1. Coaches Meeting Wednesday 20th July 2016
Focus: To consider how we design and deliver better sessions, especially for our higher-ability players

2. Ministry of Football: Story so far…
NOW
2007
2011
2014
???
First session in Muswell Hill with two children
First 4v4 Mini-League
Set-up as Ltd company
? First:
Parents evening
Coach Ed event
Coaches Manual …
Reached 100 children
MoF Futsal Club started
208 spaces

3. Ministry of Football: Where are we at?
Each term (aim)
Programmes:
Sunday skill sessions
Thursday skill session
Mon & Thurs Futsal Club
4v4 Mini-League
Coach development:
Coaches Meeting (external speaker)
Coaches practical
Coach observations
What we do well
Introduction to football (5 year olds, but also throughout primary school)
Building confidence
Well-organised, good communication
Local football
Word-of-mouth advertising
Game-based learning
Enjoyable experiences
Our main wealth and resource is our coaches (i.e. YOU!)

4. Bigger numbers, more children Better quality, deeper relationships

5. Michael Walsh Educator ‘Let’s Think’ programme Parent Four children
MoF Parent
Nicky, Connor and Tara have attended over 250 sessions between them
Michael has probably watched 175+ MoF sessions
Footballer
Still plays football

6. Who leaves the programme?
Retention rate (70-85% retention rate term-on-term)
52 children have left the 5pm, 6pm & 7pm Sunday classes over last 12 months
30 from Red groups; 22 from Yellow groups
43 boys; 9 girls
Some of the highest ability boys and girls on the programme
What do we know about the boys and girls who come to our programmes?
What about why the parents choose MoF?

7. What is ‘fun’?
Focus-group discussion with 12 girls about PE in Newington Green Primary School
What did they mean when they said ‘fun’?
Include everyone, everyone comfortable together
No-one feels alone or is left out
Team work, and working with others
Make up own games
Take it in turns
Look after each other (e.g. say sorry if someone falls over)
Give a chance to show what we can do/achieve
Boys shouldn’t be noticeably different from girls
Swimming is by far the most popular PE option for girls in primary school. Why?
Is this just girls?

8. What is enjoyment? How would you describe this?
How would you recognise it?
What does it sound like?
How do we help all children experience this?
Is this good for learning?
What is enjoyment?

9. Flow and the Flow zone
“You yourself are in an ecstatic state to such a point that you feel as though you almost don’t exist. I’ve experienced this time and again. My hand seems devoid of myself, and I have nothing to do with what is happening. I just sit there watching in a state of awe and wonderment. And it just flows out by itself.”
- Music composer
Defending when outnumbered
"I was already on pole, and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including my team mate with the same car. And suddenly I realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel.“
- Ayrton Senna, describing his win in the Monaco Grand Prix in 1988
LEARNING (desirable difficulties)
3v3 game
Passing in pairs
How would a child describe the state of immersion in football a game?

10. Flow & Session Design
Think about 5pm, 6pm or 7pm Yellow groups, or Advanced Futsal Club:
What do we need to include or consider in designing and delivering a session in order to help children achieve flow states?
Games
Opposed
Competitive
With goals or ways to score
Grouping
Smaller groups = more involvement
Other children at similar level, or a bit higher level
(in football, other children provide the level of the task)
Task and Space
Relevant (to football)
Realistic (to football)
Easily explained and easily understood
Role of coach
Not too many intrusions or interferences
How to teach?
“Drive-bys”
Individual
Child-child
Adjust STEPs*
CREATE / ALLOW
RHYTHM
*STEPS: Space, task, equipment, people

11. Videos and photos
We will now look at 5 videos of activities from children’s football sessions. As you watch, make notes on the following questions:
Which activity has intensity and flow, and which don’t?
Why? Why not?

12. 1.

13. 2.

14. 3.

15. 4.

16. 5.

17. Flow, Rhythm and Intensity
Consider and discuss:
‘Fun’ and ‘Enjoyment’ are what children say: But what do they mean?
How do we help all high-ability children experience flow in sessions?
Sidelines. How do we keep the children away from the walls while also keeping the game flowing?
What about the highest ability child in the each group. How do we push them to the flow zone and learning zone?
What would the children do if they had no coach, just a ball and some space? Why?
What is the role of the coach in a game-based session? How do we, the experts, extend the children’s learning within the 3v3 game?

18. September 2016 term Thursdays – Mark will continue 4v4 Mini-League
Red
Yellow
Sunday 4pm
Michele
Mark
Sunday 5pm
Chris
Sunday 6pm
Pete
Sunday 7pm
Monday FC
6pm
7.30pm
Thursdays – Mark will continue
4v4 Mini-League
Coach Education – what would be most useful?

19. Q&A / AOB
Thanks for your time