098: Coaching through Quarantine with Karl Spratt

As most of the world struggles with coaching in isolation and across social (and sometimes vast) distances, Karl Spratt and the New England Revolution Academy have not taken the same approach as many of their colleagues. Implementing some innovative strategies, they’ve focused their interactions on the mental, emotional and relational areas of the game and position.

In today’s episode, Karl discusses the goals, the tactics – and also some of the specific activities – that have helped his young keepers stay engaged during a period of no physical contact.

As the Director of Academy Goalkeeping for the Revs, Karl anticipated a protracted lockdown and was not content to have his players treading water for weeks or months, with no end in sight. Instead, he and his coaches were proactive in developing interactions and activities to address areas of the position that can be neglected in day-to-day training.

While his young Revs have been unable to work together, in person, he reports great strides in confident communication, emotional development and relationship-building between goalkeepers and among teammates. And he’s happy to provide guidance for other players and coaches who would like to see the same results. I hope you enjoy it!

Special thanks to Karl Spratt for joining me!