Coaches,

I wanted to reach out to everyone to update you on some things that I have received emails and questions regarding the start of the first weekend's matches.  Also, I want to let you know of some updates on content to the blog for you to have a look at when you get the chance.  Finally, I want to address the idea of training warm ups and give you some thoughts and ideas on ways to better prepare players for training and games.

REFEREE INFO

I have contacted our referee assigner, who will be notifying all of the referees about a few issues that I have been contacted about. 

First, the recreation substitution policy states that any stoppage of play, teams are able to substitute players.  This means that any ball that is out of play for a throw-in, goal kick, corner kick, or even free kick.  While all of the referees are planned to be contacted about this, I do recommend that when you meet with the ref prior to the start of the match, that you make sure that this is how he/she will allow substitutions.

Second, all recreation teams are supposed to be given a water break in the middle of each half at the referees stoppage.  Again, this is planned to be communicated as well to the refs.  I do, however, recommend that you ensure prior to the match that the ref will ensure that there will be a break.  The only exception to this is if both the coaches agree before the match not to have a break.  As we get further into the season and it gets cooler, this may be an option.

NEW BLOG CONTENT

• Videos section - There are some videos on 6v6 formations and 8v8 formations.  I also have a nice video posted that details turns. 
• Recreation coaches checklist - This is an outline that details some important things to think about and good practices for coaches.  Have a look.
• U6-U8 training activities

TRAINING WARM UP

One thing that I would really love to try and change and implement across the entire recreation division is the manner in which we as coaches prepare our players for training and games.  Being out and observing training sessions of various teams, I see many teams implementing having players run laps around the field as well as static stretching.  A better method to prepare players is to incorporate something called dynamic stretching and movements.  Basically, the idea behind this is that players keep active and moving in smaller spaces with multiple changes in directions while also stretching on the move. 

A better warm up:

• The warm up should last for about the first 10 minutes of the session, no more.
• Establish a grid or a channels in which players can keep active and moving constantly
• Smaller spaces forces players to change directions often which  adds an element of agility and coordination
• Add in dynamic stretching
• high knees
• butt kickers
• opening and closing gates
• heel walks and toe walks
• shuffles
• Incorporate movements both with and without the ball

Please have a look at the Blog content relating to dynamic warm ups.  I will be creating some links and details on warm up ideas to post to the blog.  Also, every coaching education session, along with any recreation team training that I conduct, I will be using a dynamic warm up.

Thank you again for your dedication and all you do for the recreation division.

Bryan Farnsworth

Recreation Coaches,

Thank you for everyone that was able to make it out to the Soccer Fest on Sunday and also sit in on the coaching session discussions that afternoon.  I recognize that it is tough to learn to much in that format and environment, so hopefully you were able to pick something up.

I wanted to mention that I have added some new content to the blog.  First, there is a link in the training library section to U5/6 coaching education section of the CASL website.  Additionally, in the upper left hand corner of the content section I have a where is the Director section.  Each week that I have sessions planned to coach, I will be informing everyone where I will be in case other coaches want to make it by to observe.  Also, please note that there is some good information in the coach links section, including a PDF for 44 warm up activities.  Finally, I have uploaded the 2 coaching clinic sessions that I plan to run this weekend including my recommended age groups for the sessions.

Thanks again for all you do for the recreation players.

Bryan Farnsworth

Coaches,

I wanted to reach out to everyone to inquire about by coming out to run/observe training sessions.  The best days for myself would be Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday.  If you have training any of these days, regardless of you training site, and you would like me to come out and either run a session or observe your session, please contact me.

Please send me an email with the subject as recreation training.  Inform me what gender, age group, typical number of players in your session, location, and training time.  I will respond back to get you on the schedule and let you know what session I will plan to conduct.  Once I schedule a session, if it is at a location that several teams happen to train, I will contact the other coaches and inform them so that they may send over a coach or arrange for them to come by to observe.

Please contact me at bryanf@caslemail.com.  Get me on your schedule!!

Welcome

Recreation Coaches,

Welcome to the Coaches Connection blog.  This blog is going to be the primary method in which I plan to communicate with all of the recreation coaches starting this season.  Please take a little bit of time to familiarize yourself with the layout of the blog.

There are 3 primary sections to the blog.  The central portion of the page is the storage site for all of the blog messages.  On the left side of the blog, notice that there are a few separate sections denoted sportsmanship focus, training session examples, activity of the week and coaching links.  The right hand panel of the blog has the subscriber tool, useful links, parents library, and the archive tool for old blog posts.  I will briefly describe them below.

Sportsmanship focus - I will explain in detail in the next mass email communication.

Training session examples - I plan to post different training session examples here (8-10).  These are specific sessions that can be run in entirety or modified as needed.  In the coming days I am going to be firming up a weekly schedule in which I will hold weekly coaching clinics.  In these clinics, I will be running these sessions that I post.

Activity of the week - I will post in this section (1-3) different activities.  Have a look at them as I will detail the setup of the activities as well as specific coaching points.

Coaching links - I will store links to documents that I find beneficial for you to have access to.

Useful links - links to schedules, field maps, ect.

Parents library - Files that I find will be beneficial for parents.  You can direct the parents to the blog or send these files to your parents if you like.


Bryan Farnsworth
Director of Recreation - Coaching Education and Player Development