In this blog, Lee Brown, FA county coach developer, discusses how you can go above and beyond to connect with your players and put a smile on their faces. 

Before we get stuck in, it’s important to remember that safeguarding best practice must be considered in every interaction with your team. For example, when communicating with players online, make sure parents and carers are always involved. Click here for an overview of our digital dos and don’ts.   

Your players need you… 

Covid-19 has thrown us unprecedented challenges. Your players will be experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions associated with their personal circumstances the pandemic has created. Parents and siblings becoming teachers, working on the front line, financial instability, little face-to-face interaction with their friends and families and no football.  
 
Have you called each family to check in with them? 
 
As coaches we have a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on how the players in our care feel. Yes, we can provide an online training session or organise a team zoom call. But these seem to be the simple one size fits all option.  
 
I challenge you to think creatively and outside of football training…. 

What will you do during lockdown?  

I held a zoom handwriting lesson with my best friend’s six-year-old son last week. He finds handwriting tough, so ‘Uncle Browny’ stepped in to offer support. I’m not a teacher, but I was creative and together we wrote a letter to his friend – he loved it. 
 
Here are some ideas you might like: 

• Write a personalised letter to each player explaining how much you’re missing them at football, how you value them and all the things you like about them and their football skills. Maybe ask them to write letters to each other? 
• Set a physical activity or challenge for the squad and include their families. 1000 miles of walking in ten days, two –weeks or one month? An accumulative keepy-uppy target? Ask them each to host a weekly ‘Joe Wicks’ style workout perhaps? 
• Homeschooling. Find out what each player needs support with. There may be three or four that need help with maths. Some may struggle with history. Others may need more engagement with reading. Find a way, through football, of engaging them academically to help. 
• Tactical analysis. Pick a football match and set up an online call to review it with your players and their parents. You could get them working in small groups and select who presents the analysis. It might help to develop presenting and leadership skills. 

You can help keep players smiling during this pandemic 

When we’re dealing with uncertainty or challenging situations, a positive and supportive attitude can make a world of difference. For example, think back to your favourite teacher at school or the football coach growing up you look back on most fondly. 
 
Let me guess… you have a smile on your face as you’re picturing that person in your head or maybe thinking of a happy memory that individual helped create? 
 
Matt Lewis, my first football coach at U9s, and Mr Peregrine, my secondary school science teacher, are mine. I can picture the smile on Matt’s face as he dribbled past 15 eight-year-olds in training. The humour dished out by ‘Pezza’ when an experiment hadn’t gone to plan. The quiet 1-2-1 support they both used when I needed it.  
 
Enthusiasm, a caring nature and humour were three qualities those individuals used to inspire and engage me. Why don’t you see how you can inspire and support your players during this time?   

As we face challenges we never imagined... 

It’s as important as ever to consider the following questions.  

• How can you be that memorable teacher or coach to each player?  
• What is it that each player wants and needs from you? 
• When does each player need your support, guidance or reassurance?  

All your players will be different in so many ways and therefore a one size fits all approach may not put you ‘top of their class’. You should consider how your interactions and behaviours towards each player may be received culturally and socially and the situational context it’s within. 
 
What do you think about Lee’s ideas? Can you think of any others to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.