An investigation of the in-game behaviours of professional, top-level youth soccer coaches

Although research into coaching has increased considerably during the last two decades, an area of neglect has been that of the professional youth coach. The aim of this study was to investigate the working behaviours of six top-level professional soccer coaches. Data were collected using a modified version of the Arizona State University Observation Instrument and semi-structured interviews. The triangulation of the data ensured that both the "what" and the "why" of the coaches' behaviour were considered. Results revealed a conscious and well thought out pattern of behaviour: silently monitoring, interspersed with clips of instruction coupled with praise and encouragement. The interviews revealed three themes underpinning this behaviour: developing game understanding, support and encouragement, and coaches' role and influences. The use of silence was the largest single behaviour, the efficacy of which was considered in light of theories of experiential and discovery learning.     

An analysis of practice activities and instructional behaviours used by youth soccer coaches during practice: Exploring the link between science and application

Abstract

We examined the practice activities and instructional behaviours employed by 25 youth soccer coaches during 70 different practice sessions. We evaluated the extent to which these activities and behaviours differ from those shown in contemporary research to best facilitate skill acquisition. Nine coaches worked with the under-9 years age group and eight coaches each with the under-13 and under-16 years age groups; nine of those coaches were employed at the elite level, nine at the sub-elite level, and seven at the non-elite level. Coaches had players spend more time in activities that were deemed less relevant to soccer match performance, termed “training form” (e.g. physical training, technique and skills practices), than activities deemed more relevant, termed “playing form” (e.g. small-sided/conditioned games and phase of play activities). Coaches provided high levels of instruction, feedback, and management, irrespective of the activity in which players engaged. Few differences in practice activities and instructional behaviours were reported across skill and age groups, implying the absence of any notable age- or skill-related progression. Findings are discussed with reference to recent research in the areas of skill acquisition, motor learning, and expert performance.     

欧洲青少年足球选材模式的研究热点

通过对欧洲青少年足球选材模式的3个研究热点进行分析,了解国内外足球选材模式发展动态,并与我国现阶段足球项目选材的现状进行比较。结果显示:运动员身体形态和生理机能的方法虽预测性较差,却对长期追踪成才意义重大;心理选材越来越受到重视,热点是在运动认知能力的研究上;基因选材作为未来研究的趋势,可以提高选材的准确性和科学性。     

Life skills development and enjoyment in youth soccer: The importance of parental behaviours

This study investigated the relationships between parental behaviours and players’ life skills development and enjoyment within youth soccer. In total, 317 players (Mage = 12.83, SD = 1.70, age range = 10–16 years) completed a survey assessing parental behaviours (praise and understanding, directive behaviour, and pressure), perceived life skills development (teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, interpersonal communication, social skills, leadership, and problem solving and decision making), and enjoyment of soccer. Multiple regression analyses found that praise and understanding was the key contributor to the outcome variables, making the largest unique contribution to teamwork, goal setting, leadership, and total life skills. Directive behaviour made the largest unique contribution to emotional skills, and problem solving and decision making; whereas pressure made the largest unique contribution to participants’ time management and social skills. In practice, the results suggest that parents should display praise and understanding behaviours, which were the main contributor to players’ development of life skills within soccer.     

Playing with confidence: The relationship between imagery use and self-confidence and self-efficacy in youth soccer players

Abstract

Confidence has been one of the most consistent factors in distinguishing the successful from the unsuccessful athletes (Gould, Weiss, & Weinberg, 1981 Gould, D., Weiss, M. and Weinberg, R. 1981. Psychological characteristics of successful and non-successful Big Ten wrestlers. Journal of Sport Psychology, 3: 69–81.  [Google Scholar]) and Bandura (1997 Bandura, A. 1997. Self-efficacy. The exercise of control, New York: W. H. Freeman.  [Google Scholar]) proposed that imagery is one way to enhance confidence. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between imagery use and confidence in soccer (football) players. The participants included 122 male and female soccer athletes ages 11–14 years participating in both house/recreation (n = 72) and travel/competitive (n = 50) levels. Athletes completed three questionnaires; one measuring the frequency of imagery use, one assessing generalised self-confidence, and one assessing self-efficacy in soccer. A series of regression analyses found that Motivational General-Mastery (MG-M) imagery was a signifant predictor of self-confidence and self-efficacy in both recreational and competitive youth soccer players. More specifically, MG-M imagery accounted for between 40 and 57% of the variance for both self-confidence and self-efficacy with two other functions (MG-A and MS) contributing marginally in the self-confidence regression for recreational athletes. These findings suggest that if a youth athlete, regardless of competitive level, wants to increase his/her self-confidence or self-efficacy through the use of imagery, the MG-M function should be emphasised.     

我国足球教练员培训中若干问题分析

查阅相关的献资料和注册信息，借鉴足球发达国家的教练员培训经验，在大量的调查、访谈基础上，综合分析目前我国足球教练员培训中的突出矛盾与典型问题，并提出相应的完善措施和改革建议，倡导引入多元化的培训体系。     

对我国部分青少年女足队伍的调查

通过对我国部分U—16女足队伍的全面调查，了解当前我国青年女足的发展状况，并对其面临的问题和困难提出建议。认为应该继续强化政策导向作用，引导女足真正遵循足球规律；尽快建立、实施女足教练员培训体系及大纲；确立女足在学球中的地位。     

Psychological characteristics of developing excellence in elite youth football players in English professional academies

ABSTRACT

This mixed-longitudinal prospective study examined the development of psychological characteristics of developing excellence in relation to the career progression of elite youth football players. In a 20-month period, 111 academy football players aged 11–16 completed the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ) on 1–5 occasions. This combination of single and repeated assessments resulted in a mixed-longitudinal sample of 226 completed PCDEQs. Players were then prospectively tracked, and their scholarship status assessed at follow-up, at age U17. Multilevel modelling revealed that coping with performance and developmental pressures scores increased with age, and that Category 1–2 academy scholars (4.35 ± 0.61) scored higher than Category 3–4 academy scholars (3.99 ± 0.67) and non-scholars (4.02 ± 0.78) (p < .05). Evaluating performances and working on weaknesses scores increased with age for Category 1–2 academy scholars (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 5.16 ± 0.48 vs. 5.38 ± 0.45), compared to non-scholars (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 5.11 ± 0.59 vs. 5.03 ± 0.71) (p < .05). Imagery use during practice and competition scores decreased with age (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 4.45 ± 0.66 vs. 4.29 ± 0.70) (p < .05). A blend of PCDEs may facilitate optimal career progression. Football academies should develop players’ PCDEs, with a particular focus on developing their coping skills and their ability to realistically evaluate performances and work on weaknesses.     

论我国足球职业联赛的道德建设

在我国足球职业化改革过程中,各种体育道德失范事件屡屡见诸报端,严重损害了我国职业足球运动的形象和声誉。解决这些问题,为我国足球创造一个良好的发展环境,不仅需要加强法制化建设,同时还必须加强道德建设,依靠道德的力量来规范、引导、约束我国职业足球各参与主体的行为。     

世界高水平女子足球比赛防守技术中抢球技术运动特点的研究

采用文献资料法、调查法、统计法、比较分析法,对世界高水平女子足球运动防守技术运用的现状进行了深入的分析和研究,为我国女子足球抢球技术的训练提供科学的依据。     

The performance environment of the England youth soccer teams

Abstract

In the present study, we examined the performance environment of the England youth soccer teams. Using a semi-structured protocol with a prospective sample, national coaches (n = 6), sport scientists (n = 3), and players (n = 4) were interviewed directly following international tournaments about the factors that positively and negatively influenced performance. Qualitative content analysis revealed the following factors as major positive influences on performance: adhering to a consistent tournament strategy, player understanding, strong team cohesion, organized entertainment activities, detailed knowledge of opposition, an effective physical rest/recovery strategy, and previous tournament experience. Major factors perceived to have negatively influenced performance included: over-coaching, player boredom, player anxiety, physical superiority of the opposition, physical fatigue over the tournament, problems sleeping, and lack of information on the opposition. Eight overall dimensions emerged to describe the performance environment: planning and organization, physical environment, tactical factors, development and performance philosophy, psychological factors, physical factors, social factors, and coaching. The findings support recent work that suggests the performance environment is multifaceted, with performance being contingent upon a broad range of interacting factors that go beyond the traditional psychosocial and physical domains.     

A survey of talent identification and development processes in the youth academies of professional soccer clubs from around the world

ABSTRACT

Talent identification (TID) and development (TDE) are large fields in professional soccer and in science. However, TID and TDE processes in youth academies have not been assessed in detail. As such, our aim was to survey professional clubs from around the world about their youth academy TID and TDE processes, with 29 clubs responding to the survey. TID and TDE processes changed as a function of player age. TID processes involved finding the best players locally and regionally, but for older players the search widened to nationally and internationally for the needs of the first team. Clubs used a multidisciplinary approach to TID, but more so with older players. Median number of academy players was 80, 100, and 66 players at 8–11 years, 12–16 years, and 17–21 years, respectively. Annual player turnover in the most recent season (selections/de-selections) was 29% across all age groups, with competition from other clubs cited as a limitation to TID. TDE processes involved weekly matches and 3–5 training sessions per week led by experienced, well-qualified coaches, with most clubs providing players with academic education, residency and transportation services. Our findings extend previous research assessing professional soccer youth academy TID and TDE processes by quantifying worldwide practices.     

普通高校大学生足球运动常见创伤的调查分析

对普通高校大学生在足球运动中造成创伤常见的原因、类型、部位进行了调查分析,并提出运动创伤的一般处理方法和预防创伤的建议.     

我国青年女足教练员成功倾向初探

通过对我国青年女足教练员成功倾向的测试和统计，描述了她们成功商数和成功希望的现状和特征，比较了不同性别、年龄的教练员在上述指标中的差异。     

我国职业足球运动员的管理现状分析及对策研究

运用文献资料调研、专家访谈、数理统计等方法,对我国职业足球运动员的管理现状进行分析研究,主要结论:1)职业运动员产生比例过高、年龄偏小;2)运动员流通渠道不畅;3)运动员权益得不到保障;4)缺乏运动员价值的评价体系;5)缺乏科学、稳定的竞赛体系;6)职业足球运动员后备力量培养力度不够。对策:1)尽快提高管理人员素质,大力吸纳职业足球急需人才;2)实行国内职业运动员自由转会制度,提高运动员的积极性;3)建立、健全相关法律制度,确保运动员的权益;4)尽快与市场经济价值规律接轨,建立运动员价值评价体系;5)建立科学、稳定的竞赛体系,不断加强对外交流;6)加大对足球后备力量的培养力度。     

中英足球联赛球员转会制度之比较研究

中国自1994年开始实行足球职业联赛以来,其球员转会制度经历了自由转会、挂牌摘牌转会等变革,2005年又实行了新的转会规则,但仍未能有效遏制球员转会中的成功率低、球员利益没有保障等不合理现象。本文以英格兰成熟完善球员转会制度和已经形成的一套比较系统完善的体育法规制度为参照,从转会制度、球员主体、联赛机制等方面着手进行分析研究,以期促进我国足球转会制度更加合理、规范,使我国职业联赛能够良性运转。     

当前形势下我国职业足球俱乐部行规研究

职业足球俱乐部是体育改革的产物，国家目前对此没有相应的立法，因此俱乐部行规的作用显得非常重要，在一定程度上弥补了立法不足的缺陷。我国俱乐部行规多以规范性文件的形式为主，内容方面应该进一步补充与完善。随着俱乐部的发展，行规的制定应该多样和灵活，同时处理好行规与法律的关系。     

Laterality related to the successive selection of Dutch national youth soccer players

In the general population, estimates of left-foot preference are around 20%. In soccer, specific tasks create positional demands, requiring 40% of the players to be left-footed. Whether and how this is related to the selection of players is unknown. To examine the successive selection of soccer players for Dutch national youth teams in relation to foot preference, 280 youth players (age = 16.2 ± 1.08 years) were monitored from the U16 through the U19 teams over the last 5 years. No difference in successive selection between left- and right-footed players was found (p < 0.05). Regardless of foot preference, more than 50% of the selected players were deselected out of a national youth team after 2 years. On average, 31% of the national youth players were left-footed, which is higher than expected, based on population estimates (χ² (1) = 37.49, p < 0.001, w = 0.27). However, there was an under-representation of left-footed players, based on expected positional demands (i.e., attack, midfield, defence) (χ² (1) = 16.83, p < 0.001, w = 0.18). The conclusion is that left-foot preference increases the probability of selection in Dutch national youth soccer teams.