Blackburn’s John Prince: the key skills and characteristics prospective academy coaches should demonstrate at interview
Coach | Approach | John Prince | 30.06.2022
Rapport, enthusiasm and realistic practice design are three key skills prospective academy coaches should demonstrate at an interview, says John Prince, Senior Youth Development Phase coach at Blackburn Rovers. Image: John Prince
Learning:
- The importance of demonstrating rapport and enthusiasm with young players
- The ingredients of effective practice design for players in the youth development phase
- How to provide coaching detail that helps young players learn and develop
Rapport, enthusiasm and realistic practice design are three key skills prospective academy coaches should demonstrate at an interview, says John Prince, Senior Youth Development Phase coach at Blackburn Rovers.
“There are some key characteristics that we look for when we’re interviewing coaches for an academy position in the youth development phase and the first one is rapport,” says Prince, who joined Rovers in May 2021 after holding coaching roles at Burnley, Preston North End and the English Football Association.
“The ability to connect and to build a relationship with players and staff is so important. Obviously, it's hard during an interview because you don't know the players, but it's the intent to build rapport that you're looking for.”
Prince, who has also coached in Scotland at Celtic and Queens Park, says the next ingredient he is looking for when observing a Youth Development Phase interview is the coach’s enthusiasm for their work.
“Enthusiasm is also so important,” adds Prince.
“Sometimes academy coaching can be very serious, but I don't think that’s always necessary. Of course, it’s a very serious business, but I think enthusiasm is far more important than being too serious when you’re working with young players - especially when the players are between 13-16 years old.
“We’ve had David Lowe from our first-team come in and work with our academy players and the number one thing that stood out about him was his enthusiasm and energy.”
Design and deliver realistic practice
Once coaches can demonstrate rapport and enthusiasm, their ability to design and deliver realistic practice is crucial, says Prince.
“Ball rolling time’ would be something else that is a really important characteristic within the sessions. I want to see how coaches find ways to create and value that.
“Also, the practices that are delivered have to be realistic to the 11v11 game that 13-16 year-olds in the youth development phase old play.
“That doesn't have to mean the practices are complicated, but there's certain principles that should be involved, for example making the practice directional, with some form of target and to include the offside rule.
“These are key aspects of the game that need to be in the sessions because otherwise the players are probably experiencing a lack of realism.”
“Ball rolling time’ would be something else that is a really important characteristic within the sessions. I want to see how coaches find ways to create and value that.”
Provide players with the finer detail that helps them improve
The detail that accompanies the practice design is another area Prince encourages coaches to consider.
“Another thing we look for is detail,” explains Prince. “We want coaches to show the ability to provide the detail that the players need.
“It might be the type and timing of runs, the body position you need to receive the ball, how they use their body to protect the ball or the technique that they've chosen to make a pass.
“With all of these things, there needs to be a real attention to detail and an ability to provide the finer points that help players improve. Those are the things that really differentiate excellence and average when we’re looking at coaches.”
Finally, the coach’s ability to have high standards and expectations is also taken into account, says Prince.
“We talk a lot about having ‘high demand with high support’,” says Prince.
“Academy football is a selective environment and there needs to be a high standard in the way things are done. So, if the players are not displaying the levels we are looking for, that needs to be addressed in an appropriate way. That’s how we would like our coaches to work.”
Summary:
- Ensure practices replicate the demands of the game at the relevant age-group
- Develop your game knowledge so you can provide players with the ‘finer points that will help them improve’
- Provide young players with ‘high demand and high support’
Reflection:
- How can you further develop a connection and rapport with the players that you work with?
- Do you know how much ‘ball rolling time’ there is in your sessions? What can you do to find out this figure or increase the percentage?
- Do you provide ‘high demand and high support’? If not, what can you do to achieve this aim?