E M A G G N I V L O THE EV February, 2018
Issue 44 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Coaching Newsletter
U.S. Soccer will be unveiling its Grassroots Licenses on January 31. The four Grassroots licenses include 4V4 (U8), 7V7 (U10), 9V9 (U12), 11V11 (13+) I have been part of the study group that has developed the player-centered, holistic Grassroots Curriculum that will become the foundation of all licensing. The curriculum will provide easy to follow guidelines in the six tasks of a coach: Coaching the Game Leading the Team Managing Performance Environment Coaching Training Sessions Leading the Player Developing Personal Leadership Skills These licenses will be offered on-line through the U.S. Soccer Digital Coaching Center and on-site from Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and their educational instructors. Each individual on-site Grassroots License is four hours in length. The preferred schedule is a one-hour introduction, two hours on the field with candidates working with age appropriate players utilizing the play, practice, play model and a one-hour power point presentation reflecting on the on-field portion, grassroots roadmaps, leadership and key qualities of both players and coaches. But in some ways, the schematics are secondary to the philosophy. Each training session going forward should, according to this model, open with free play, usually small-sided. Coaches will then pose questions for their players, not to get answers, but to stimulate their thinking. A practice session would follow based on the topic of the coach's choosing. During practice,
coaches should reestablish the key themes from the question period of the "play." The training then closes with a scrimmage and a self-reflection period from the coach: how did I do today? What worked? What didn't? In this new model, players are Mike Barr actually playing for most of Eastern Pennsylvania practice. We're trying to give Youth Soccer Technical Director back to the players to keep them actively involved and enjoying it. Players and coaches are both more engaged, and that starts with the licenses. One of the most common questions we’ve received so far is what happens if a coach has a National E or F License? Within U.S. Soccer’s pathway, the Grassroots Licenses will take the place of the current National F and E licenses. Coaches who have taken the E license are eligible to take the new D License when it is introduced in the spring if they complete the introduction module on the DCC (20-minute video). F license holders must watch the introduction module and take two in-person Grassroots Courses, one of which must be the 11v11. We are examining the possibility of providing coaches who have taken the E previously to attend a portion of a Grassroots course to gain an understanding of new terminology and methodology. We will be providing more information regarding the new D License at a later date. We hope to be a constant resource to any coach who needs assistance or has questions regarding the coaching pathway.
Inside: Interviews with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Youth Award Winners