Maps, planning, and goal setting all important aspects of our life. Those people that create plans and set goals have shown to be more productive and successful. Did you know 92% of people don’t ever hit their goals? According to Scranton University when people make their New Year’s Resolution, only 8% are able to achieve what they set out to do! So why do we inherently have a problem that only 1 in 12 people can complete? Here we discuss player development roadmaps.

According to Locke and Latham who carried out the research, having clarity and smaller challenging steps improves 90% from the original failures.

Clarity is the key point that we will look at in this post. How much clarity is there in the soccer or business world for staff? For players? parents? Or even the NGO’s and leagues with who you are partnering?

Seems in present times that we encounter a soup of terminologies, buzzwords, and graphics. Are these communicative techniques giving clarity or just trying to blind us with science?

I have written in the past regarding the copying environment that we seem to be okay with. Player development models are no different. There is a myriad of graphics, statements from professional clubs, and terms used to promote the effectiveness of one’s program versus their competitors.

So let’s break down the main reason soccer and sports clubs are in existence, Player development.

The Pyramid Craze

Most professional clubs project their models through graphics in the form of a pyramid. These pyramids have become a blueprint for youth clubs to then follow. But is it really giving us clarity for the players and teams?

The pyramids are designed to actually show the level of progression in competition within professional club environments. So graduating from one level to another meant teams were refining to the major professional league the club would participate in.

They were never meant as a means to portray the player’s development model, but more to show the steps teams progress through until competing at the very highest level was achieved.

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In order to effectively communicate or construct a player development model is to have clarity on the aspects a player would need to graduate to the next level. In other words, be less vague.

Those that have adopted the pyramid analogy towards their player development model I feel are doing a disservice to their players and families. I would feel that by using that model clubs are actively saying as an organization from 100 players joining at the base of the pyramid we will trim those players down until at the top of the pyramid there is only one.

Is that thinking promoting the players and families to stay in the sport for life? Or to systematically tell players “I’m sorry you aren’t good enough we suggest that you find another sport or another club/team”.

I would hope all youth sports organizations would have the policy to instill a love for the game and not provide a fear of being a castaway if your level is not up to the perceived grade.

If a map was developed to guide players on their journey, maybe we would be seeing a larger percentage of youth players staying in the game.

Soccer losing players alarmingly

According to research, there has been a 14% drop in the 6-12 years age group (Sports and Industry Association, 2018). There are many reasons that can be attributed to this drop, but I’m sure a combination of some coaches preferring not to work on improving raw players, coaching session issues, pressure from parents and coaches, a preference to coach already established players and seek elite play, as well as a lack of a clear viable player roadmap, could be to blame.

So how should a roadmap be created? What content is needed? How do you evaluate where players are according to the roadmap? Is it a roadmap that incorporates all player levels? What are the supporting mechanisms to assist players on their roadmap?

Roadmap keys to success

Technical components: Identify technical requirements based upon what competence is required at the conclusion of each age group’s season. Design technical training for both in-person and at-home training.

Tactical Components: Use the club’s style and system of play models to incorporate into the player’s roadmap. Install various training techniques that can clearly show the tactical requirements from the team and club. Clearly demonstrate what tactical understanding is required per age group or level of team or player.

Individual Learning Plans: ILP’s are integral to the individual needs of each player. Team environment training doesn’t address the player’s individual needs. Coaches need to be able to have blanket sessions to cover club core technical components. I will have a separate post that will break down ILP’s more in the near future.

Physical and Mental: Incorporating both physical and mental training into the roadmap is imperative. Outside influences on growth, maturity and nutrition can affect the player’s ability to grow with the sport in terms of progressing up levels.

Within the road map, there should be considerations.

Player’s level and what is expected to improve the player from that level. For example, two players, one playing at the national level competition the other at the local grassroots city youth league. Do you have in place a road map that will assist both or are you better prepared for the first player’s roadmap or the second’s, but not both?

Details are where clarity sets the organization apart from others. Are the details of the roadmap being met? Are they concise and detailed? If not make that the next priority. Create documents that support the player’s roadmap. These supporting materials need to be easily accessible and mirror the clubs overall playing style and philosophy.

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Player development benchmarks

Can a player be told exactly what’s required of them to make it to college, or a level of professional soccer? And how do they attain those benchmarks?

Support for players. Have you incorporated at-home training platforms? Not just sending YouTube videos home, but a purposeful platform that correlates to the club messaging.

Evaluation of players at season intervals supports the decision to adjust the player’s roadmap. Advancing the player or having them continue for another six weeks can be decided through this exercise.

I typically don’t like to have a numbering system. Those systems can be poorly correlated by parents when the players advance in age. Having an evaluated score of 4 out of 5 at 11U and then a 3 out of 5 at 13U doesn’t correlate well. What the roadmap indicates at 11U will be completely different at 13U and therefore cannot be compared.

Supporting material for a player’s success can be hit and miss. Clubs that invest heavily in technology or systems are worthless without the coaches’ and parents’ buy-in to use those technologies.

Player Development Pathways (PDP)

Our roadmap is called the Player Development Pathway (PDP), it incorporates all players from the entry point of falling in love with the game to the Professional Development level. Retention is our goal, not just to the organization but to soccer itself.

We have embarked on clarifying the process, assisting players and families with more on-demand solutions that will increase both values from our club and the development of our players. Our PDP roadmap incorporates all.

We have worked tirelessly to provide a suitable range of playing platforms to help each and every player to be challenged within their level. Providing a clear picture of how we play, at each playing format level. Communicating to parents the goals for the year, and how we will attain them. Providing an in-house ‘@home’ training platform to support players when not at in-person coaching sessions.

Curated not universal

The support materials have been designed and curated for not just players but coaches as well. The player’s age and levels have been incorporated into decision-making for these supporting materials. We refer to this process as curating. Having meaningful support materials utilized by various aged players has proven to be important. We didn’t want a one size fits all product, which would show we didn’t understand our player’s needs.

Storm FC utilizes ILP’s and is supported by our own ‘@home’ training program as well as individualized plans through apps such as TopTekkers, Techne Futbol among others. Age plays an integral part in which tool would be used for which age.

In addition to skills acquisition, the use of applications such as Mindset Academy provides sports psychological training. Trace and Veo system for game analysis, Beyond pulse, playr, catapult, and playermaker for individual performance analysis. These tools would also indicate areas needed for personal improvement.

The roadmap is not a model that works without time, effort, and an understanding of the players.

Develop over time

I have specifically referenced soccer in this post. But take the principles of building a roadmap and apply it to any other sport or business. Managing business and the people inside that business also requires a roadmap.

How they can gain promotion, support, and training for their position, ILP’s to maintain the highest standards you can for your staff.

The roadmap is more than a graphic, understand what your entity is. Build the roadmap based upon that. Understand staff who are invested will be happier and value the company more. Less likely to leave increasing retention and helping to grow the organization.