Starting in the 2009 Outdoor Season, for all BYSC house league Coaches of 8/9 year old players, it will be Mandatory to obtain the Level 1 - Child coaching Certification from the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA), *paid for through GM Grant. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure a minimal knowledge of the game of soccer and coaching techniques so that all BYSC players at the "golden age of learning" are receiving good quality instructions.
The certification clinic is a One Day Clinic which will be offered Locally. The majority of clinics take place in the spring - dates will be announced.
For all other coaches requiring Level1 certification,:there is a cost associated with the clinics (set by the host Clubs to cover the fee payable to the OSA instructor and gym and classroom rentals. Host clubs do not make money from running these clinics).
However, the BYSC offers a reimbursement program whereby coaches are refunded 50% of their clinic fees at the end of the 1st season that they coach a BYSC team, and the remaining 50% is reimbursed at the end of the following year provided that they coach a BYSC team. Reimbursements are issued in September of each year. To be eligible you simply need to coach a BYSC team (acting as an assistant coach counts towards eligibility) and either: 1) take a BYSC hosted clinic, or 2) submit a receipt to the BYSC from the host organization if the clinic is taken elsewhere).
*Special exemption for the cost of the clinic will be considered for coaches who have already coached for 2 or more consecutive years with BYSC - paid through GM Grant.
Should you require additional information regarding the clinic or reimbursement program, or if you would like assistance in finding a clinic and registering, please contact the Competitive Coordinator at 613-966-7233, or byrepsoccer@reach.net
 Level 1 coaches 2009
Coaching development top priority for BYSC
By Christopher Clarke
Photos courtesy
Clarkework Orange Photography
The Canadian and Ontario soccer associations have both been trying to develop better coaches over the past few years, something Jim Brown, the development chairperson for the Belleville Youth Soccer Club, fully supports.
“If we have better coaches, we’ll have better players,” said Brown.
The BYSC has made coaching development a large part of its vision for the future and it’s current objectives.
“My philosophy is, if I can get 10 coaches on some kind of development program, than they can coach 15 kids (each), and we have 150 (skilled players),” said Brown.
The Belleville Youth Soccer Club recently received the General Motors “Making Dreams Possible” grant, to support and encourage coaches to develop their skills and abilities. The grant was used in most part to help the club with coaching development by allowing the club to make mandatory the Level One Coaching Certification for coaches in the eight and nine age group.
“It takes the pressure off the coaches to come up with the $70.00 to pay for this program, that we have actually mandated,” said Brown.
Lisa Hallsworth, the media and fundraising coordinator for the BYSC, sees it as the start of a long term plan that will raise the number of talented players in the area.
“The idea is these coaches will continue to learn and develop their young soccer players as they move through the age groups. By developing good coaching strategies we can develop more, young soccer stars,” said Hallsworth.
Jim Brown can’t stress the importance of coaching development enough. He understands the history of soccer in this country, and the fact is, most of the current soccer coaches today do not have good coaching role models to emulate, having never played at a high level themselves. For those coaches that have played for many years and have excellent abilities on the field, it is still difficult to impart to young players what, to them, seems only natural.
“(Coaches) still have to get together and get into the fundamentals where we start understanding the mechanics and techniques involved in soccer to pass it on to the kids,” said Brown.
The eight and nine age group has been dubbed “the golden age of learning” in soccer development. Players are just starting to become self-critical in regard to their play, and are still enthusiastic about learning and training. This is what is behind the BYSC’s philosophy of making coaching development mandatory in that age group.
Jim Brown is also involved with player development, working with a select group of eight and nine year olds to develop the next generation of skilled players. The group works on the three fundamentals of soccer; dribbling, passing and receiving the ball, and ball control. The group also employs small-sided games focusing on providing the players with as many touches on the ball as possible. Brown forgoes a lot of training in areas such as heading the ball, and controlling the ball off the chest, and instead, focuses on the basics. For this age group, the ball is, for the most part, on the ground.
“I want to keep it real, so what is real for them?” said Brown. |