Opinions
Under a closed practice session, we recently came across a tweet which read "This is pointless. Pass from A to B, then to C, be a robot, repeat. No decision making, not realistic, lazy coaching"
Let's first clarify what closed practice means. In closed practice drills or patterns, a set sequence is decided by the coaches, not the players. This is a drill, practice, or pattern of play that is performed under instruction.
Would it be fair to suggest that's unrealistic? The debate over closed practice seems obserd. Both closed practice and open practice are fine, depending on the needs of the players. It's crucial, however, to know when and how to include both in one session.
Here is an analogy we wanted to share
The idea that closed practice or patterns of play are not beneficial is flawed. Take the example of a car. Suddenly, someone asks you to drive to a destination that you are not familiar with. The sat nav in your car will guide you to the destination if you follow the instructions. For the next five or six trips to the same destination, you may need to continue using the satellite navigation system. With time, you begin to recognize the route and how to get there. Eventually, you won't need a sat nav. It is similar to patterns of play in that they act as triggers in a footballer's brain. In the end, football is about quick decision making, and the faster players process a scenario, the faster they will provide a solution.
During open practice sessions, you can practice multiple scenarios that may arise in game-like environments, but closed practice or patterns of play can help a coach focus on specific scenarios she or he wants to work on because he has identified a need to practice them frequently and intently.
People who say it's either one or the other severely restrict our ability to guide and improve football players, and ultimately, that is what a coach should be, a guide to help players and the person. Learning is a process, and sometimes we need to integrate the process gradually before we are comfortable swimming freely in the deep end of the pool without arm bands.
