Player Gone Quiet? What Coaches Can Do | Champion Her Game
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As a coach, it can be hard to know how to approach a player when you notice something has changed.
You've got 16 players around you, training to run and limited time to find the right moment. And sometimes, it just isn't an easy subject to raise.
But there is another place you can start.
↓ The Answer
Start with the silent conversation
Girls will often tell you a lot through their behaviour before they tell you in words.
So before trying to work out what to say, take a step back and watch what's changed.
Start with three things →
01 · Belonging
Where does she put herself?
Is she still in the middle of the group she normally spends time with, or has she started drifting towards the edge?
That might be telling you something about belonging.
02 · Confidence
What happens when she might get something wrong?
Is she still asking for the ball and trying things, or has she started playing safe, getting rid of the ball quickly or letting someone else go first?
That might be telling you something about confidence.
03 · Enjoyment
Is she still showing you that she wants to be there?
She might still turn up and do everything you ask — but has the chatter, frustration, celebrations or energy that normally comes with her disappeared?
That might be telling you something about enjoyment.
None of these things tells you exactly what she's thinking.
But they might help you understand where to look.
And sometimes that's enough to spot a small change you can make that has a big impact on how she feels.
Or, at the very least, when you do find the right moment to talk, you're starting the conversation with a better understanding of what might be causing her to withdraw.
But what about the player →
who doesn't show you?
That's the difficult bit.
Not every player who's losing confidence will stop asking for the ball.
Not every player who's struggling to belong will stand on the edge of the group.
And not every player who's stopped enjoying football will look unhappy.
⚽ Take this to training
Sometimes the player who looks absolutely fine isn't.
That's one of the reasons we built CHGConnect
Hear from every player
It gives every player a simple way to tell you how she's experiencing things like confidence, enjoyment, belonging and development — not just the players whose behaviour gives you a reason to ask.
Because observing your players can tell you a lot. But you shouldn't have to wait for something to change before you hear from them.
Discover CHGConnect →