You’ve paid the fees. You’ve kitted your child out at no small expense. You’ve got them to training, and you’re standing on the sideline in whatever weather the day has thrown at you. But do you actually know what a good session looks like?
For parents without a sporting background, that’s a hard question to answer. At WWPIS, we think every parent should have some idea of what to look for, so you can tell whether your investment of time and money is paying off.
These aren’t hard and fast rules. Coaching is a broad church, and plenty of excellent coaches do things their own way. But here’s what we’d encourage you to look out for.
1. It’s fun
This is probably the most important point of all. A good session caters for every ability in the group and keeps everyone motivated. If your child enjoys it, they’ll want to come back next week.
2. There are enough coaches
There should be enough adults to keep the group safe and to give your child real individual feedback, not just a place in a crowd. For younger children, a ratio of one coach to twelve children is already on the large side. Much higher than that, and it can start to feel more like supervision than coaching. Your sport’s governing body may also have guidance on recommended ratios.
Well-staffed sessions tend to lead to visible improvement, and there’s nothing quite like the attention and feedback that comes with them. That said, ratios can be much higher in well-designed sessions that recreate the feel of old-fashioned playground or street football. There, coaches rely more on children learning from each other and give them more ownership of their own goals.
3. There’s plenty of equipment
You want to see your child busy, using the kit and actively practising, not standing around bored or distracted. This isn’t about the latest professional gear. It’s about making sure whatever equipment is available gets used often, by everyone.
4. No queues
The best sessions can look slightly chaotic, and that’s fine, so don’t panic. Organised chaos beats a long, orderly line of children waiting behind a cone for their turn every time. A good mix of structured and unstructured activity keeps things lively. Too much structure, and the session quickly becomes tedious.
5. It’s well planned, with a clear shape
The best sessions have clear objectives and flow well, which comes down to good planning. You’ll know it when you see it. Most good sessions:
- start with a warm-up or starter activity, often a game
- move into a development phase built around clear objectives
- give children the chance to practise in a variety of ways
- finish with a short review of the key points, and perhaps a look ahead to next time
6. The coach doesn’t talk too much
I’ve watched more sessions than I can count where the coach simply talks too much. Good coaching keeps instructions short, sharp and well thought out, for individuals and the group alike. That keeps the session flowing and gives children time to put the feedback they’ve been given into practice.
7. The challenge is right for everyone
Boredom is one of the biggest problems in youth sport. Stronger players need to be stretched, not left repeating things they’ve already mastered. Equally, if the bar is set too high for less experienced players, all they’ll take away is a sense of failure.
8. There’s room to fail
Children need the freedom to make mistakes and try things without fear. That’s how they learn. It depends on the coach creating a positive, encouraging environment where it feels emotionally safe to get things wrong.
9. It’s physically safe
At no point should you feel your child is at risk of injury. Every activity should be well thought through, including the space, the equipment and the opposition. If something looks out of control, that’s the moment to say something.
Don’t confuse this with risky play, though. Activities that stretch children physically, such as climbing, tackling or trying something new, matter hugely for building confidence, self-control and resilience. The aim isn’t to remove all challenge, but to manage risk sensibly.
Every coach is different
One of the best things about sport is that no two coaches do it the same way. There’s no single checklist that guarantees a great session, and plenty of brilliant coaches would tick very few of these boxes in this order. But we hope this gives you a starting point: something to watch for next time you’re on the sideline, and the confidence to expect the very best for your child.
