Additional Post 7: Understanding Weaknesses

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to sit in on a one-on-one training evaluation done by Jeff Tackett, the goalkeeping coach I mentored under over the Summer.

The process goes like this:

Tackett attends a few games of each of his players and rates their tactical play (the in game "tactics" that are needed to produce a winning team).  During training sessions he takes note of their technical skills (the depth and spread of the "technique" used during each drill).

He basically grades each of the players on a 10 point scale in about 45 different sub groups falling under Tactical, Technical, and Personality.  He expects his younger keepers to be in the 7 range and his older keepers in the 9 range.  He requires a high level of intensity and skill, and at the very least, a high level of improvement.  Without either one of those things, his coaching career would be over.

After he's scored them, he sits with the athlete and her parents and goes over each and every skill.  He goes over problem areas, areas of great improvement, and explains things the keepers may not understand.  Tackett opens the floor for questions after each explanation so the keepers get the most out of their session.  Few coaches do this, and that's part of what sets him apart.

Blog 4: Interview Preperation

1. I plan to interview Kim Nemeth.  I have chosen her as my first interview because she is not only my main mentor, but is also a very skilled goalkeeper.  She has been a goalkeeper herself for a long time, and has improved my game tremendously over the several years that she has been my trainer.

2.  My additional questions:

• Do you plan on trying to make coaching young goalkeepers a full time job? Or just a part time hobby?
• How long have you been training keepers individually?
• How would you describe you coaching style to a new client of yours?
• I grew up in the AYSO system playing soccer.  It was very rare that there was anyone other than me that wanted to play in goal full time, and the number of competent young girls (and boys) wanting to play the position seems to have declined.  What training and advice would you give a group of young kids to get them excited rather than terrified of the position?
• How many years of keeper specific training did you have before you felt you were completely confident in goal? 
• Did you even have keeper specific training along with team training before you made the college team?