The Vertical Soccer Club Setup

1
The Vertical Soccer Club Setup

• For Full Service Soccer Clubs with Recreational
  and Competitive Programs
• By Frank Travato, Alaska DOC

2
Program/Setup Philosophy

• Cooperative Recreational and Competitive
  Philosophy
• Vertical Approach combining the levels of
  recreational and competitive soccer programs
  through player development and coaching
  development
• Opens options for players and coaches to move
  horizontally or vertically through the system
• Establishment of club wide player development
  plan through the survey format
• Establishment of club wide coach education
  minimums and development plan
• Consistent, focused and decentralized approach to
  director and coaching structure

3
Director/Coaching Structure
Club Technical Director
Age Group Directors
U6 U8 U10 U12 U14
U16 U19
Pre Comp C o m p e t I t I v e C o a c
h e s Coaches
U10 U12 U14 U16
U19
R e c r e a t I o
n a l C o a c h e s
U6 U8 U10 U12 U14
U16 U19
4
Structural Details
Technical Director oversees and provides
guidance for Age Group Directors Age Group
Coaching Directors oversee and provide player and
coach development for both recreational and
competitive levels in their age group Age Group
Directors can serve as competitive team coach in
that age group as a last resort Age Group
Directors can serve as director in more than one
age group NO ALL-STAR teams for recreational
teams or pre competitive teams. Recreational
teams can play in any recreational tournaments
offered in the area. Take pre comp academy teams
as individual teams to U10 tournaments if
desired. Wait until U11 to create first true
single year competitive teams
5
Role of the Technical Director

• -Provide Club Wide Oversight for Coaching and
  Player Development
• -Prepare player development survey for
  recreational and competitive coaches.
• With the Age Group Directors establish a club
  player development plan with age group
  objectives.
• -Oversee the writing of the Age Group Coaching
  Manuals
• -Technical Director will work with Age Group
  Director for at least one coaching clinic for
  each recreational and competitive age group
  annually
• -Evaluate the Age Group Directors
• Provide Technical/Activity reports monthly for
  the Coaching Committee or Board
• Monitors coaching licensing for recreational and
  competitive coaches
• Provide Oversight for Competitive Tryouts
• College Preparation program with Age Group
  Directors of U16 and U19 Competitive teams

6
Role of the Age Group Director

• Provide oversight for specific age group, both
  Recreational and Competitive
• -Prepare Age Group Manuals for Recreational and
  Competitive Coaches with Team Coaches and
  Technical Director
• Provide 2 coaching clinics 1 player clinic for
  recreational teams in the age group annually
• Work with club office in recreational team
  formation and recreational coach identification
• Identify Competitive Team Coaches
• Co conduct Competitive Team Tryouts with Team
  Coaches and Technical Director
• Meetings with competitive coaches in their age
  group
• Serve as Team Trainer for all competitive teams,
  at least once every two weeks or three weeks in
  an age group to assist the Team Coach in
  implementation of Age Group Objectives
• Co-Evaluate Team Coaches with the Technical
  Director
• Provide Parent Education for both Recreational
  and Competitive Parents

7
Role of the Competitive Coach
Coach a designated team in training and games in
an effort to develop the individual and
collective talents of the players Work with the
Age Group Director and Technical Director at
Tryouts in selecting players and making playing
up decisions Accept the role of the game coach,
but also coach who understands and is committed
to the big picture of the club player development
and the age group objectives Coach for
developmental success which leads to game
success Understands the need for a balance of
adversity and success in player and team
development Understands the meaning of
Competitively Healthy, Agrees that the mental
health of a player effects his or her ability to
perform and play the game as well as be
successful in school and off field life Create a
motivating and inviting training
environment Communication with the players
regarding the college, professional and
international game Understands that respect and
sportsmanship are the cornerstones of character
building
8
Role of the Recreational Coach
Coach a youth soccer team in practices and
games Provide a fun and inviting practice and
game environment Provide a safe environment for
kids to play Understands that focusing on
development is their number one function Does
not focus or obsess about winning all of the
games in the recreational league or how many
goals the team scored but rather on individual
player improvements Provides strength and
balance for young players as they develop their
view of what it means to be a soccer player and
what soccer will ultimately mean to them Provide
ahead-of-the-game communication and logistical
planning for team members and families Understand
s that respect and sportsmanship are the
cornerstones of character building
9
Club Wide-Player Development
Creation and distribution of player development
survey to all club members. Ask input for
technical, tactical, psychological, and physical
components for each age group. All surveys flow
to Technical Director and Age Group Directors.
Directors review the surveys add their own
thinking and establish clubs age group
appropriate topics for player development.
Directors then create Coach Manuals for each
recreational and competitive coaches. Should
include The entire player development system
The specific age group objectives for their
level Session plans Age group objectives should
be reviewed by staff annually and updated
appropriately as the players and coaches
develop If possible utilize age group training
venues, coordinate with competitive coaches
10
Coaching Development
Required Coaching Education for all Coaches and
Directors with compensation based on attendance
at US Youth and USSF Courses Age group Coaching
Manuals will serve as the foundation for all
teams at all levels in the club. Annual Review
allows for long term adaptability and
flexibility of player development Attendance for
director(s) at national and regional
symposiums Coach Education Support Fund Serving
at the State and Regional ODP levels Fox Soccer
Channel
11
Recreational Program Benefits
Connects the Recreational Level to the
Competitive Level in a mutually productive and
positive way Implementation of a club based
player development program Increases in coaching
education and contact with the most experienced
directors/coaches in the club Recreation team
formation, coach identification, office staff
coordinates with AGD and Technical
Director Recreational Coach who are new to
soccer achieve a quicker comfort level with
manuals in place aiding in the securing of the
many volunteer coaches needed. These manuals
provide newcomers information so they can
understand their importance in the player
development process and feel like they are part
of something bigger than just their player or
team. Opportunity for players to guest play with
Competitive Teams without leaving Recreational
Team Focus on Parent Education
12
Competitive Benefits
Connects the Recreational Level to the
Competitive Level in a mutually productive and
positive way Provides consistency in player
development Allows identified recreational
players opportunity to fill rosters during the
winter months and guest play for tournaments,
serves to better stabilize budget when dealing
with multi sport competitive players Increases
in tryout pool by exposing recreational players
to the competitive level Increased focus on
player development at U6 and U8 age groups for
better prepared players at competitive age groups
Allows Independence and Connection for all
Competitive Age Groups Focus on Parent
Education
13
Club Technical Director Contract
Length of term - takes up 3 years to see
increases program results Compensation Based
on license level General Duties Roles of the
Technical Director DOC reports only to club
president or Coaching Committee Club president
and coaching committee chairperson evaluate the
Technical Director Attends BOD meetings but has
already emailed activity report Operate within
the policy and procedure of the club
14
Age Group Directors Contract
Length of term 2 years Compensation Based on
license level General Duties Roles of the
Technical Director Age Group Director reports
only to the Technical Director Technical
Director evaluate the Age Group Director Operate
within policy and procedure of the club
15
Competitive Coach Contract
Length of term 1 year Compensation Based on
license level General Duties Roles of the
Competitive Coach Competitive Coach reports only
to the Age Group Director Age Group Director
evaluates Competitive Coach Operate within
policy and procedure of the club
16
Qualification Levels for Directors/Coaches
Technical Director A or B, must take the
course within one year National Youth
License Age Group Director C, B, or A must
take or audit within twelve months, must take
National Youth within eighteen months Competitive
Head Coach State or National D Competitive
Assistant Coach E License U6 or U8
Recreational Coach U6/U8 Youth Module
Certificate U10 or U12 Recreational Coach
U10/U12 Youth Module Certificate U14/U16/U19
Recreational Coach E License
17
Problems Addressed with the Vertical Club
Structure
Playing Up Issues conducted by Age Group
Directors and Technical Director, not the
involved coaches Coaches at coach meeting comp
coach contract Minimizing Club Hopping Player
development plan with new directors ideally at
every age group for stimulation in the long term
process. Older players see a light at the end of
the tunnel with highest licensed coaches at the
oldest age groups, College Support Program for
U16/U19 age groups. Age Group Director and
coaches geared toward age group appropriate for
them and their abilities and personality Club
contracts will help establish club unification in
the long term Allows for Competitive Parent
Coaches to stay with team, while getting
additional influence from new age group director
every two years Parent education at competitive
and recreational levels Allows for the formation
of long-term plans The Technical Director can
focus on player and coaching development Minimizi
ng the need for outside trainers by establishing
age directors/trainers. Reduce or eliminate the
necessity to bring trainers outside the club at
an additional costs. Eliminates the need for
separate and sometimes competing Recreational and
Competitive Directors
18
Areas for Growth Movements
Moving to this system shows respect and insight
into the growth and need both directors and
coaches Move to B Licensed Age Group
Directors Move to Age Group Directors only in
one age group Age Group Directors in U6, U8,
U10, U12 to take National Youth License so that
one of their coaching education clinics can be
the Youth Modules to certify club recreational
coaches Move to Age Group Directors only head
coaching teams outside of their age group Girls
Age Group Director and Boys Age Group Director in
each age group Standardized comp player fees,
supplement fees with inclusion of recreational
players
19
Board communication with the Technical Director
and Age Group Directors

• Coaching Committee, keep small, 2-3
• Club president
• One additional board member (vice president)
• -their roles is to ensure that the contracted
  duties and roles are completed
• Technical Director Provides activity report for
  the committee monthly, attends board meetings to
  answer questions regarding activities and give
  time line for growth movements in the future.
•  Advise that problems can be created when the
  president/or coach committee members work above
  the Technical Director on the Committee and
  directly under the Technical Director as a team
  coach. Communication, trust and understanding of
  boundaries must be in place for this to work
  successfully. It is the responsibility of both
  the Committee Member/Coach and the Technical
  Director to set clear responsibilities to create
  trust and respect along the way.

20
Evaluation of Technical Director, Age Group
Directors and Coaches
Evaluations should take place for all those who
are paid by the club. Evaluations can be
difficult with the nature of soccer coaches who
are on the front line for the club and feel it
every day. They normally do a very good job and
need to be told so. Most of the coaches have
full time jobs outside of soccer. Sensitivity is
required. A suggested positive approach to
evaluation is that of a Cooperative Evaluation
Meeting. In this meeting between the evaluator
and person being evaluated, a blank evaluation
form is presented to fill out together.
Evaluation questions should be presented in a
simple, general way What you did
right? What could you do better? What are
your plans/goals for next year? Sample
Measurements Completion of roles of the
position Coaching licensing Numbers of
players Meeting age group objectives Over
evaluation can be a big problem. It takes years
of refinement to run smoother soccer operations.
There is no substitute for experience as well as
education. Evaluations are important for
learning but so is time and experience and that
needs to be kept in perspective as we create a
stable and long term oriented soccer
environment. Coach and Age Director evaluations
are for the Technical Director. Technical
Director is evaluated by the Coach
Committee.
21
Vertical Soccer Club Setup
This type of setup takes advantage of the power
that a full service soccer club has in terms of
player and coach development. Its cornerstones
are respect of all levels and having a procedure
for players to experience all parts of a soccer
club when and if they are ready. The system
shows respect for the parent coaches moving
through the system as well as the full time
coaches/directors who will refine themselves and
the age groups in their care. Change can bring
about challenge. It must be handled sensitively
but firmly as education and consistency will
bring about the best possible transition and the
quickest route to reaping the developmental
benefits.