4 Steps To Make Vancouver Football Better

I’m almost 3 years into my time here in Vancouver and, I think there are 4 simple steps that could help improve the standard of British Columbia’s top youth level of play, the BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL).

The first is for clubs to hire better coaches.  This is not a far fetched idea and, it could be made even easier if coaches were better compensated too. There are too many political and ‘mates with the TD’ appointments; these need to stop and board members or General Managers need to hold Technical Directors accountable for poor appointments (this could also extend to political or 'mates of the TD' selection of players). 

This may seem like a poison pen letter considering the political circumstances surrounding my departure from my last club however, I can assure you that I am proud of the development I saw from the players and teams with which I worked and; genuinely believe that these steps would benefit British Columbian football’s highest youth level of play.

I’ve seen a BCSPL coach stand on the penalty spot, have 15 players lined up, one player passes the ball to him before he lays it off and then a shot on goal. This may be something I would expect from a grassroots coach who has done little Coach Education or who has little to no playing experience however, this is apparently a well educated coach at the highest youth level of play in the province.  I’ve seen another coach have players running ‘suicides’ - 6yd, 18yd, halfway, full length, halfway, opposite penalty box, opposite 6yd box, finish - this just happened to be the same night the club GM asked me if my boys were going to do any fitness work. My squad was playing a game at that very moment.  I’m fortunate enough to call 2 top quality sport scientists friends, Junior Mendes and Danny Deigan, I’ve often asked questions of them or run ideas past them regarding football specific fitness, methodologies or concepts and there is something that all of us agree on.  Football is a great way of getting fit for football.

Canadian football may not be as developed as other nations however, there are good coaches here. There are people willing to give their knowledge to young players and other coaches in a bid to raise the overall level of the game here. Engage them, hire them, let them do what they do and develop players.

The second of my suggestions is to reduce the number of age groups and broaden those bands.  Vancouver, and the broader BCSPL community, does not have enough quality players to justify U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 and U13 Intake (essentially a U12 group). My proposal would be to reduce the age groups to U14, 16 and 18. There would also be a U12 age group to introduce players to the standards expected and assess those wishing to participate at BCSPL level. This reduction in age groups could also provide an opportunity not only to reduce the number and increase the overall quality of players but, also concentrate the quality of coaches within a club.

A GM of a BCSPL club told me they spent $45,000 a year on Richmond Oval, an average facility considering the cost. Whilst clubs would have a reduced income after reducing the number of teams, this would provide an opportunity to focus on the aspects of game and player development that truly bear fruit.  Remove the over priced meeting rooms, introduce a proper futsal programme (if that’s what is needed) rather than just an indoor 5-a-side game with no proper warm up and too many injuries; put that money into coaches that can take players to the next level, that can work with less experienced coaches and pass on real world coach education.

Increase the length of the season is my third point. The BCSPL season is broken into two parts: the spring season (March to May - 14 games before playoffs) and the autumn season (September to November - 8 games before playoffs). Each team will play at least 1 playoff game meaning there will be some teams playing 24 competitive games a year. This is not enough. Some teams try to bulk this up with multiple game - multiple day tournaments. These, in my opinion, are not a good idea. Forcing adolescents to play multiple games across numerous days is not conducive of good technical play or sound physiological principles.  Why finish a partial season in November when teams train until the second week of December? Why start the spring season in March when teams start back training in the second week of January?

Since arriving in Vancouver I have heard clubs postpone and change plans to accommodate baseball and ice hockey. Finishing programmes early or starting later to appease the more ‘Canadian’ sports and not risk offending or losing any players for the final/first weeks of a programme. Football in Vancouver needs a bit more confidence.  Football is the most participated sport in Canada, the most participated sport in any country I have worked, the most participated sport in the world.  Be confident, hell, be arrogant and set your stall out without bending to the will of smaller sports. If Canadian football is ever going to make a dent in world football, it needs to control its own destiny.

The final point in my plan would be to actually partner with BC Soccer rather than just say it or have it written on paper. During my time working as a BCSPL coach, I could not tell you who the provincial coaches for my team’s age groups were, when their games were played, what they worked on in training or, if the provincial programme was actually beneficial.  The only interaction I had with the province as a team coach was an email to tell me an assessor was coming to watch my team play...after I had been away from my previous club for a month.  With a reduced number of teams per club, and only 8 clubs in the BCSPL programme, why couldn’t a member of the BC Soccer coaching staff become a Technical Director, Head Coach or Assistant Coach within each club?

I’ve been told that I am one of only two coaches in BC to hold both the UEFA A Licence and UEFA Elite Youth A Licence so; I know the players who missed my Wednesday sessions to go and train with the provincial team did so with coaches who were qualified to a lower level and with a lower level of experience than I. These players missed my tactical sessions, the schedule worked out best to train team tactics on those evenings, and they had to try and catch up during the Friday sessions and by asking questions on game day. This isn’t an efficient, effective or productive use of a training week or, the total resources within BC. Again, why not combine the 8 clubs of the BCSPL with the coaching staff of the provincial programme to ensure a minimum standard and a cohesive approach to player and game development within British Columbia?

To make these 4 suggestions work, clubs need to be brave (by holding those accountable to a higher standard), be bold (by changing a system that is mediocre and striving for better), be selfless (by inviting in those from the province to work together) and, be confident (by setting a calendar based on what’s best for football rather than any on their sport).

I don’t believe these suggestions are impossible ones to enact and, I think there are good role model associations and clubs to look towards for advice or pathways of progression. Football in BC is not producing enough quality players and the standard of some games really is poor. The provincial association along with the clubs need to look at some drastic measures to improve the game. A refined player pool, higher quality coaches, a longer season and real cooperation amongst the stakeholders of the game here can lead to better players, better coaches and better football.

#CanadianFootball #SimpleSteps #BetterCoachesBetterPlayersBetterFootball