At an U12 game last night, the opposition coach was directing almost every decision on the pitch: “Pass now”, “switch it”, “shoot”, “play forward”, “pass here”, “Sent it”. It wasn’t just the instructions, it was the tone, the urgency and the volume, with his voice dominating the game. The players I coach came off saying, “That coach is annoying”, “I can’t hear myself think” and “Why are most coaches like that?” That last question reflects their experience, although it doesn’t describe every coach. We say we want independent thinkers, decision makers and creative players, yet how much room do we give them to develop those qualities when an adult is constantly telling them what to do? If we direct every action, we shouldn’t be surprised when players wait for instructions instead of trusting their own decisions.