THE EDUCATION IS OVER; NOW THE LEARNING BEGINS

So reads the message on the door of the graduation office at Butler University in Indianapolis. I was walking through the building with a colleague after giving a lecture when we noticed the sign; it said so little, yet implied so much.

One drawback to living in a country as big as this is that we learn to be self-sufficient in the soccer coaching world. Without regular television coverage, our ideas about the game are limited to the best players we see in our own level of competition. Our basis for comparison is generally very restricted and our ability to coach players to the demands of the next level are hampered by a lack of appreciation of what the next level actually looks like.

There are many countries which have regular coaching workshops featuring top clinicians helping to educate their peers or the next generation. Ultimately, Ohio-North will offer programs featuring: Mel Mahler teaching team defending in Bowling Green, Mick Bowdler teaching flank play in East Liverpool, Kenny Lolla teaching functional training for strikers in Akron and a host of other capable minds spreading the word and sharing their talent with the rest of us. While we have not arrived at the point where we can hold monthly coaching workshops in different parts of the state, we do have a number of opportunities for coaches to develop a deeper understanding of their craft.

The state workshop, recently held in Cleveland at the Sheraton Hotel, was a very productive two day affair featuring a number of sessions for coaches ranging from principles of play to goalkeeping to improving observation skills. The Regional Symposium at Bowling Green (March 16-18) will feature National Director of Coaching Bobby Howe, Regional Coaching Coordinator Tim Carter, Regional U-14 Coaching Coordinator Ron Wigg, Regional Boys ODP Head Coach Fred Schmalz, Regional Girls ODP Head Coach Tom Turner, and a number of talented college coaches. Following the Regional Symposium, on April 6, the state will host it's fifth coaching symposium at Hawken School in Gates Mills. Ron Wigg and Tom Turner will be the principle clinicians, with the emphasis on developing coaching school instructors and training ODP level players in Ohio-North. At least two Ohio-North state teams will be featured.

Why go to clinics? Why attend a coaching school? Soccer coaching is a two step process. Level one is about understanding the game well enough to teach young players: What are the principles of play? When do I change tactics? What skills are necessary to play in each position? How much do I understand about what the opposition is trying to do to us? What am I telling my players about their individual roles in the team? Do the players understand the tactical cues necessary to play on the same page? Do I understand when and how to organize a pressing game? A low pressure game? What do I tell my front players about when and where to show and when to make diagonal runs?

Level two is about developing the teaching skills necessary to apply knowledge in an effective and efficient way: What does economical training mean to me? How can I challenge players in practice? What should I be training this week? How quickly should I expect players to learn skills and tactics? How do I include my goaL~ceeper in realistic match situations? How do I train through the thirds of the field? What can I learn about field space? How and when do I manipulate conditions and what effect do they have? How should I deal with failure in practice? When the players don't get it, is it me or them?