Introduction
“Before I would often spend hours looking online for sessions.”
Hours. Not minutes. Hours.
Time that could go to family, rest, or actual coaching development.
The session planning time trap catches most grassroots coaches.
The Time Trap Explained
What It Looks Like
Sunday evening scenario:
- Open laptop
- Search “U12 passing drill”
- 50 results appear
- Watch three videos
- None quite right
- Search again
- Another hour passes
- Settle for something mediocre
- Repeat next week
The Hidden Cost
“Just planning sessions” actually means:
- Time away from family
- Reduced recovery time
- Less actual learning
- Increased stress
- Diminished enthusiasm
Planning shouldn’t drain you.
Why It Happens
No organised system means:
- Starting from scratch each week
- No accumulated resources
- Random searching
- Quality inconsistency
- Repeated effort
Without systems, you’re always beginning.
The Solution Framework
Organised Resource Library
Everything in one place:
- Sessions you’ve found useful
- Drills that work
- Progressions that connect
- Resources you trust
One location. Always accessible.
Principle-Based Organisation
Not organised by:
- Random categories
- Drill names
- Where you found it
Organised by:
- What it develops
- Which game phase
- Which principle
- Age appropriateness
Find what you need by knowing what you’re looking for.
Trusted Sources
Not endless searching:
- Curated providers
- Verified quality
- Known philosophy alignment
- Proven effectiveness
Quality sources eliminate garbage filtering.
Templates and Structures
Not building from nothing:
- Session templates
- Warm-up libraries
- Game collections
- Cool-down routines
Plug in specifics. Skip the structure creation.
Building Your System
Step 1: Audit Current Process
Track honestly:
- How long does planning take?
- Where does time go?
- What do you search for most?
- What do you repeat unnecessarily?
Awareness precedes improvement.
Step 2: Create Central Storage
Pick one location:
- Cloud folder
- App
- Physical binder
- Digital notes
One place only. Consistency matters.
Step 3: Organise by Principles
Categories that make sense:
- Attacking principles
- Defensive principles
- Transition moments
- Technical foundations
- Physical development
- Age-specific content
Your categories should match how you think.
Step 4: Curate Ruthlessly
Not everything belongs:
- Does it align with how I coach?
- Is it quality?
- Will I actually use it?
- Is it age-appropriate?
Less is more. Quality over quantity.
Step 5: Build Templates
Create reusable structures:
- Standard session flow
- Warm-up sequences
- Game formats
- Cool-down routines
Templates reduce decisions.
The Time Savings
Before System
Session planning: 2-3 hours weekly Annual total: 100-150 hours Stress level: High Quality: Inconsistent
After System
Session planning: 20-30 minutes weekly Annual total: 15-25 hours Stress level: Low Quality: Consistent
Time saved: 75-125 hours annually
That’s 3-5 full days returned to your life.
What to Do With Saved Time
Option 1: Rest
Coaching already takes enough time. Use recovered hours for recovery.
Option 2: Learning
Instead of searching for drills, learn principles. Deeper understanding beats more activities.
Option 3: Observation
Watch more football. Coach less robotically. See game patterns. Apply to training.
Option 4: Family
“Sorry, I have to plan sessions” becomes unnecessary. Time returned to people who matter.
Option 5: Actual Coaching Development
Reading. Courses. Mentorship. Community. Development that compounds.
Common Objections
“I need variety”
System doesn’t mean repetition. It means organised variety, not chaotic searching.
“I like finding new things”
Curate a discovery time:
- 30 minutes weekly maximum
- Specific search purpose
- Add finds to system
- Not emergency Sunday night
“My players get bored”
Players don’t get bored of well-run sessions. They get bored of poorly executed variety.
“I don’t have time to build a system”
Investment now. Returns forever. Hours building system. Years of savings.
Conclusion
“Before I would often spend hours looking online for sessions.”
This doesn’t have to be your reality.
Systems create:
- Time savings
- Quality improvement
- Stress reduction
- Sustainable coaching
Build once. Benefit forever.
Stop searching. Start coaching.