By | 2015-10-27T11:42:22+00:00 October 27th, 2015|Soccer Stories|

So what makes a great coach or world class coach? Is it the people who consistently win prizes? Are they the trainers that land on talented individuals and then glory in their success? Is it those coaches that drive athletes to distraction? My experience is that the great coaches are often to be found in the most unusual places. They are the ones that have been able to withstand and survive the drudgery of the community team. They are the ones who are able to set up a competent team despite the lack of local support and the total absence of funds. These are the people that build relationships that last a lifetime. They get on with parents and athletes alike. Through this social capital and ability to relate, the world class coach is able to lay the ground for the glory of the athlete. They are an instrument in the wheel of fortune that is competitive sports. Quite often they will not be acknowledged but their satisfaction is the athlete that finally comes into their own. It is a glorious thing to get miracles from nothing. This is not to denigrate those who have been coaches and have achieved moderate or even great success. They are part of the industry but we cannot in all honesty refer to them as great coaches. That accolade is preserved for the select few that have the ambition, drive, vision and organizational skills that are required in order to deliver top grade performances. [...]