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UNCOACHED · August 13 · 27 min

Teaching Players a Smarter Way

In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Tim Maycock, longtime coach, educator, and founder of SCOPRO Soccer, to talk about what great coaching really looks like. We explore how young athletes learn best, why decision-making is one of the most important skills coaches can develop, and simple ways to create practices that keep every player engaged instead of standing in line. Whether you coach soccer or another youth sport, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to help parents and volunteer coaches develop smarter, more confident athletes. Questions we cover in this episode: Looking back on your years of coaching, what challenge made you realize there had to be a better way to teach the game? What separates players who simply know the game from those who can read and anticipate what's happening around them, and can coaches intentionally teach that skill? Great practices keep every player engaged. What are some things the best youth coaches do to keep kids thinking and learning instead of waiting for their turn? If we want athletes to become better decision-makers, how should coaches balance giving instructions with allowing players to figure things out for themselves? Parents naturally notice goals, assists, and wins. What are some of the small improvements you look for that tell you a player is truly developing, even if it doesn't show up on the scoreboard? Bonus Question: What's something you've completely changed your mind about as a coach over the last 10 to 15 years, and how has it changed the way you teach young athletes?

0:00-27:50
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In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Tim Maycock, longtime coach, educator, and founder of SCOPRO Soccer, to talk about what great coaching really looks like. We explore how young athletes learn best, why decision-making is one of the most important skills coaches can develop, and simple ways to create practices that keep every player engaged instead of standing in line. Whether you coach soccer or another youth sport, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to help parents and volunteer coaches develop smarter, more confident athletes.


Questions we cover in this episode:

  1. Looking back on your years of coaching, what challenge made you realize there had to be a better way to teach the game?
  2. What separates players who simply know the game from those who can read and anticipate what's happening around them, and can coaches intentionally teach that skill?
  3. Great practices keep every player engaged. What are some things the best youth coaches do to keep kids thinking and learning instead of waiting for their turn?
  4. If we want athletes to become better decision-makers, how should coaches balance giving instructions with allowing players to figure things out for themselves?
  5. Parents naturally notice goals, assists, and wins. What are some of the small improvements you look for that tell you a player is truly developing, even if it doesn't show up on the scoreboard?

Bonus Question:
What's something you've completely changed your mind about as a coach over the last 10 to 15 years, and how has it changed the way you teach young athletes?

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