With regards to coaching, as with all things in life, it helps if there are sources of inspiration and prior learning to provide the basis of good practice and delivery. LUFC is built on a foundation of effective support and the provision of an environment where young players can come and learn to play football to the best of their abilities and where coaching encourages players to extend to the full potential.

The following five tips provide the basis for effective coaching that has been distilled from generations of practice and success;

01 - Keep it Fun - Always

Football for young players should first and foremost be a game and games should be fun. While there are wonderful life lessons that can be learned from playing football, we as coaches should not be so focused on winning and pummelling our opponents that we forget that children need to have fun and enjoy the sport. In youth football the most successful coaches have made the game fun so that players want to keep playing and come back for more. Look for ways to relate training exercises to fun activities and always ensure that players enjoy what they are doing - even if the weather is bad and conditions are miserable. Winning isn't the most important thing despite what players may be led to believe.

02 - Teach the Fundamentals

LUFC's Football Philosophy concentrates on the delivery of coaching practice which emphasises the fundamental skills of football - passing, tackling, positioning, movement, coordination, awareness etc. LUFC promotes football that involves efficient, economical, measured, possession based approaches, where passing quality combined with intelligent and timely support and movement leads to greater coordination and team work. Learning the simple basic skills well before transitioning to more complex exercises will achieve more long term sustainable results in young players. At first things may seem boring and repetitive, but practice makes perfect and once players grasp the core principles they will begin to excel and add their own flair to their football. This is where the effort at the start pays off and players truly appreciate the nature of football.

03 - Teach Good Sportsmanship

The saying goes that there are no aggressive players - just coaches who haven't taught the right sportsmanship principles. As coaches we help shape and influence the lives of our young players. Young children are highly susceptible to bad behaviour. The FA's Respect programme teaches players to respect each other, the officials, and coaches. Players can be good sportsman and play with physical intensity if they are taught how to deal with and accommodate situations on and off the pitch. Building upon sound discipline also helps establish routines for players to adhere to and grow from. Create a philosophy for your team which harnesses the abilities of the players and then train to enhance skills, understanding and awareness. Finally, it is also generally a good idea for coaches to encourage good sportsmanship from their parent groups too!

04 - Play Hard, but Play Safe

Football is a physical sport and youth football can be more physical because players often don't know their own strength and don't comprehend the consequences in the event something goes wrong. Young children possess a fearless nature which should be moderated under a safe environment with a good set of practices and principles. To maximise enjoyment while creating a safe environment for young players to learn it is recommended that training exercises are selected which are appropriate for your player's abilities so for example if young players have not become accustom to heading the ball then concentrate on foot work and playing the ball on the ground. Adapt the exercises and increase difficulty (and risk) only once your players have demonstrated mastery of their balance and their feet. The objective is to encourage players to come back to the game and avoid injury. If in doubt cut it out - avoid doing things which could cause injury in young players.

05 - Create Valued Relationships

The relationship between a coach and players is sacred and can be long lasting with influence which lasts beyond the years you are together. Friendships between players can also be as significant and long lasting. Apart from teachers, a coach is will often be the only other non-parent authority figure in a young footballers life. Appreciate and value the impact you will have on their lives and how they will develop as a person. Other relationships are equally as important. As coaches we depend upon the support from others who are also technically part of the team. You have parents, friends, relatives, and younger siblings who could one day play for our club if their older brother or sister enjoys it. Coaching is not just about football - it is also about relationships and making the most of the opportunity to learn and participate, to encourage and educate, to achieve success as a collective unit.

Leighton United Football Club