May 31, 2023

S3 Ep19: James Riches – how PE and play develops skilful players

43 minutes

⁠Transcript on England Football Community⁠

The power of imagination and play can both make for a more enjoyable experience for players and also help to develop their skills.

In this episode, FA regional PE officer James Riches returns to share his journey so far and to explore how we can develop skilful players through PE. James draws from his experiences to provide valuable advice for aspiring coaches and teachers, particularly for those who work with children.

James has taken on a wide range of teaching and coaching roles, including as a coach for Leeds United. He shares how he’s used the transferable skills gained from these experiences to add to his current role. We learn about the vast differences between teaching and coaching and the power that PE has in helping to develop skilful players. James also shares advice on managing difference and developing players across all four corners of The 4 Corner Model, not just their technical and physical abilities.

James emphasises the importance of play when it comes to developing kids. He offers actionable advice on how to harness the power of informal games during sessions. We also speak about encouraging the use of imagination to solve problems and how this allows players to develop. You can also join in the conversation on the community - ⁠what games did you play as a child?⁠

Covered in this episode -

What does James enjoy most about coaching?

The key attributes and skills that go into making a transformational coach

The differences between teaching and coaching and what to keep in mind when taking on both roles

Tips for teaching groups that differ greatly in ability

James’ biggest success story

How can coaches use PE to promote each section across the FA’s 4 Corner model to develop multiple skills at once?

How the STEP framework works to help design sessions that support all players

Ideas for games that teachers and coaches can use in their sessions

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Do you have any coaching questions you’d like answers to? Or perhaps you’re facing a coaching challenge that you’d like help with? Simply head over to our ⁠England Football Community forum⁠ (https://community.thefa.com/coaching/f/youth-club-football-forum/3174/coaching-problems-and-questions) and post them there. We can then put them to our guests in future episodes to get their advice!

Already listened to this episode or the previous seasons of Coachcast? We’d love to hear from you! Pass on your feedback by contacting us via ⁠[email protected]⁠.

LEARN MORE

⁠England Football Learning⁠ – https://learn.englandfootball.com/

⁠England Football Community⁠ – https://community.thefa.com/

⁠England Football Learning on YouTube⁠ –

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCisPO86aEIhWRTnTS1vrSVw

⁠England Football Learning Twitter⁠ – https://twitter.com/EnglandLearning

LISTEN

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/coachcast/id1591804808

Editing and show notes by ⁠Clarion⁠.

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By England Football Learning