YSC Competitive program is for players wanting to learn and develop in an athlete centered environment, where curriculum structure and session design is aligned to the needs of the individual player, and an appropriate pathway to follow the phases of learning and characteristics of the individual during these specific phases.

Learn About the Club

Click Here for Full Presentation – Fremont YSC Competitive Program

What does Competitive mean?

  • Competitive, Compete:
    • originates from the Latin word ‘competere’, meaning to strive or to seek. The individuals pursuit of betterment with a shared common goal. Today it’s been used to refer to dominance over others. The purpose of a Competitive program is for the individual to optimize their abilities.
  • Confidence:
    •  ‘psychological state empowered by the beliefs that a player has about executing specific skills to a desired level’. The individuals beliefs in their own ability to overcome a situation.

These two words are used a lot around youth soccer, and when there is true understanding, there continues to be the focus on the individual, and the individuals needs. The sports business and ego of adults have skewed understanding of these key principles for youth development.

Thoughts of Elite Coaches

The Individual Learns

The journey through youth soccer development is an individuals journey, and this is true throughout all ages and learning phases.

Beginner and Foundation Phase: the individual is at the start of their journey and focus is on their individual technical ability, dominating 1v1 situations, and understanding their role as the 1st and 2nd attacker and defender.

Development Phase: technical ability is progressed into more advanced techniques, and understanding the role within a playing unit. The individual begins to understand the role of the 3rd player.

There is no reference to team performance or outcome, that is the adults game, and even then the focus still remains on developing systems and players through a process. When focus is on team performance and outcome (a lot of youth soccer and the foundation of the alphabet leagues), you take away the individuals learning. Learning is the individuals deep understanding from their experiences.

Marketing and Recruiting is NOT Developing

Having completed multiple professional levels of UEFA Licensing, a Masters Degree in coaching, and completed many academy study visits throughout the world, I’ve not once heard nor learned that the name of a playing league supports player development!

A players development is through the age appropriate learning methodologies implemented by a club, pedagogy that supports deep learning, and relationships in an athlete centered environment. This all informed by a development structure. You can see the summary of our Development Phase below.

A clear pathway through an age appropriate journey, with considerations for the individuals needs, and the building of relationships is what supports player development… not a social media post and tag lines!

Coach Education, Coaches as Life Long Learners

An important pillar at Fremont YSC is coach development, coaches being lifelong learners.

Attaining licenses is just one part, but finding additional learning opportunities is critical for broadening a coaches understanding of how we can best influence the player. This years conference included an on-field and lecture by Premier League coach, Russel Martin; on-field demonstration by Premier League coach Rob Edwards; presentation from International Manager Craig Bellamy; and a guest appearance by Brandi Chastain on creating a culture.

Posted in Uncategorized.