05 August 2010

The word on the kerb as James Ovenden talks US street soccer.

So England are on their way home from the World Cup, and it is upsetting to see such a poor performance. But, also it is an awakening to our country and the way we educate and coach our children. Many creative thinkers believe we are in need of a reform in order to change our soccer for the better, I believe this is not enough. Reform is no use anymore, because that is simply improving a broken model. What we need, is not a reform, but a transform, we need to totally transform the way we play and educate the game in order to survive an ever improving game, worldwide. If we are going to do this we need to start challenging what we take for granted, I don’t know the answer but what we need to take into consideration is part of a speech that Abraham Lincoln gave in 1862, in the “Second Annual Meeting of Congress”:
  “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise – with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think a new and actanew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
  To save our game we need to ‘disenthrall’ ourselves- meaning that the ideas we have on how the game should be played, we are enthralled to in which we take for granted. But many of our ideas have been created not to meet today’s game, but to cope with the way the game used to played. Our minds are hypnotized by them and the World Cup of 2010 has shown it is time to disenthrall ourselves.

How can the ISSA help?
ISSA coach education programs:
The ISSA Creative skill development course looks at alternitive coaching methods that achieve genuine results both on and off the field. The basic philosophy behind the Creative Skill Development course is that the player is in control of their own learning. Player centred learning has been given much lip service in recent times. When we say that players should be in control of their own learning, it means that they should be allowed to make their own mistakes and try their own ways of approaching challenges. Players should also be able to set their own goals and expectations, and develop at their own pace. It should also be the player that finds their own weaknesses, and ways to address them. This course helps you find ways to deliver effective coaching that develops creative players.

ISSA skills trainer:
The ISSA Skills Trainer is an exciting street soccer program that can be delivered by coaches, teachers and youth workers that are new to street soccer. This is a great way to develop skill in participants both on and off the field by covering themes that develops children’s learning skills such as “Having a positive attitude” “Learning from Mistakes” etc. The program is fully resourced and includes a personal development handbook that guides the participant through the program that links to online skill videos where they learn the most up to date modern skills of the game. A fully resourced 6 week program for coaches to develop skills in players.•  

For more information please go to www.internationalstreetsoccer.com