Today's post is by Jeff Tipping, Director of Coaching Education and Development for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America

Like many coaches, real life stops for me on May 31st as the camp season begins. My situation is a little different from most coaches insofar as my campers are not 8- to 16-year-old players. Rather, they are 25- to 60- year-old adults who are not players, but coaches.

In our roles with NSCAA Education my colleague, Dr. Doug Williamson, and I visit and teach at all of the NSCAA Coaching Education Academies around the country. Between the two of us, this summer, we visited;

--Stanford University, Pal Alto, Calif.

--Wofford College, Spartanburg S.C.

--Regis University, Denver Colo.

--San Francisco State University, San Francisco, Calif.

--Amherst College, Amherst, Mass.

--Benedictine College, Atchison, Kan.

--Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, Pa.

--Elmhurst College, Chicago, Ill.

Long Summer

This year was an even longer summer for us as Doug has had several non-residential courses and is still on the road. I had a 10 day Master Coach trip to the UK followed by another Director of Club Coaching Diploma, so our teaching season has run all the way through August.

We are not looking for sympathy but it is a stretching experience to be in different beds and different cafeterias while away from the family during a large part of the summer. However, I'm sure most of you will know all about that.

Fortunately, coaching NSCAA coaches is a rewarding, satisfying and educational experience. I believe I speak for both Doug and myself when I say that not only do we love teaching and coaching coaches, we learn a heck of a lot from the coaches who take our courses as well as the other NSCAA staff instructors.

The beauty of adult education

The beauty of adult education is the people taking the course bring a lot to the course. As one educator put it, “In adult education the course leader is not the Sage on the Stage – but rather the Guide on the Side.” Adult education is, to a very large degree, getting people together in a stimulating atmosphere where they feel valued, sharing ideas and explore new ways of doing things.

The NSCAA has excellent teachers who know when to speak and when to ask others to speak, but there is also great deal ofsymmetry which develops when adults with like minded interests come together to learn as well as share ideas.

The symmetry has always struck me as being so singular about our organization. It struck me when I began as a staff instructor in 1983 and it still strikes me as the mark of a truly progressive educational association.

So many great ideas are developed and shared between staff and course coaches during meal times, in the classrooms, on the field and at social occasions.

So what did I learn in the 2010 Academies?

Three things:

1. You never stop learning. Simple things like coaching position and area for ball supply to more complicated issues such as management of troublesome players, lifestyle issues, sometimes facing your own fears etc.

2. The importance of developing a support network of fellow coaches and mentors who you can turn to for advice and bounce things off. So many soccer coaches coach in isolation.

3. No matter how good coaches think they are so many are shocked by how much they gain from attending an NSCAA Residential Academy. Having said that, go not just to get - but also to give.

What did you learn this summer during your camps or academies?

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Jeff Tipping joined the NSCAA’s national office staff in 2002. He oversees the residential and non-residential coaching education programs and heads up the NSCAA’s distance learning, independent study and learning and Master Coach programs. His duties include the appointment of staff coaches, the review and revision of educational curriculum, evaluation of program sites, determining staff assignments and the oversight of all NSCAA Regional Technical Directors and State Technical Coordinators. Additionally, Tipping develops educational programs for and serves as a clinician at the NSCAA Convention.

Prior to joining the NSCAA staff, Tipping was the director of soccer and head golf coach at Muhlenberg College for 15 years. He also served as an assistant soccer coach and head lacrosse coach at Hartwick College for four years. He played professionally in the American Soccer League for five seasons.

Tipping was a four-year varsity player for Hartwick, earning a bachelor’s degree. He also holds a master’s degree from Lehigh University.

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