The Football Coaching Process PDF

Introduction - The Football Australia Coaching Expertise Model

The Football Australia Coaching Expertise Model was developed to give coaches and coach educators a clear picture of what knowledge and skills are required to operate effectively as a football coach. Our vision on how to play football has been well-documented, through the publication of the National Football Curriculum and Football Australia’s Building Blocks of player development. The next step required, then, was to articulate a corresponding philosophy on how to coach football; in other words, we knew the kind of football we want to play and the kind of players required to play that way, so we also needed to know what kind of coaches we need to produce those players and develop the teams they play in. That is where the Coaching Expertise Model came in. With a model in place, we were then able to logically plan a program of Coach Education, because we had all the necessary points of reference.

The Football Australia Coaching Expertise Model outlines the three main areas of competency the coach must develop:

• Training.

• The Match.

• Management

There are specific competencies related to all three of these. We call them the ‘THREE PILLARS’ of Coaching.

‘The Match’ is at the centre of the whole model in line with Football Australia’s philosophical direction, as it is the focus of everything a coach does: it all begins and ends with the game of football. That also explains why the central pillar is green and looks like a football field. Match Day competencies have historically been neglected in Coach Education, but they are vital tools in the successful coach’s toolbox. ‘Training’ only exists because there is a ‘Match’; we train to become better when we play matches, and we measure the effectiveness of Training by evaluating performance in matches. Proper training, according to the age and level of the players, is critical for the future development of football in Australia.

‘Management’ encompasses all the skills and competencies involved in ‘managing oneself’, and ‘managing others’. The main areas to be considered here are Communication, Planning and Leadership. Since the coach, regardless of the level they work at, is constantly interacting with others they need to develop competencies which will improve the success of these processes.