Author: Gordy

I have served in the capacity of the board-appointed leadership role (since 2014), and on the board since 2010.  I farm in west-central Minnesota. My prior business background includes co-founder and owner of Davis, Thomas & Associates, Inc. (DTA) with offices in Minneapolis MN, Chicago IL, and Bangalore India.  I was a former systems programmer in the banking, hospital, and transportation industries.

MOTI Website Tip: Using Analytics

Using Analytics as a Coach to encourage watching Foot Skills and Drills.

Now that the season is underway, there are several methods of looking at your team’s usage of the system and increasing it. Remember even if players cannot practice every day, every time they watch and visualize in their head “the strike they are making on the ball and the form they are using” or the “movement and passing in an activity” the more they are learning the game.

Alan Merrick reminds coaches how easy and fun it can be to use the Announcement Board and create a small competition among players out of viewing and practicing the Foot Skills. Each practice there is a bottle of water given to the player with the most views and touches!

Some tips to use. Some are best viewed as a coach on a desk top or laptop.

·         Look at the Roster (Desktop viewing recommended ) – If someone has not signed in (as a coach you will see the dates and time of their last sign in), visit with them to see what problem they are experiencing. Once the parents see the foot skills, and they realize their player can learn from the app, they will make an effort to get their player on the system. A simple word with the player or coach not accessing the system is easy to do and lets them know “you’re watching them”, which means they are an important part of the team.

·         Look at the Analytics (Desktop viewing recommended) – This takes a moment, but it will show you “who” has used the system, “when” and “how” they used the system.

o   Players – This view shows roster members who have viewed plans, how often and the last one viewed 

o   Practice Plan – This shows which plans have been viewed and how

o   Plan Details – This shows which training media elements and been views, by whom and how often. Remember App Views are in 3D where other views are on the desktop.

Becoming a tech savvy Soccer Parent

I recently stopped by a soccer practice with a group of parents who were beginning to use our MOTI Soccer App and our 3D Soccer Training Platform. While I walked thru the short question and answers a few of them had, parents were reaching out with questions they have regarding other apps used by their organization to support their players and coaches in soccer.

It is not uncommon to have to use one App for player registration and payments to the organization, another App for inter-team conversations (with possible concerns about bullying and inappropriate content), and now MOTI Soccer App (previously known as MOTI Mobile) for player, coach and parent education alongside a coaching curriculum for the first time ever.

Organizations now can use Apps to allow player registration (any time day or night), order uniforms, obtain discount coupons on soccer cleats, provide instant notification of field closures, weather, and travel or scheduling issues, saving all of us time.

I was listening to parents discussing how their players, playing for differing organizations are managing multiple Apps and surf thru the endless string of notifications that are helping parents manage their time effectively. 

The purpose of this article is to clarify where MOTI Sports fits with the soccer organization, or team and players.

Registration or Team Management:

Most parents today register their players online via a system registration system. Some of these systems allow organizations to create and maintain the organization’s website, obtain the proper information on activities being offered, players, parents, registration fees, fee payment and make sure all the necessary information is provided to national organizations (such as US Soccer), their insurance carriers for coach or player coverage. Some of these systems also provide a storefront that enables the parents to purchase needed sporting goods for their players. Organizations can also use many of these systems to offer apps to player, parent and coach communications. Rosters are maintained, and schedules posted for practice and game schedules.  Notifications can be sent out to players, parents & coaches on weather, schedule changes, etc.

Training Management:

MOTI Sports provides organizations a method for establishing a curriculum of development for players and coaches’ development that utilizes App technology but also incorporates visually engaging 3D assets that allow players, coaches and parents to view what the coach wants the player to learn. Visual learning speeds the player and coach development process. 3D assets include specific techniques (foot skills) necessary to play the game well, and activities (drills) all in 3D in a mobile device, that is age, gender and often now language specific.  Training curriculum can then is shared to players and coaches, and analytics are provided as feedback to the players, coaches, and organizations to help improve development.

MOTI Sports interfaces with registration or team management systems to allow players, parents, and coaches to simplify onboarding of team player roster information and simplify the login in process.   Presently, we have integrated with Sports Engine and Team Snap. We will continue to integrate with other systems as the demand and other vendors provide an open interface.

Summary:

Today, if you have one or more players is playing soccer; you will soon be very proficient with these systems in your mobile device. The great news is the players enjoy this freedom to learn, where and when they have time.

Getting the Board to Get Stuff Done

I recently attended a session “Boards of Directors: Minimizing Dysfunction to Get Stuff Done” at the US Soccer Urban conference in Washington D.C. presented by Ruth Nicholson. Ruth did an excellent job laying out roles and responsibilities of what Board vs Staff functions /responsibilities are in an organization. Over the past 40 years I’ve served on boards in varying capacities from board member, secretary, treasurer, board chair and in the staff or operating executive role.

As board members, we are advocates for continuous improvement within the organization. Board members are the public face of your organization, you should have passion for seeing improvement in the organization, and you should be connected at the grass roots level of the organization to see how policies are being implemented. Remember, it is not your job to enforce policies. That is the job of the executive director. Your role is oversight.

Board Governance

  • The board’s role is to set
    • strategic direction
    • program priorities
    • major policies and procedures
    • financial management
    • personnel management (paid & volunteer staff)
  • The membership of the board should be diverse. It is great to have board members with varying areas of specialty but with the common shared interest in the organization.
  • Remember as a board member you have operating control over nothing in the organization, but are responsible for oversight over everything in the organization.  Good board members are not micro-managers. Let the staff manage the organization.
  • Board members must advocate for the organization and its improvement. Bringing up ideas and passing them on to either the board chair or executive director or director of coaching (if appropriate, as some organizations do not have executive directors)  that will move the organization forward.
  • If you’ve been on a board for a long period of time and don’t feel you have been contributing, talk to your board chair, maybe it’s time to step down and not re-run for that position again.
  • Keep meetings moving; if you can contribute to the topic ask to be recognized. If you cannot contribute, be quiet. However, sometimes it is important for a board member to speak up and clarify the discussion, when you hear two “points of view” crossing in a discussion and not being heard by either party.
  • If you have not had a board development session setting organizational goals or strategic direction (road map), it may be time. Remember your organization can’t go anywhere without a road map.

Board Chair / President

  • Meet with the executive director or director of coaching (smaller organizations may not have an executive director, just a part-time or volunteer director of coaching) to set the next board meeting agenda well before the meeting. Have the agenda circulated with materials as necessary to the board members in advance of the meeting.
  • Discuss with the executive director or director of coaching what is working and what isn’t. It is better to discuss some issues in private. Consider setting up a committee of the board to deal with finance or personnel issues as your organization grows.
  • Run the meeting (don’t let the executive director or director of coaching do this) and keep to the agenda. Remember things can always be on the next meeting agenda.
  • Have necessary staff available at the meeting so you know that the executive director or director of coaching can obtain input from them and let the staff members run their functions.
  • Make sure to move the meeting along, but allow board members to ask questions and discuss as needed so they are making informed decisions.
  • Keep order of your board members and of the meeting. Always take the high road. If there are issues that need to be discussed in a closed session for data privacy reasons, then schedule those meetings with the board members (or a committee of the board)  and executive director or director of coaching for a future date.
  • Assign a member of the board to send a thank-you note to any staff member recognized for great performance by the executive director or director of coaching during the meeting. It builds awareness among staff that their efforts are being recognized.

Staff

In smaller organization you may be filling a board role, but also a staff role.

  • Separate the two functions as you perform those roles.
  • Don’t make policy changes in the role of a staff member. Stick to the policies.
  • If you are volunteering in a staff and board role (as is the case in many smaller organizations) and you are contributing over 10 hours per week consistently, you may be doing too much.  Statistics show that volunteer burn out occurs when they are consistently contributing over 10 hours per week. If you find yourself in the situation, talk to the board chair and or executive director.

It was great listening to the executive directors, coaching directors, or board members discussing these topics and be able to contribute. Ruth did a great job facilitating. Contact Ruth@NicholsonFacilitation.com for more tips.

See it and Do it.

In recent weeks I attended maybe 20 coaching clinics. I often wonder that takes place at these clinics really. Ever look around at a coaching clinic and ask yourself Why am I here, what and how am I learning?

The idea behind the coaching clinic is for a coach to visually see and experience “a fully developed model, which coaches can implement immediately within their organization to promote innovation and accelerate results”.  Coachinc.com

See it and Do it.

Similarly, both USSF and USC are now using on line training and YouTube videos to help train new to the game coaches and seasoned veterans alike.

Many of us have taken the advanced coaching courses.  Our own Alan Merrick not only has his USSF A License and USC Premier Diploma, he also has the Canadian A License, the English FA Coaching License and has coached professionally.  The value of continuing your coaching education cannot be overstated.  But how does our expertise translate to our Team, our Club, our State and our Nation?

What are we doing to help those new coaches and young players develop a desire to continue playing and coaching this game that we so love?  We know as coaches that it is all about having success and fun.

Today’s players and coaches learn visually.  For a player to have success at developing their foot skills they need repeated visualization, seeing and listening to the coaching points and practice over and over again for it to become a habit. Good coaching habits are studied and practiced becoming a natural act in our coaching technique.

See it and Do it.

So how can this occur if we only see it one or two days out of the year, and often out of context with our team or coaching environment? Here is what our customers say about using the MOTI Soccer App:

“[coaches] now know everything that we teach, they are able to teach it with all of the proper coaching points, and all the proper techniques and they are also able to access all the small sided work that is going to allow them to use those technical pieces in tactical applications“ – Steve Doimer, DOC Wright County Soccer

“MOTI is giving us everything that we need in our hand to run a decent session. We can run everything from an average session to a fantastic session and that all depends on where that coach is in their development as well.  That coach that is running a decent session would be running a bad session without it. As they continue to grow and see all the things that are available and work their way thru all the different aspects of the technical work and how it applies to the tactical work, they are going to be much better.” – Steve Doimer, DOC Wright County Soccer

“We send our coaches off to a licensing classes, it doesn’t come close to what they learn in application with the proper tools in their hand. A week of licensing doesn’t do it, a season with the proper tools they are way ahead of that”. – Steve Doimer DOC Wright County Soccer

See it and Do it.

Alan Merrick, while following up with a coach using the MOTI app discovered that she was repeatedly reviewing the session plans.  This experienced player and coach stated the following reason for watching and listening to the coaching points in the practice plans:

“it simplified and explained the skills that I never knew when I was growing up, so I was able to show the kids how to use them” – Morgan Niccum volunteer coach Wright County Soccer

See it and Do it.

Continuing our education is important.  Some of us have the desire to take advanced clinics and coaching courses.  But most coaches, especially at the entry level with our young player, have not had the chance to taste and see how great our game is.  MOTI provides a clinic in their hands both for the coach and player.

“I am seeing more coach re-assurance, structure and confidence, so players and parents are receiving full utilization of our program.” – Jenni Gallipo Recreation Director CR United Soccer

See it and Do it.

MOTI App – Engineered for Learning Visually & Easily

The MOTI Soccer App was designed to present a session/practice/lesson plan to the user visually and be easy to use and understand.

When you log into the MOTI Soccer App (previously known as MOTI Mobile) you are presented with the

  • Announcement Board
    This contains simple general information the Coach wants the team (players, parents and other coaches) to read immediately. It may contain simple information, such as reminders about clothing, equipment or location of practice, feedback about the previous contest, birthday wishes for a player, and alike.
  • Practice Plan (Currently Scheduled)
    The heart of the system, this one item enables coaches to share with everyone what is expected to be accomplished at the next practice (session/lesson).
  • 3D Skills   is the technique/foot skill to be studied and practiced. The beauty of this is allowing players and parents to practice these at home. With a single touch, the animation with a professionally narrated audio appears. A simple touch of the “>” Play button and the animation comes to life. Players, parents, and coaches use fingertip controls of the screen to view the animation from any perspective. Here is a brief video showing the controls. Touch here to view a brief video on controls of the Skills Player.
  • 3D Drills    is the drill or activity presented to be studied prior to practice. The simplicity of this is that coaches can now see and listen to the activity to be performed, all the coaching points are there along with how the drill progresses and re-generates. Players can watch the drill so that when practice begins coaches don’t have to spend precious time on the practice area explaining what is to occur. Again a simple touch of the “>” Play button begins the animation. Players, parents, and coaches can use fingertips controls to view from any perspective. Touch here to view the controls for the Drills Player. A host of other viewing features from adding player & ball trails to watching from the 1st person perspective can be found here on our website – https://motisports.com/category/mobile-app-tips/
  • Optional materials such as documents, movies or links to other systems are easily added to enhance your plan for players, parents and coaches.

So with just a few touches on a phone or tablet, players, parents, and coaches can easily access the desired learning plan for the practice.

Benefits:

  • Players always have access to the Practice Content
  • Players can prepare in advance to actively engage in the practice
  • Substitute coaches can fill seamlessly
  • Players can work on their own to develop and fine-tune their skills
  • Clubs can monitor usage to ensure coaching continuity across an age or skill group
  • Develops a common vocabulary for coaches, players, and the organization
  • Players progress, skilled players stay with the game
  • A reliable system of education across the entire organization

United Soccer Coaches Convention 2019

United Soccer Coaches Convention 2019
The soccer coaches convention starts January 9th in Chicago!
Visit us at booth 1052.

View the convention center floor plan here or download a pdf version here.

See you there!