The importance of delegation
If you’re already a football coach, you’re probably reading this and thinking you have a hundred jobs to do. From planning and delivering training to managing matchday, doing admin and maybe even washing the kits. All while juggling work and your personal life.
If you spread yourself too thinly and try to do everything, it can have a detrimental effect on your enjoyment. It can also impact the environment you need to create as a coach. This is why trying to create a support network around you is so important. After all, you’re all there to make sure the players get the best experience possible. So, why can’t you all work together to ensure that happens?
Ask around at your next training session or matchday. You may find a parent who wants to step over the sidelines. Or someone who’s happy to take admin off you. Maybe even an FA qualified first aider to become your physio. You could soon have a little team around you, making your workload lighter. Which will save you a lot of time.
How to use effective time management at training
Here are some ideas coaches can try to save time at training:
- Set up some easy arrival activities – like 1v1s and tag – and put instructions on a whiteboard. Then, when players arrive, they can get on with it. That gives you time to set up the rest of the session. So you don’t have to get there really early to get everything ready.
- Utilise the players to help you. Whether it’s marking out pitches or collecting equipment, this saves you time. And it gives them a feeling of responsibility for the session. You could also outline the session on a whiteboard and challenge players to explain it to the next person to arrive. This saves you time explaining everything – meaning the session starts quicker.
- Cut down on planning time by having an overarching theme for a while. It may be for a month or six weeks. Knowing your overall objective for that period allows you to slightly tweak things each week. That way, you’re not constantly reinventing training.
- Ask parents to get involved. They could help you set activities up or even help with observation if you give them a focus to look out for.
- Use a voice recorder or notepad for a few in the moment thoughts. This will speed up your reflection time. And it’ll help you plan for the next session.
How to use effective time management on matchday
Here are some ideas coaches can try to save time on matchday:
- Create a matchday team with parents and carers. Delegate responsibilities to them to free yourself up.
- Like with training, put warm-up or arrival activities on a whiteboard. As soon as players are ready, they can start to prepare properly for matchday while you use your time effectively elsewhere.
- Give your substitutes observation tasks. It might be to watch a teammate and give them feedback at half-time. Or it could be related to your training focus. For example, you’ve worked on finishing in training – can your subs count how many shots you’ve had? How many are on target? Where are they being taken from? This furthers their learning, keeps them engaged and saves you time. Plus, the insight can help you see your team’s progress.
- Record some thoughts during the match via a notepad or voice recorder. This speeds up your reflection process as you can easily look back on the key moments from the game.
We’re here to help with time management
And we’re also here to help. If you need quick ideas for training, we have plenty of session plans for you to choose from. You can also find great insight and top coaching tips on the go with our podcast, Coachcast.
What to consider when working with different age groups
Keep in mind the age and stage of the players you work with. Some of these tips may be easier with different age groups. While you could make some of them more advanced for older players.
For instance, if you work with 5-11s and 12-16s, you’re more likely to have parents and carers there. You then have the option of asking them for help. However, if you work with 17-21s or adults, you may not have spectators to support you. But you may be able to give older players more responsibility.
And it’s important to understand your players and their needs. Giving them ownership or responsibilities might not be suitable for them at the moment. But when you feel it’s right to do so, keep in mind that it may not go perfectly. For example, you may need to readjust pitch sizes if they’ve been tasked with setting them up. But over time, things will run more smoothly.
Things to remember when trying to manage your time effectively
