This week on CoachCraft, I sat down with Tommy Geis, Technical Director at Massachusetts Youth Soccer. Tommy's been in the game for over 40 years - from coaching in Western Pennsylvania to a stint developing soccer in Anchorage, Alaska, before landing here in Massachusetts 15 years ago.

Our conversation centered on coach education, but really it was about something deeper: how we learn to truly see the game through the eyes of the children we coach.

Tommy shared a moment early in his coaching journey that resonated deeply. Despite being an accomplished player, he entered his first coaching course with what he admits was an arrogant mindset - "I'm a better soccer player than you are. What can you possibly teach me?"

Then the instructor asked him about a simple training game: "What are you looking for? What are the key points you want to address?"

Tommy's response still sticks with him: "I didn't know how much I didn't know."

We explored how coach education isn't about accumulating licenses - it's about fundamentally shifting how we interact with young players. Tommy made a distinction that stopped me in my tracks: when coaches tell children what to do and kids follow those commands, we often call that learning. But it's not. It's just following instructions. Real development happens when coaches help players discover their own solutions.

On understanding each player's motivation: Tommy shared a story about coaching a 10-year-old who was the best player on the field - athletic, successful, could play any position. When Tommy asked about his goals, the kid said: "I don't really like soccer that much. I just love playing soccer with my friends." That changed everything about how Tommy approached coaching that player.

On meeting players where they are: "You cannot teach the children everything you know, you can only teach them what they are able to learn." This advice from one of Tommy's mentors captures something essential about youth coaching - it's not about downloading our adult understanding of the game into young minds.

On why coaches resist education: Many coaches feel they already understand the game - the strategies, what looks good, what doesn't. But coach education teaches you to look through a different lens: "What does it mean to be a U-10 player playing 7v7? How might that change when they get to U-12?"

Tommy walked us through the practical pathways available:

But he also emphasized informal education - sharing ideas with other coaches, watching YouTube videos to visualize concepts, and most importantly, listening to the players themselves.

What struck me most was Tommy's point about coaches from neighboring towns meeting at education courses. Saturday rivals discover they're facing the same challenges, thinking the same thoughts about youth development. "Next time I see that coach on the field, we're actually colleagues now. We're not enemies."

That's what this is really about - creating a community of coaches who see beyond Saturday's scoreline to focus on what actually matters: helping kids develop not just as players, but as people who happen to play soccer.

The conversation covered a lot of ground: why feedback isn't one-size-fits-all, how cultural background and personality shape the way players receive information, and the importance of coaching the individual rather than just the team. We talked about observation as a form of coaching, the value of silence, and why less is often more when it comes to what we say on the sidelines.

Next steps: Check out the Mass Youth Soccer coaching education page or register for the February 7th workshop at mayouthsoccer.org/workshop/. For more on U.S. Soccer’s coaching license pathway, visit learning.ussoccer.com.

For any youth-focused club today, player care and wellbeing must come first. That means clear values, strong organisation, and a real investment in coach recruitment and training. It also means being able to show parents — simply and confidently — that their child’s development, confidence, and happiness are central to how the club defines “a winning season.”
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