footy4kids football patches - can they really make you a more effective coach?
independent testimonials
Please note: all the testimonials below and elsewhere on this site are unsolicited comments from real coaches - just like you and me.
a testimonial from onthepitch.org
"I
have one child on my U6 team who regularly misbehaves even with his
parents around...I had a couple of heart to hearts with him, but that
didn't seem to help much.I started giving patches at the last practice.
He earned one for bravery at the last game for getting up so quickly
after falls. I had told him that he would get something for that. He
was so excited. After I gave the patches out (game patches and practice
patches) I told him about a special patch he could earn for listening
and following directions. We worked on a couple more drills and
practice games and he reported to me every time he listened. "I've
followed directions 3 times in a row!"
It is amazing what a little thing like a patch can do." Lee
"My girl's U-9 team struggled until recently. All of a sudden they are playing much better and I am convinced that they...connect the patches to what they are supposed to do on the pitch. I give them patches for everything from crosses to assists to lucky goals and quick throw-ins. I am sure that these patches have turned my girl’s team around. We only scored 3 goals last season. This season we have scored 20 and we still have several games to go.....thanks!" Dave
"I have been looking for something simple
and easy to use as an incentive for my U10 now U12 football team. Thank you
very much. Finally, someone has come up with low cost and easy way to help
motivate players in a positive way. This season will be the first time I am
going to use patches as an incentive and I expect them to do wonders." Ciaran
"My daughters team needed a coach and no one stepped forward. The team was
going to fold so I put my hand up - that's how I became a coach!
I now coach two teams each season. [When I awarded] the patches for an
assist...the results were amazing. I had 8 kids on the team and we played 4v4.
By the third game in the season, we had 100% of the kids scoring a goal in
just about every game because our more skilled players WANTED a patch, so they
set up the less aggressive players. Once those less aggressive players got the
taste of scoring and having the crowd cheer for them, well, I will just say it
was exciting!
My parents loved our league games because all their kids scored (we were VERY
liberal on determining who had assists so that all the kids had multiple
patches before the end of the season). To see 7 year olds passing and
assisting astounded me, too - I never would have thought it possible." Kate
"I handed out patches for the 1st time after games at an award ceremony with
the parent's participation. What motivation and anticipation the U-11 Players
displayed as I asked the parents to help me remember events in the game so
that patches were given to the appropriate players. I just about got mugged by
the players! Thanks for the idea of awarding the players with patches."
Andy
"I have been using the patches for 2 seasons. The soccer ball patches are for
playing hard, fair and having fun and I give a star patch for red star
offensive player of the game, blue star defensive player of the game, and the
gold star for goals scored. This year I said for EVERY goal scored you get a
gold star. Well, we had 4 different players score 2 or more goals with the
final score being 10-1 and it's only our 2nd game. I had to express ship more
gold stars before our practice this week because I did not have enough.
I think they work." Mike L.
"I introduced the patches to my two U12 girls teams at last nights training
session.
I must say that I was surprised at the difference they made to their attitude
and work rate. I expected them to be a little cynical but they weren't - they
thought the patches were 'cool' and really wanted to earn one!
The difference was particularly noticeable among the two or three 'difficult'
children. Their attitude was transformed. I only hope it keeps up!
I ironed a couple of the patches to a T shirt printed with the name of my club
and wore it so they could see what the patches looked like. During training I
explained exactly how they could earn one for themselves. In the warm up (ball
juggling) I gave one for three consecutive juggles (they're not very good at
them!). In the next exercise (a three person passing game) I gave patches to
the team that could go the longest without making a mistake - it went on
forever!" Steve
"I can't say enough about the tried and true results of using these patches!
This very same team that lost ALL 8 games last year, won 7 out of 8 games this
year!! The kids wanted those patches!!" Gayla
"My second order and we have had only one game. I started giving them out for best practice players and if they made every practice. Our team scored 11 goals!" Scott
"Your football patches are brilliant!. I had no idea how much kids would kill
themselves on the pitch for a tiny piece of cloth. All I have to say is you
have to earn these..., and all of a sudden they’re determined, they hustle and
best of all - they pass and score. Truly a wonderful idea. Keep up the website
and the incentive patches."
"My kids love the patches! My kids are the envy of every team in our league!" Chris
"I'm so excited to have found you, I've been paying 50p a patch, so this will
save me lots of money. Thank you once again." April
“These are fantastic! I've looked for these for years and found your site last year. I use these as post-game awards for my players (black for each goal/assist, green for offensive player of the game, red for defensive, blue for best hustle, and the much coveted gold patch to be given only occasionally for exceptional play or sportsmanship). My kids work really hard for the patches, and they look great on our team jackets. Thanks.”
“Wow! The football Patches have been GREAT. The girls really work hard to get
those little patches.”
"I have a team of U9s. It is our first year playing together, except for 2 of
our players.
Your patches have inspired them all to be much better players. The difference
in everyone’s play, since we started with the practice games and patches is
amazing. When I started the season... most of the kids were lethargic,
unexcited, and bored....the patches arrived in time for the first game, and
you would think I was passing out £10 notes after the game. All the kids are
very proud of the patches they have earned, and can tell everyone how they
earned each patch."
"There's this 10 yr old girl, who did not want to participate very much at
practice. These patches sure did the trick. She would just sit & watch, or
play with the grass, and beg for a patch at the end of practice. We let her
know, she would get one after practicing with us. She was awarded a patch for
having a great practice 4 of the last 6 practices. Once, she did not get one,
because she decided to "sit-out" for about 5-minutes. I let her know that was
why she didn't get a patch. She then earned one the next two practices!"
"I am a second year coach. If we win our games the players get stars and if we lose they get a football ball patch. After the first week's draw, the kids wanted stars and I explained the rules of winning and not giving up, playing hard, etc. We are undefeated since."
"I can't tell you how many smiles these patches put on so many faces each
week!"
football patches UK © 2008 Steve Watson.