Coaching
Giving players feedback that sticks
A simple weekly structure for individual feedback that volunteer coaches can keep up all season, and that players can actually act on at training.
· 2 min read
Why most feedback doesn't land
Players at community level want to get better, and most coaches want to help them. The gap is usually time. A quick 'good game, mate' in the rooms is kind but gives a player nothing to work on, and a long chat at training happens for a handful of players at best.
Feedback sticks when it is regular, specific and written down, so the player can come back to it during the week.
Use three short parts
Keep each player's feedback to three parts. It is quick to write and easy to read on a phone.
- What went well: one or two specific things, tied to a moment or a stat. 'Your second efforts at stoppages in the third quarter set up two goals' beats 'good effort'.
- To work on: one thing, not five. Choose the thing that would make the biggest difference next week.
- Focus for next week: a single, observable action the player can practise at training.
Make it specific and observable
Avoid comments about attitude or character. Describe what you saw and what you want to see. Players can change actions; it is much harder to change a label.
- Instead of 'switch on', try 'be in position at the next contest before the ball is bounced'.
- Instead of 'kicking needs work', try 'hit the leading target on your non-preferred side in the kick to kick drill'.
Share the load across the coaching group
One coach writing feedback for 25 players every week burns out by round 6. Split the list by line: the backline coach covers defenders, the midfield coach the midfielders, and so on. The Head Coach reads across all of it.
Use stats as evidence, not the verdict
Stats are useful for spotting trends and starting a conversation, but they miss plenty. A defender who kept a dangerous forward to one goal might have a quiet stat line. Use the numbers to back up what you saw, and say so when the numbers don't tell the story.
Close the loop at training
Refer back to last week's focus during the week. A ten second 'that's the lead I was after' at training is often worth more than the written note itself.