About Custom Coaching

Custom coaching is the difference between generic practice and purposeful progress. For young athletes and their coaches, it means taking what works for the group and tailoring it to the individual — their body, skill level, goals, schedule and stage of growth. A 14-year-old soccer forward who needs better first touch and finishing looks very different from a 16-year-old guard who needs improved lateral quickness and decision-making; custom coaching gives each athlete a clear, realistic roadmap rather than a one-size-fits-all drill sheet.

Start with a simple but honest assessment. Watch the athlete play and record short clips of practices or games. For a baseball pitcher with developing elbow pain, look at mechanics and workload; for a basketball player struggling with consistency, time how long they take between catches and shots and note footwork patterns. Combine these observations with basic tests — sprint times, single-leg balance, overhead mobility, and simple strength checks like bodyweight squats or push-ups — and ask the athlete what they want to achieve. When you involve the athlete in setting the goals, they buy in. Coaches: document this baseline so you can measure real change.

A practical plan is phased and prioritizes a few key targets, not a laundry list. In the off-season you can focus more on strength and movement quality; during the season, preserve freshness while sharpening specific skills. For example, a 15-year-old sprinter coming off a growth spurt might get two explosive sessions a week (short accelerations, resisted sprints, plyometrics scaled to maturity) and one session devoted to mobility and posterior-chain strength with bodyweight and band work. A youth soccer player might alternate between on-field technical circuits and small-sided games that emphasize the weak area — quick touches, left-foot finishing, or scanning the field — while keeping total weekly volume manageable.

Communication is the engine of custom coaching. Use short, frequent check-ins: a 3–5 minute conversation after training, weekly messages about soreness or sleep, and monthly formal reviews with the athlete (and parents when appropriate). Build a feedback loop where you adjust the plan if a drill is too easy or too painful. Keep things objective by tracking one or two metrics: e.g., average sprint time, number of successful left-foot finishes per session, perceived exertion. Video is invaluable — a side-by-side comparison from week to week shows technique improvements faster than words.

Practical drills and progressions should follow a “simple to complex” pathway. If a soccer player struggles with first touch, begin with stationary ball reception and controlled passing, then progress to moving targets, then to receiving under pressure in a 2v1 scenario. If a basketball player needs quicker defensive slides, isolate footwork with ladder drills and mirror work, then layer in reaction triggers and finally apply those actions in a live scrimmage. Keep reps meaningful: four quality repetitions are worth more than twenty sloppy ones. Encourage intentional practice — label each rep with a focus (balance, timing, explosiveness) so athletes learn to self-correct.

Respect growth and recovery. Younger athletes need lots of movement variety and low-barrier strength work (bodyweight, medicine ball throws, band pulls). Monitor sleep, mood, and training readiness; a sudden drop in enthusiasm or persistent soreness calls for volume reduction, not punishment. Teach athletes to listen to their bodies and communicate early.

Finally, custom coaching builds character as much as capacity. Set small process goals — showing up on time, completing warm-ups, offering focused feedback to a teammate — and celebrate them. Use real-world examples: a pitcher who learned to manage pitch counts while improving command because they tracked throws and communicated with coaches; a midfielder who increased assists by practicing quick turn-and-play under pressure and learning to trust teammates. Custom coaching is not magic; it’s consistent, measured adjustments centered on the athlete. When done well, it accelerates skill, reduces injury risk and fosters the confidence and resilience that last far beyond the playing field.

A simple four-step loop to run each month will keep you on track: 1) Assess baseline and goals, 2) Create a 4–6 week plan with priority drills and recovery rules, 3) Implement with weekly check-ins and objective tracking, 4) Review and adjust based on progress and feedback.

Keep it personal, practical and patient — small, consistent improvements compound into big gains.