Standard of sports coaching in Thailand

[DonniePeverley]

Took sisters kid to weekend football academy for under 12's.  I've done this a few times with Basketball and at the time i remember thinking how appalling the coach was, and maybe it was just a one off. But the more i see, the standard is absolutely abysmal here. 

 

Kids under 12, want to have some basic coaching, but most importantly it's about loving, enjoying the game, to keep them coming back to the game. They had a soccer coach today (replacing an even worst one last week) who spent more time loving the sound of his own voice, giving instructions, rather than letting the kids play football. 

 

Long elaborate instructions how to set up for corner kicks, massive instructions how to dribble past someone, etc. But one thing he did no do was let the kids have the ball and actually practice his theories - so you'd have long 5 minutes sermons on how they should play, then a quick minute to implement and practise what he just said. I was seething watching this at the sidelines. 

 

After 90 mins into the 2 hours fiasco, with kids baking in the hot sun, looking bored and uninterested, i half felt like going on the pitch and telling him to just let the kids play for crying out loud. 

 

Honestly, the best way for kids to learn is to let them play, give some basic instructions, keep them motivated. Have some games, a match - and then point out some mistakes how players can improve etc. Keep things simple. 

 

Honestly it's diabolical out here. Totally different from the coaching you see in Europe who have learnt and moved on, and allow children to just play with the ball and keep them engaged. 

 

Do coaches here not go through any training programmes, or get any acreditation? To be a coach in the UK for example you need to have done coaching badges, which stresses the need for children to enjoy the game. 

 

Should i have gone to the coach or those in charge to tell them my comments? What your experiences out here?

[richard_smith237]

OK - so you found one coach who you don't think is very good and draw a sweeping generalisation about all coaching ?...     I'm not sure you have the critical thought to sensibly evaluate what you see when making such leaps of assumption. 

 

If you find one coach not very good - switch to another.

 

Coaching, be it gymnastics, swimming, football, rugby, cricket etc in BKK (particularly at my Son's school) is outstanding - I've witnessed it with friends children and mine.

 

 

4 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Do coaches here not go through any training programmes, or get any acreditation? To be a coach in the UK for example you need to have done coaching badges, which stresses the need for children to enjoy the game. 

 

Some, yes, some no - I guess you'll have to do some research: 

Also, where are you located ? - you may get recommendations on here.

i.e. PKFC Cruzeiro Soccer (BKK - Sukhimvit 71) and Polo (Bkk) both have good football classes and coaching.

 

 

4 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Should i have gone to the coach or those in charge to tell them my comments? What your experiences out here?

 

Sure... how would you like someone who has no experience telling you how to do your job ?

If its not for you - just move along.

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

OK - so you found one coach who you don't think is very good and draw a sweeping generalisation about all coaching ?...     I'm not sure you have the critical thought to sensibly evaluate what you see when making such leaps of assumption. 

 

If you find one coach not very good - switch to another.

 

Coaching, be it gymnastics, swimming, football, rugby, cricket etc in BKK (particularly at my Son's school) is outstanding - I've witnessed it with friends children and mine.

 

 

 

Some, yes, some no - I guess you'll have to do some research: 

Also, where are you located ? - you may get recommendations on here.

i.e. PKFC Cruzeiro Soccer (BKK - Sukhimvit 71) and Polo (Bkk) both have good football classes and coaching.

 

 

 

Sure... how would you like someone who has no experience telling you how to do your job ?

If its not for you - just move along.

He's right apart from Muay they suck at sport

[DonniePeverley]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

OK - so you found one coach who you don't think is very good and draw a sweeping generalisation about all coaching ?...     I'm not sure you have the critical thought to sensibly evaluate what you see when making such leaps of assumption. 

 

 

Unfortunately it's been 4 coaches i've encountered. All appalling, hence why i refrained from making any generalisation after seeing one or two. 

 

Nephew drove back home vowing never to play football again which left me pretty downbeat, claiming it was absolutely boring. I don't blame him after the coaching performance he was given, which was more of a 'sermon, listen to my great voice' rather than any football playing. 

 

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sure... how would you like someone who has no experience telling you how to do your job ?

If its not for you - just move along.

 

 

I have had some experience in the UK. I've actually been on EE playmaker course from the FA for some work experience i was doing a few years ago. The whole emphasis was on getting the children to love the game, have the ball with them at all times, less lectures, and more playing matches, with coaching being light at these ages. There was also less heading of the ball at these ages which i see isn't being implemented here - but that's another point altogether. 

 

Is negative feedback never received well in Thailand ?

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

I have had some experience in the UK. I've actually been on EE playmaker course from the FA for some work experience i was doing a few years ago. The whole emphasis was on getting the children to love the game, have the ball with them at all times, less lectures, and more playing matches, with coaching being light at these ages. There was also less heading of the ball at these ages which i see isn't being implemented here - but that's another point altogether. 

 

Fair enough - in that case, would you not be better placed to go and look at a few academies around town (wherever you are) and make a decision based up on the standards of coaching you see ?

 

Not all will be poor.

 

Again - where are you located ??   Given the area, others maybe able to recommend some academies that have excellent coaches, I recommended two already - though I've seen these 'coaching' sessions only briefly, before or after I've been playing myself - but all kids looked well engaged and were kept very active.

 

 

15 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Is negative feedback never received well in Thailand ?

 

Unless there's a major issue, negative feed back in such a situation is likely to go unwelcomed and ignored.

 

 

26 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Unfortunately it's been 4 coaches i've encountered. All appalling, hence why i refrained from making any generalisation after seeing one or two. 

 

Nephew drove back home vowing never to play football again which left me pretty downbeat, claiming it was absolutely boring. I don't blame him after the coaching performance he was given, which was more of a 'sermon, listen to my great voice' rather than any football playing. 

 

I imagine its more of a 'spectrum' - I don't think its fair to make as sweeping generalisation about all coaches.

 

I have Harrisfan on block because his comments are only ever idiotic - I can only imagine his response above is an equally ill thought out dumb one liner - and if so, you will see with whom your sweeping generalisation aligns itself.

 

That said: If your nephew has become disheartened due to the quality of coaching, then your criticism of this specific coach (and the coaches you've seen) is valid - but there are plenty of other coaches.

 

This seems to matter to you - so I'd recommend going around and taking a look to find a better option.

 

---------

 

I've done the same with both extra curricular Thai Classes and academic classes where my Wife and I moved our son around, spoken to people and found the best solution that works for him.

 

 

 

 

[Magictoad]

I know little or nothing about football but the coaching I saw in Phanom Phrai was excellent. The two teams had a dedicated coach who himself was training to be a coach. I made a video and put it on YouTube.  He passed his coaching exam. They all had shirts/ kit sponsored by a local Karaoke bar.

[DonniePeverley]

17 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Fair enough - in that case, would you not be better placed to go and look at a few academies around town (wherever you are) and make a decision based up on the standards of coaching you see ?

 

Not all will be poor.

 

Again - where are you located ??   Given the area, others maybe able to recommend some academies that have excellent coaches, I recommended two already - though I've seen these 'coaching' sessions only briefly, before or after I've been playing myself - but all kids looked well engaged and were kept very active.

 

 

 

Unless there's a major issue, negative feed back in such a situation is likely to go unwelcomed and ignored.

 

 

 

I imagine its more of a 'spectrum' - I don't think its fair to make as sweeping generalisation about all coaches.

 

I have Harrisfan on block because his comments are only ever idiotic - I can only imagine his response above is an equally ill thought out dumb one liner - and if so, you will see with whom your sweeping generalisation aligns itself.

 

That said: If your nephew has become disheartened due to the quality of coaching, then your criticism of this specific coach (and the coaches you've seen) is valid - but there are plenty of other coaches.

 

This seems to matter to you - so I'd recommend going around and taking a look to find a better option.

 

---------

 

I've done the same with both extra curricular Thai Classes and academic classes where my Wife and I moved our son around, spoken to people and found the best solution that works for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll definately take your comments on board on trying to move the nephew around to a better place, and giving what you say i remain heartened their is better coaching out there. 

 

My generalisation was my own experiences from a few coaches, and of course if you look at Thailand performance in most sports with their large population it does beg the question whether the country has a coaching problem - although fully agreed that may well be generalising - i am aware there are most likely other (not sporting) reasons for the country not excelling at sports. 

[DonniePeverley]

4 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

I know little or nothing about football but the coaching I saw in Phanom Phrai was excellent. The two teams had a dedicated coach who himself was training to be a coach. I made a video and put it on YouTube.  He passed his coaching exam. They all had shirts/ kit sponsored by a local Karaoke bar.

 

Great to hear !!! I remain heartened their is evidence of some quality coaching.

 

May i ask if the coach was Thai or international ? 

[Magictoad]

6 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

Great to hear !!! I remain heartened their is evidence of some quality coaching.

 

May i ask if the coach was Thai or international ? 

He was Thai. Do you want to see the video? It all looked very professional to me.

[Magictoad]

 

[Magictoad]

8 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

 

So with my limited knowledge of football- it all looked very professional to me.