Why this matters
Grassroots sessions are cold, noisy and short. If your message takes ninety seconds to deliver, half the group has stopped listening and the other half is freezing.
The common problem
Coaches explain practices like instruction manuals: every rule, every scenario, every exception, before a ball has been kicked.
Try this instead
- Explain in under 30 seconds, then start. Add the second rule after two minutes of play.
- Show, don't tell — walk the pattern with three players while the rest watch.
- Position the group so they face away from distractions and you face the sun, not them.
- Use the same three or four key words all season: 'scan', 'travel', 'square up', 'set'.
- Check understanding with a player, not the group: 'Jack, how do you score in this game?'
On the pitch
Instead of explaining a five-rule possession game, set it up as 'keep it away from the two in the middle' and start. Add the target players after two minutes, then the two-touch rule after five.
Questions to ask
- How long was my longest talk today?
- Which words do I repeat every session?
- Did the players know what to do within thirty seconds?
Your coaching challenge
Time your longest explanation next session and aim to keep every one under a minute.
Reflect afterwards
What did you cut, and did anyone actually miss it?