The benefits of 1-2-1 training on maximising player development

One-to-one coaching has been deemed standard practise within many industries that focus on the individual, these include education, solo sports, music/theatre and more. However, there’s has recently been a fast-growing trend within football for one-to-one training, despite it being a team game. One-to-one football training when delivered with purpose and intent can really take your game to the next level, by speeding up your rate of development.

So, you’re probably reading this blog still sceptical or unsure whether one-to-one training is beneficial for you. Within this blog, I will be highlighting the key benefits as to why individual practice is so important for maximal development.

Firstly, I think it’s fair to say that the typical team training normally consists of a few hours a week, with the individual development of your players having a very minimal focus point due to the team’s outcome being the priority. Because of this, individuals are unable to get enough isolated repetition of the key techniques and technical aspects that are imperative to becoming the best version of themselves, something that can be detrimental in the long run.  There is no coincidence that the best players in the world preach the importance of doing individual practise and “extra” away from team sessions.

Following on from this, here are a few key points as to why one-to-one football training can be so beneficial for fast-tracking the development process when delivered correctly:

• Probably the most common reason as to why one-to-one football training is conducted is that as you aspire to play at a high level, the margins become significantly smaller. Working with an expert trainer across specific targeted areas for your game can make a huge difference, the 1% is the difference.

• A great way to learn and refine new techniques, technical attributes is often overlooked in team training and is something that is a huge and key component of a player’s profile. One-to-one training can focus on mastering skills that are often difficult to achieve mastery through team and game situations for example ball mastery, ball striking and different turning techniques etc.

• The session is solely focus on the individual needs of the player, as we know football is a team game, but the individual is a vital component of that team’s success.  When training as a team, the players individual needs can often be overlooked & neglected, this is where one-to-one training can help with that significantly as the sessions are tailored to focus on areas that need work but making your strengths, super strengths.

• Building and developing confidence in a player is essential to bring the best out of them on the pitch. Training in a positive environment where the focus is all around the player can really help break down that mental barrier of being afraid to fail which can then lift the confidence level of the player. Being able to coach and deliver the idea that failing is part of the development process in a one-to-one environment will provide a player with that key understanding when it comes to games situations.

We understand that even after this blog there will still be few sceptics out there saying ‘you can’t replicate the pressures of the game or the intensity/realism’. This is true, you cannot. However, these sessions aren’t game situations, they are unopposed individual practise with the sole focus on developing individual technical excellence that can then be showcased in fixtures and team training. One to one training should be supplementary and work alongside team training and games, not as a replacement.