Copyright - NSCAA NSCAA. NSCAA CLUB STANDARDS PROJECT ADVANCED ASSESSMENT By David Newbery, NSCAA Club Standards Coordinator July 2012

Transcription

1 Copyright - EXAMPLE PAGES FROM AN ASSESSMENT REPORT CLUB STANDARDS PROJECT ADVANCED ASSESSMENT By David Newbery, Club Standards Coordinator July 2012

2 Copyright - AUTHOR David Newbery, Coordinator, Club Standards Project For over 20 years David has studied and worked in youth education, soccer development and coaching. A former University Professor and CEO of a Youth Sports Company, David has been fortunate to travel extensively in the USA, meeting with coaches and club officials and learning about their approach to player development and coaching. Experiences from hundreds of clubs has afforded him the opportunity to support and guide youth soccer organizations, endeavoring to develop an educationally sound environment for players, coaches and parents. David developed the club assessment process in 2008 called the Youth Soccer Assessment Tool (Y-SAT) and was appointed to lead the Club Standards Project in January David and former USA Women s National Team Coach, Tony DiCicco, are partners in a soccer consultation business, SoccerPlus FC, supporting volunteer based youth programs to become more serious about player and coach development. David contributes articles regularly to soccer publications, has written books focusing on player and coach development and presents at national soccer events. In his spare time, David operates a youth soccer program for players age 3 to 8 in Stonington, CT. Copyright 2012 by National Soccer Coaches Association of America, All rights reserved. Author & Editor: David Newbery, Club Standards Project Coordinator Published by National Soccer Coaches Association of America, 800 Ann Ave, Kansas City, KS No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, for commercial purposes or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording

3 CLUB STANDARDS PROJECT Copyright - Elevating the standard of player and coach development in the USA, one organization at a time INTRODUCTION Letter to the Club XXXXX outlining the scope of the report COACHING In-depth review of the organizations current performance in coaching, conclusions, scores and recommendations 5-6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An overview of the key findings and recommendations ADMINISTRATION In-depth review of the organizations current performance in Administration, conclusions, scores and recommendations 7-30 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT In-depth review of the organizations current performance in Player Development, conclusions, scores and recommendations CONCLUSIONS Final remarks and the official designation awarded to the organization by the ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

4 Copyright - Club XXXXX S Current Performance in PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 07 The term player development is used indiscriminately in youth soccer to suggest a more modern approach to education. However, player development should be, in our opinion, the key philosophy and main principle guiding the approach for all decisions made on and off field. Player development is an education model designed to enhance the performance of young players. The model considers the cognitive, emotional, physical and psychological readiness and maturity of an individual and provides a pathway to manage the athlete s progress between stages of development. A player development model treats fun and learning as mutually inclusive outcomes of participation and provides the very best opportunity for an individual to succeed and maintain their interest and commitment to the game. ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

5 Copyright - PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHS 10 GOOD PRACTICE EXAMPLE layer participation numbers are very impressive at the Pre Kindergarten through 6th grade age groups, enabling the Porganization to implement numerous programming options. Establishing a large base of players at the early stages of development is crucial to future success and longevity of a youth soccer program. Reports from Spring 2012 suggest xxxx players were registered in the Recreation and Competitive Programs from Pre Kindergarten to 6th grades. Certainly Club XXXXX performs better than most assessed youth programs. Interestingly participation increased steadily in each age group from Pre K to 2nd grade, with over 800 players registered in the recreation and competitive 2nd grade programs. Healthy participation numbers provides exciting opportunities to introduce a wide range of new initiatives, programs and events. For example, a significant player pool allows for more focused individual development and programs such as specialized position training, ability based groupings and Academy type events. Other benefits such as the capacity to operate an in-house league (without significant travel requirements) and the flexibility to create the club s rules are essential for player development. Additionally, a more diverse program offering can result in more registration events and more revenue that can be used to fund increased support, training and oversight of the coaches. Approach, Philosophy and Education Model 1. The player development philosophy is stated on the organization s website. 2. The player development approach is taught to coaches at the annual/ seasonal training event. 3. The Director of Coaching and Club XXXXX Advisory Board offer advice and opinions on the player development philosophy and approach Organization 4. All players in the program wear a soccer uniform. At the Micro and Recreation levels this consists of a jersey and in the Club XXXXX the teams can decide on a choice of colored shirts, shorts and socks. The uniform is a mark of unity, identity, and provides a sense of belonging. 5. Participation in the State competitive leagues required Club XXXXX to form the Club XXXXX Board. Formed in 2012, the advisory board has 9 members mostly consisting of parents with children in the program or have graduated the program. Curriculum and Resources 6. The Club XXXXX has created a number of coaching manuals for Recreation and Club XXXXX programs, including, Kindergarten Rules, Town XXXXX Soccer Player Development Handbook, Micro Soccer Handbook, Club XXXXX Coaches Manual and Youth Sports Coaches Manual. In the most part, these documents are appropriate, informative and logically presented. There are sections relating to the philosophies, behavioral characteristics of the children and great tips for new and experienced coaches alike. 7. Some practice plans are available to coaches on the Club XXXXX section of the website and feature a number of topics including ball control, passing and shooti ng. 8. The organization also provides other coaching related articles on the website on topics such as nutrition, injuries and behavioral characteristics of players. 9. Emphasis in the coaching manuals to fun, enjoyment and education is well balanced. Programming 10. The organization has adopted a small sided game format for recreation age groups. 11. Club XXXXX provides recreation and travel soccer programs for players 4 to 18 years of age. This offers the organization with an opportunity to seamlessly implement the complete continuum of youth player development. ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

6 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT WEAKNESSES Approach, Philosophy and Education Model 1. The organization s literature refers to a Player Development philosophy, but there seems to be some inconsistencies in approach and absence of a process to ensure the approach is practically applied by the parent coaches. For example, the Player Development Handbook quite rightly identifies technical development, ball mastery, repetition and reinforcement of fundamental skills and stages of development as critical variables/ considerations but, observations and interviews conducted during the site visit indicate few coaches are referencing these materials and even fewer are employing the stated approach. 2. With the previous concern in mind (bullet #1), there is little evidence to suggest a commonly held approach to player development exists. 3. As previously mentioned as a strength, several well conceived education resources exist for the committed and educationally motivated coach. However, no true education framework exists (curriculum). 4. The Club offers 3 programs for players between the ages of 4 and 18 years old, but there is no education plans or systems in place to transition the players from one program or stage of development to the next. 5. Quite rightly, Club XXXXX emphasizes the importance of fun and enjoyment, but general observations of the Micro and Recreation Programs during the site visit suggest some coaches have taken the adage of let the game be the Copyright - teacher literally - very little teaching is taking place in game like activities. 6. Purposes, aims and outcomes of the education approach are not written, taught and disseminated. 7. On several occasions parents, coaches, Board Members and Administrators referred to a conflict between offering a community based program founded on the Club values and providing a program providing opportunities for committed and talented players. One can certainly imagine scenarios where greater emphasis on competition and winning can lead to player exclusion, poor player and coach behavior and conflict. These are expected outcomes of a poorly administered and conceived program and badly educated coaches. However, the benefits to the community, coaches and administrators of adopting an educational sound approach and model of player development will result in the Club XXXXX addressing current issues of equality and opportunity (this point is discussed more fully in the next section). Organization 8. Undoubtedly it is a considerable task to organize a program the size of Club XXXXX. With that said however, there are instances where operational considerations go before the best interests of player development. For example: The practice of initially grouping Recreation players by residential location, school and parent requests may present convenience benefits for parents, but it is one factor in creating inequalities in player experience it is luck of the draw whether the coach from that location is competent. Club XXXXX has two magnificent field complexes and are locations where many coaching and player development weaknesses could be addressed. Opportunities to raise coaching and player development performance would be significantly improved if the Club XXXXX dedicated some field space at Wright Park or Spirit Park for training purposes and did not use these facilities exclusively for games and professional clinic training sessions. Alternatively, player and coach development would benefit from an alternate location/s for training. 9. Achieving equal opportunity is certainly a difficult proposition for any youth program. The Club XXXXX program is best described as providing equal access - all registered players are assigned to a group for practice and games. But, there are certain inequalities in opportunity mainly resulting from the variance in the coaching level, experience and commitment of the parent coach. This issue is exacerbated in the Recreation and Spirit Club programs where recruitment of players by recreation and Spirit Coaches to join Coach select teams is widespread. 10. Retaining players in the program is an equally as important measure of organizational success as maintaining large numbers. In this regard, Club XXXXX experiences a significant drop off in participation during the critical decision making ages of 9-12 years old. A 63% reduction in participation is reported between 2nd and 6th grades. Programming 11. A consistent finding from the on-site interviews is a perception parents 12 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

7 Copyright - ADMINISTRATION SCORES The table below presents the official Club Standards Project assessment scores for Club XXXXX in Administration. Based on strengths and weaknesses listed previously, a score is awarded in 10 sub categories. The sub categories represent integral components of player development and are commonly associated with successful youth programs. A simple 3 point scoring methodology is used: Bronze (1 pt) - indicates low levels of performance and/or no significant evidence; Silver (2 pts) - indicates intermediate level of performance and/or some evidence; Gold (3 pts) - indicates high level of performance and/or significant evidence. ADMINISTRATION ASSESSMENT Strategic and Implementation Planning - Does the organization have a strategic plan? Is the organization 1 working towards short and long term objectives?, Has the organization balanced on and off field priorities? Are player development factors driving decision making and thinking? Mission, Vision and Values - Does the organization have a stated Mission, Vision and Values? Are 2 members capable of articulating the Mission, Vision and Values? Does the organization periodically revisit these statements? Does the organization invite member feedback about the general direction of the program? Administrative Staffing - Is the number of administrative staff adequate to meet the needs of the 3 organization? Do the staff have the talent and time to meet the demands of the role? Do the administrators receive ongoing support and training? Is there a continuity in staffing from one season to the next? Are the administrative staff recruited to meet the demands of the tasks and role? Administrative Function - Does the organization adopt replicable systems and administrative processes? 4 Does the organization provide the members a variety of contact options, including office hours, , online chat/forum etc? Is the organization able to operate several months ahead of programs needs? Does the organization adequately manage the work flow and tasks to ensure timely response? Is the organization able to respond to member requests within 24 hours of contact? Does the organization have detailed policies? Volunteerism - Does the organization clearly state the volunteer policy? Is there a role on the Board or a 5 committee responsible for recruiting, managing and monitoring volunteers? Does the organization clearly state the volunteer positions available? Does the organization actively pursue individuals with desired traits? Is the organization attracting sufficient volunteers to meet the on and off field needs of the program? SCORE SILVER SILVER GOLD GOLD BRONZE 54 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

8 ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATIONS Strategic Plan for Club XXXXX 1 Soccer Programs Without a detailed and documented strategy, it is advisable for the Club XXXXX to initiate the planning process. Strategic planning determines where the organization is going, how it s going to get there and how it will know if it got there or not. Taking time to think will offer insight to a number of critical questions, including planning for player and coach development. A 3 year strategy plan will provide Club XXXXX with an opportunity to prioritize recommendations in this report and a framework to make essential decisions. The development of the strategic plan will greatly help to clarify the organization s plans and ensure that key leaders are all on the same script. Far more important than the strategic plan document, is the strategic planning process itself. If approached correctly, the strategic planning process will engage all stakeholders (including parents, coaches and players), and in so doing, will help to convey the mission, purpose and values of Club XXXXX. Layering of this type will inevitably re-engage Members of the Club XXXXX Advisory Board. A goals-based planning process is recommended, starting with focus on the soccer organization s mission (and vision and/or values), goals to work toward the mission, strategies to achieve the goals, and action planning (who will do what and when). Strategic planning will serve a variety of purposes, including: Clearly defining the purpose of the organization and establishing realistic goals and objectives consistent with the mission. Communicating the goals and objectives to the organization s constituents - this Copyright - is particularly important when multiple changes are being considered. Developing a sense of ownership of the plan with administrators and other constituents. Ensuring the most effective use is made of the organization s resources by focusing the resources on the key priorities. Providing a base from which progress can be measured and establish a mechanism to measure success. Embracing others in the process and recruit new volunteers for implementing parts of the strategy. Soliciting and listening to other s opinions will help to build consensus on where the organization is going. Establishing clearer focus and thereby producing more efficiency and effectiveness. Establishing trust between employees and the Board of Directors. Strong alliances are created on the board and between the employees and Board Members. Increasing productivity from greater efficiency and effectiveness. 2Investment in Player and Coach Development As indicated in previous sections, Club XXXXX invests relatively little in player and coach development and this is reflected in performance of these important areas. Although it is natural to think of investment in terms of money, it is also important to consider a strong correlation between volunteer effort and monetary investment. Organizations successful in attracting large numbers of volunteers invest differently than organizations with low volunteerism. An organization well endowed with volunteers can capitalize on more opportunities, raise more funds and reach more people. Prior to investing, it is important to establish criteria and milestones for measuring the effectiveness of strategy. Creating a clear timetable to evaluate the return on investment will enable Club XXXXX to decide whether to modify the investment strategy or to continue with the original plan. Building the measurement mechanism into the agreement with a third party will direct attention to both on and off field results. Estimating a return on investment will assist an organization to choose between investment options. Here are five objective and five subjective variables to consider in determining the return on investment: Objective Assets will the organization be left with any tangibles (such as a curriculum, coaching tools and resources, infrastructure, documentation such as strategic plans, equipment, facilities, etc). Player & Coach Assessments is the organization receiving regular evaluations of the players and coaches? Will the financial commitment reduce (or get re-directed) as the volunteer coaches become more competent? Will more volunteers become engaged in on-field and off-field roles? Will there be an increase in new members as news of the player development improvements become known in the community? Also, will existing members be retained? 56 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

9 6. Introduce planning as an holistic responsibility 7. Establish a coaching forum Administration 1. Strategic planning. 2. Investment in player and coach development 3. Revenue generation and fundraising 4. Explore formal partnerships with local competitive programs. 5. Procurement of uniforms and equipment. Of course it is unrealistic to expect Club XXXXX to implement all recommendations at one time, particularly when considering the financial and resource implications. Additionally, several recommendations are interconnected, for example, Club XXXXX has to address the current coaching oversight and staffing limitation before it is possible to implement new programming and introduce an inhouse coaching education program. With this in mind, the following priorities are offered to provide Club XXXXX with some guidance in determining where to start the process of change. Copyright MONTH PRIORITIES Strategic planning The planning process should commence as soon as possible and include a good representation of parents, coaches and current administrators Coaching leadership Undoubtedly the linchpin for the long term improvement of Club XXXXX s player and coach development plan is the appointment of the Director of Coaching. Explore formal partnerships If there are benefits of collaboration, Club XXXXX will be well served to move quickly to establish the parameters. Timing is important if Club XXXXX is to maintain the initiative. Restructure and enhance the quality of programming The process of improving current provision should start as soon as possible and coincide with the appointment of a DOC. Change of this size may take several seasons to implement. Revenue generation and fundraising Determining the financial priorities and creating a budget is a must. Simultaneously, the fundraising committee should be working on plans to raise funds in the short and long term Centralised training location Bringing all players and coaches to one location for practice sessions will greatly increase the chance of improving coaching performance and consistency MONTH PRIORITIES Establish the education framework Club XXXXX curriculum Club XXXXX coaching resource library Investment in player and coach development Procurement of uniforms and governance Coach recruitment strategy Formal inhouse coaching education program supplemented by external licensing/awards Introduce planning as an holistic responsibility MONTH PRIORITIES Player assessment program Ability based grouping Club XXXXX Academy Coach tracking and retrieval system Establish a coaching forum 63 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

10 As an Advanced Assessment recipient, Club XXXXX will receive ongoing access to good practice, regular research updates and free education opportunities. In addition, Club XXXXX will have access to Club Standards Project Commercial Partners and the top quality products and services they provide. has performed considerable due diligence to ensure our partners have an exemplary record in customer care and can support the objectives outlined within. If Club XXXXX decides to hire professional help we hope you will consider our partners. Please be reminded, on the first and second anniversary of the assessment, the will ask Club XXXXX to provide a progress report. On the third anniversary (if not before), Club XXXXX will be asked to submit to another Advanced Assessment. The hope this report serves the organization well in mapping out the club s future and we wish Club XXXXX every success. OFFICIAL CLUB STANDARDS PROJECT DESIGNATION OVERALL ASSESSMENT TOTAL POINTS DESIGNATION PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 12 OUT OF 30 BRONZE COACHING 12 OUT OF 30 BRONZE ADMINISTRATION 21 OUT OF 30 SILVER TOTAL SCORE 45 OUT OF 90 AVERAGE SCORE Total score divided by the 30 assessment components. The scoring range is: Gold 2.51+, Silver , Bronze Copyright Official Designation SILVER 64 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT