I've just recently read the article by Lawrence that discussed what makes a good coach.
I'm a coach in Canada with approx. 23yrs. experience but not in the sport of soccer. I am a former professional ski racer and played soccer as a complimentary sport to that. I did not play soccer at an elite level and also have a seriously injured knee that restricts my ability at this age (49) to play.
I did coach ski racing for a short time because of my background but boxing was the sport I have most experience coaching. My accomplishments as a coach include Olympic athletes(both sports)in the amatuers and World champion and world ranked boxers in the pros. I am not just a coach but a student of coaching and study this Art and Science constantly.
I entered the sport of soccer as a coach two years ago because I love soccer and helped my children become players.
Some of the points, Lawrence touched on, that I feel are very important to Canada and the U.S.A. are:
Coaching is not a sport, it's an Art that uses science and intuition to incorporate ability into others so that they can succeed at anything.
The best athletes were not coached by the former best athletes.
Because you live in a country that is successful in soccer does not in any way make you a good coach. Many people in the U.S.A. would be very challenged to teach baseball in Germany.
I doubt the best American coaches would leave the U.S.A. to try.
Your ability to play the sport you coach is irrelevent to your ability to coach.
Soccer is a sophiticated sport in terms of tactics (not unlike boxing, you'd be surprized at the similarities) but Muhammad Ali's coach Angelo Dundee never boxed and believe me Angelo is a very very sophisticated and accomplished coach, well beyond what you might think he would be.
There are many lawyers in the U.S.A. - some are good and some are bad but they all took the same course and passed the same bar. Taking a coaching course is good but there are no guarantees it will make you a good coach.
One last point I'd like to mention is that (generally speaking) the Europeans that came to Canada to coach soccer, and are in control of it here, always remind us Canadians that we don't know anything about soccer, "unlike us europeans". They sure seem to know
the sport but didn't seem to do a good job of teaching it to us!!
If you want good coaching in America then depend on yourselves because you have it.
Super Striker
