Tag: Game-Realism
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Why games-based learning leads to more long-term gains
As coaches, the vast majority of us want what is best for our athletes. But there still exists a never-ending divide between what is deemed more valuable by the standards of today, as opposed to the ways coaches learned in the past. Modern-day coaches will emphasize fun and enjoyment through games, and old-school coaches will…
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Games-based learning for optimal athlete development
Across the past decade or so, we’ve seen a massive shift in youth athlete development toward a games-based, game-realistic approach to training. If I die on one coaching hill, it would be within my proclamation that this is the most optimal way for training athletes toward what practice is generally for – the game itself.
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The art of structuring an effective warm-up
We all know the importance of warming up the body in the proper ways, but many novice (or dinosaur) coaches fail to adequately know how to warm up the body in the proper ways specific to the sport.
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How I coached an unbeaten team
In the summer of 2021, I took a youth team to an unbeaten campaign, in their first ever season playing together. While winning is never the most important part of youth soccer, I share some of the key tips and tricks that allowed me to achieve success with my team and instill a positive culture…
Rhys Desmond 