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Recording the audio of your sessions and playing it back can enhance how you reflect on your training sessions, writes FA coach developer Matt Jones
In the past, I have been told: “You like the sound of your own voice".
Initially, I received this as harsh criticism. However, it was followed with: “But, Matt, this shows your passion and enthusiasm”.
It’s then that the lightbulb pinged. Despite the positive slant on what I perceived was a critical comment, I sensed an opportunity to learn.
Passion and enthusiasm are two key elements a coach should possess to help their players. It’s also important for players to see a coach’s love for what they do.
But does passion for coaching have to be displayed by being vocal? When I first received the above feedback, I didn’t realise I was being so vocal. I was just being me, something which I think is fundamental when coaching.
The process made me reflect on certain things - "By talking a lot, what was I ’trading off’?", "Did the players need to hear that information at that point?", "Was it necessary to stop the whole group?", and so on.
"Without footage, I listen more to tone, volume and type of intervention..."
I also started to analyse what impact my communication was having on group motivation and drive.
As a coach who wants the players to think, do and act for themselves, I wanted the players to drive the sessions themselves. Plus, my desire to fill silences was sometimes rushing and hindering player decision- making.
So what did I decide to do? Well, in a fast-moving world, making use of the time we have to reflect and identify key learning is crucial.
As part of this, I now record the audio of my coaching session - although, as per safeguarding protocol, you should always seek permission from players, coaches and any spectators when recording.
I do this using the voice memo app on my smartphone, a hands-free kit and a paperclip to attach the microphone to my jacket.
It gives me the opportunity to reflect on what I said and, just as importantly, the times when I said nothing.
Without video footage I listen more closely to the detail of the audio: tone, volume, type of intervention. It also challenges me to visualise where I was at the time, the context and the mood.
I tend to replay the audio in the car when travelling or while out for a run. When i’m listening to it, I ask myself a few questions:
Don’t feel like you have to replay the whole audio and analyse it in its entirety. You can move through the recording at your leisure. Quite often I focus on a 15-minute practice or a single conversation with a player and see what I can learn about myself.
Whether I am analysing the entire session or just one part, I have found recording and playing back my audio, at a time to suit me, is an invaluable part of my own coach development.
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