Another new topic - Best development coaches

onlythetruth wrote:Thank you.

I am sure we are all impressed with your perspective and you ability to abbreviate.

onlythetruth wrote:

GrandTXSoccer wrote:

I personally like Kat Webb when it comes to developing great fundamentals and very technically sound players. I've never heard anyone who's gone to individual training sessions with her that didn't have a great time and come out of there better than when they went in.

onlythetruth wrote:Are you kidding me?  Have you ever attended one of her practices?  In person?!?

Oh, ye of the few posts, let's not jump to conclusions. Let's examine your legitimate criticisms and evaluate this coaches' qualities with objective, rational eyes.
  = poor.      = average.   
     = Good.          = Excellent

onlythetruth wrote:If you go, be prepared for her to call your daughter "fruit loop".  I have heard her humiliate and embarass multiple girls.  

Player Interaction/Bonding: Fruit Loop is kinda lame... Even if its a nickname or term of endearment.

     

onlythetruth wrote:I heard her ask a 9-year-old girl if she "rode the short bus".  

Humor, Enjoys her Job:... A good quality. Politically incorrect, but thats pretty dang funny (unless the kid she asked does ride the short bus)... I can use that with my kids.

        
 

onlythetruth wrote:When someone said her mom takes her to school, she asked if the mom "drove a short bus."  

Conviction without fear (and humor).  Sticking with her guns... Although I wish kW would have checked the parking lot before asking the question, you can't accomplish anything without conviction.

        
 

onlythetruth wrote:I have heard her scream at a player in a game that if she didn't work harder "I am going to kill you."  

Motivational and  Passionate: inspiring other and having passion for ones work is another trait required to be successful.  I hope the player started working harder. Surely the coach worked her way up to a death threat... However, Homicide is generally a Bad Thing.

      

onlythetruth wrote: I have heard her coach her players to grab and pull jerseys or shove a player in the back because "if the ref doesn't call it, it is not a foul".

Displays a real world knowledge of the game.  Nothing replaces experience. Without more information, I can't really comment fully on this aspect of coaching ability. Did KW teach the proper technique for discreetly shoving and/or pulling the opponents jersey?

    +1/2

onlythetruth wrote:She regularly coaches practice from a chair or sitting on the turf.

Managment/Coaching Style: most matches are coached from the bench.  Another important detail-- Common Sense:  With or without a cocktail?. If she has a cocktail, it would silly to be out on the field amongst players with one, where it could be spilt.

    + 1/2 (without cocktail)
      + 1/2 (with cocktail)

onlythetruth wrote:This woman is (or should be) an embarassment to other coaches, her team, and the club she coaches for.

Overall Score 3+   's

GrandTXSoccer wrote:I've always been impressed with Gabe Adames at DTS. His teams are always competitive and they really seem to have a good idea of what they are trying to do. Technically they are always sound.

I'd say there are probably 5 or 6 whose names get tossed out there quite a bit (LW, CP, DM, AS, & GA are the ones that come to mind immediately). However I think there are some others that probably get missed because they don't recruit quite as much as some of the others or have as many teams. I personally like Kat Webb when it comes to developing great fundamentals and very technically sound players. I've never heard anyone who's gone to individual training sessions with her that didn't have a great time and come out of there better than when they went in.

I'd also throw in Keri Baker at LP in the mix, doesn't coach too many teams but her teams (watched more of her 93s or 94's, can't remember the years but they've graduated and moved on now) seem to have a good understanding of what they are doing. I've recently started watching the 05's and like what she's doing.

There are countless more out there that probably are great coaches but never really get the collection of talent that the "top" coaches get. There's a great old saying that you can't win the Kentucky Derby with a mule, and unfortunately some of the best coaches aren't the best recruiters so they never end up with collection of great athletes to develop.

With all that being said, I don't really think craddle to graduation is always the best thing for a players development no matter who the coach might be. I've always been a proponent for switching things up every couple of years because far too often coaches, players, and parents settle in to a level of comfort where growth and even competition is stymied, not because the coach isn't great, he/she is just human and we all become complacent. However that's a topic for another day.