coaching master thesis

Meet Your Guardian Angel

Get hands-on help from your own dedicated Dissertation Coach, whenever you need it. It’s like having a professor in your pocket.

Students Helped

Client pass rate, trustpilot score, facebook rating, what is dissertation coaching .

Here’s a quick explainer…

Why Grad Coach ?

It's all about you

We take the time to understand your unique challenges and work with you to achieve your specific academic goals . Whether you're aiming to earn top marks or just need to cross the finish line, we're here to help.

An insider advantage

Our award-winning Dissertation Coaches all hold doctoral-level degrees and share 100+ years of combined academic experience. Having worked on "the inside", we know exactly what markers want .

Any time, anywhere

Getting help from your dedicated Dissertation Coach is simple. Book a live video /voice call, chat via email or send your document to us for an in-depth review and critique . We're here when you need us. 

A track record you can trust

8,000,000+ students have enjoyed our public lessons and online courses, while 3000+ students have benefited from 1:1 Dissertation Coaching. The plethora of glowing reviews reflects our commitment.

Chat With A Friendly Coach, Today

Prefer email? No problem - you c an  email us here .

Have a question ?

Below are some of the most popular coaching-related questions we're asked.

Dissertation Coaching

How does coaching work.

Working with Grad Coach means you get a dedicated, highly-qualified research specialist to help you through any stage of your research.

Whether you just want a little initial guidance to make sure you're headed in the right direction, or you want hands-on, ongoing support throughout your entire research journey, your coach will be there for you whenever you need help.

Your dedicated coach will work with you using three channels: live sessions, content reviews and email support.

Live Coaching Sessions

A live coaching session is a real-time online meeting (audio or video) with your coach. In these sessions, you can discuss anything you need assistance with. For example, you might discuss topic ideas, how to structure your next chapter, how to undertake a specific analysis, etc.

Content Reviews

A content review is an offline review, where you send your document to your coach and they’ll meticulously review it at the scheduled time. They will provide extensive commentary within the document (including what’s wrong, why it’s problematic and how to correct it), and then email it back to you (see an example here ). If you want to have a call in addition to the content review, you can do that too.

Email Support

In addition to these two options, you can also email your coach at any time to ask any questions you have, so you'll never be left feeling unsure.

How is coaching different from a university-allocated supervisor?

There are a few key differences:

On-demand access

A university-allocated supervisor can only spend a limited amount of time with each student and their support is usually limited to a certain amount of time per section of content. Also, support is often limited to one or two formats (e.g., email).

Conversely, we provide unlimited , multi-channel, on-demand support . You can book a live coaching session anytime you need to, get your work reviewed as many times as you like (see an example here ) and drop us an email whenever you have a question or concern.

Plain-language advice

Supervisors often communicate in complex “ivory tower academic-speak” that is difficult to understand and not particularly actionable. Students often struggle to make sense of their supervisor’s advice and feedback, due to this language barrier and experience gap.

Conversely, we provide you with plain language, actionable advice and feedback, with lots of examples and analogies to help you grasp concepts as quickly and easily as possible.

A safe, confidential space

The supervisor-student relationship is a tricky one to navigate, as the supervisor is often the first/primary marker or will be assessing you in some way. This creates an awkward dynamic, where it can feel somewhat risky to ask certain questions or propose ideas.

Conversely, your dedicated coach is your “partner in research” and there are no power dynamics. We create a 100% safe, comfortable space for you to ask questions, learn and grow. No question is a "stupid question".

Combined research expertise

Your supervisor will generally be allocated based on your area of research (your topic), not your methodology. This means that oftentimes (not always) they are not methodology experts and cannot provide the best possible guidance regarding your research design.

Conversely, the Grad Coach team consists of methodology experts across the spectrum of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. While you'll usually only work with one dedicated coach, you'll have access to the combined knowledge pool, which means you'll get the best possible advice.

How is coaching different from editing and proofreading?

Editing and proofreading services focus purely on language, formatting and technical presentation requirements, such as referencing. In other words, the focus is on the language , not the content itself. As a result, a dissertation can be perfectly edited and proofread but still fail, as the content itself is poor.

With coaching, on the other hand, the focus is on content . In other words, we focus on the quality of the research itself. For example, we look at things like:

• Is the research topic well-defined and justified?
• Are the research aims, objectives and research questions well-articulated and aligned?
• Is the literature review comprehensive, integrative and well-structured?
• Is the methodology well-considered and executed?
• Is the analysis sound and do the conclusions make sense?

Simply put – coaching focuses on the things that earn the majority of the marks . Additionally, we do offer a separate editing and proofreading service to polish the document, once the content is finalised.

Is coaching allowed by universities?

Yes . In fact, many universities refer students to us and some institutions even use our content (articles and videos) as part of their curriculum.

We provide dissertation coaching to help you improve the quality of your work. Importantly, all work must be your own – we do not write for you . While there are organisations that will cross this ethical boundary, we refuse to engage in any activity which may be considered as academic misconduct.

WARNING - If you are considering any academic writing service, please be aware that the use of such services can lead to expulsion or even revocation of your degree years after the fact. Many websites offering such services provide extremely low-quality work that is unlikely to pass and some websites are outright scams preying on desperate students.

What's included in the (free) initial consultation?

The purpose of the initial consultation is for us to assess your specific situation , needs and wants, and then e xplain how we can help you .

Please note that the initial consultation is not a coaching session. Naturally, we cannot provide accurate guidance without first having a sound understanding of your project, and we need to charge for such services.

Why should I work with Grad Coach specifically?

There are a few factors that distinguish Grad Coach from the alternatives:

On-demand, online service

Grad Coach was built to give you the help you need, whenever you need it, wherever you are. You can book live audio/video sessions, get your written work reviewed and sent back to you, or just drop your coach an email whenever you have a question. 1-on-1, hands-on help is always just a click away.

Friendly, plain-language coaches

At Grad Coach, our goal is to bring academia "back down to earth". While our coaches have over 100 years of combined experience within academia (including dissertation supervision, marking and lecturing), we always aim to simplify the content as much as possible, using plain language, actionable advice and feedback. You can download a sample content review here to see this in practice.

More than just coaching - a one-stop-shop

In addition to our flagship dissertation coaching service, we also provide a suite of time-saving services such as interview transcription, qualitative coding, survey design, statistical testing, and editing and proofreading. This means you get everything you need under one trusted roof. You can visit the services page to learn more about our full offering.

An accredited, award-winning operation

We take our work seriously, which is why we're accredited by the Tutors' Association UK and subscribe to their extensive code of ethics. We've also won multiple awards, including " Best Dissertation Coaching Service 2021 " (AI International), " Best Dissertation & Thesis Coaching Specialists 2020 " (MEA) and " Top 50 Student Blog " (Feedspot). To date, we've supported over 3000 students with private dissertation coaching and approximately 7 million students with video lessons.

To learn more about Grad Coach and the team behind it, visit the “About Us” page .

Which universities and degrees do you support?

We can provide coaching for a wide range of dissertations, theses and research projects/assignments at Bachelors , Honours , Master's and Doctoral -level degrees, especially (but not limited to) those within the social sciences.

Importantly, our expertise lies in the research process itself , especially research design, methodologies and academic writing – rather than specific research areas/topics (e.g. psychology, management, etc.). In other words, the support we provide is topic-agnostic , which allows us to support students across a very broad range of research topics.

If you’re unsure about whether we’re the right fit, feel free to drop us an email or book a free initial consultation .

Can I get a coach that specialises in psychology/marketing/etc.?

As we mentioned previously, our expertise lies in the research process itself , especially research design, methodologies and academic writing – rather than specific research areas/topics (e.g., psychology, management, etc.).

Simply put, the support we provide is topic-agnostic , which allows us to support students across a very broad range of research topics. That said, if there is a coach on our team that has experience in your area of research, as well as your chosen methodology, we can allocate them to your project (depending on availability).

Can I work with multiple coaches at once?

No. We work on a 1-on-1 basis, where each client has a dedicated coach assigned to their project, to ensure that they receive the highest possible quality of service.

How much does coaching cost?

Since our coaching services are completely custom-tailored for each student, they are billed on a time basis (as opposed to a project basis). This allows you to engage as much or as little as you want, with no long-term commitments or tie-downs.

The hourly rate itself depends on whether you purchase single hours or a discounted package. Please visit the pricing page for more information.

Do you have any testimonials or reviews?

Yes - you can view our Facebook and Trustpilot reviews here . You can also read about our accreditations and awards here .

Will my work be treated confidentially?

Absolutely. Your work will be treated completely confidentially and will not be shared with any third parties, nor published anywhere. We can sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) if you wish. Once you have completed your project, we can delete all content from our servers.

Do you offer other services?

Yes, in addition to dissertation coaching, we provide a suite of time-saving services , including:

• Interview transcription
• Qualitative data coding
• Survey design and hosting
• Statistical testing (SPSS & R)
• Editing and proofreading

If you have any other requirements, feel free to contact us to discuss them.

Can you write (or rewrite) sections for me?

No - all writing must be your own. We can hold your hand throughout the research process, but we cannot write for you as that would constitute academic misconduct.

WARNING - If you are considering any academic writing service, please be aware that the use of such services can lead to expulsion or even revocation of your degree years after the fact. Many websites offering such services provide extremely low-quality work that is unlikely to pass, and some websites are outright scams preying on desperate students.

English is not my first language (ESL student). Can you help me?

Yes , we can. In fact, many of our students are international ESL students. We can assist both with the academic aspects (e.g., coaching) and the English communication aspects (e.g., editing and proofreading).

My work is due in the next few days. Can you help me?

It’s not ideal, but we will do our best to help. Please email us or book an initial consultation as soon as possible.

Can you help me apply for a degree programme?

If your application requires a research topic or proposal (as is common for Master's and PhD applications), we can assist with that aspect of the application. However, if you require admissions-specific advice and guidance, that is not our area of expertise.

Please book a free initial consultation with us to discuss.

I still have questions…

No problem. Feel free to email us or book an initial consultation to discuss.

What our clients say

David's depth of knowledge in research methodology was truly impressive. He demonstrated a profound understanding of the nuances and complexities of my research area, offering insights that I hadn't even considered. His ability to synthesize information, identify key research gaps, and suggest research topics was truly inspiring. I felt like I had a true expert by my side, guiding me through the complexities of the proposal. 

Cyntia Sacani (US)

I had been struggling with the first 3 chapters of my dissertation for over a year. I finally decided to give GradCoach a try and it made a huge difference. Alexandra provided helpful suggestions along with edits that transformed my paper. My advisor was very impressed.

Tracy Shelton (US)

Working with Kerryn has been brilliant. She has guided me through that pesky academic language that makes us all scratch our heads. I can't recommend Grad Coach highly enough; they are very professional, humble, and fun to work with. If like me, you know your subject matter but you're getting lost in the academic language, look no further, give them a go.

Tony Fogarty (UK)

So helpful! Amy assisted me with an outline for my literature review and with organizing the results for my MBA applied research project. Having a road map helped enormously and saved a lot of time. Definitely worth it.

Jennifer Hagedorn (Canada)

Everything about my experience was great, from Dr. Shaeffer’s expertise, to her patience and flexibility. I reached out to GradCoach after receiving a 78 on a midterm paper. Not only did I get a 100 on my final paper in the same class, but I haven’t received a mark less than A+ since. I recommend GradCoach for everyone who needs help with academic research.

Antonia Singleton (Qatar)

I started using Grad Coach for my dissertation and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for them, I would have really struggled. I would strongly recommend them – worth every penny!

Richard Egenreider (South Africa)

Not convinced? Read more reviews and testimonials here .

Kickstart Your Dissertation, Today

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MS in Sport Mgt. – Coaching and Ath. Admin. Thesis

Transfer credits, next start date, learn the techniques of training the team in our master’s in sports management – coaching and athletic administration degree online.

An online master’s in coaching degree can equip you with the foundational training you need to be a successful coach at the high school, college, or professional level. To be an effective leader in athletics, you’ll need training in athletic development, psychology, leadership, nutrition, and exercise science to fulfill the roles of mentor, teacher, and motivator.

Liberty University’s 100% online master’s degree in sports management with a coaching and athletic administration specialization will provide this training so that you are fully equipped to coach the students or professionals in your care.

Why Choose Liberty’s Thesis Track Master’s in Sports Management – Coaching and Athletic Administration Degree Online?

If you have a love of sports and a desire to go beyond the game to becoming a sports management professional or a coach, then our master’s in sports management degree with a specialization in coaching and athletic administration should be at the top of your list.

Our online program will build your professional skill set and résumé by providing you with training on how you can impact lives through sports. Additionally, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges ( SACSCOC ) – so you can be confident that you are receiving a world-class education.

We involve your faith throughout our Master of Science in Sports Management – Coaching and Athletic Administration degree online to blend academic excellence with personal integrity so you are prepared to lead by example. We live out our mission to help you become a successful professional and individual in the field of sports administration.

Benefits of Earning a Master’s in Sports Management Degree

• Increased job opportunities in the field of sports management
• Online courses taught by experienced professionals with real-world experience
• Convenient 8-week, 100% online courses in our sports management degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of your required classes (visit the   transfer policy   page for more information)

What Will You Learn in Our Master’s in Sports Management – Coaching and Athletic Administration Degree Online (Thesis Track)?

Liberty University’s master’s in sports management online with a specialization in coaching and athletic administration will provide you with the opportunity to delve deeper into the complexities of high school, college, and university coaching and athletic administration that are relevant to your passions and career choice. You can learn the tools and skills needed to effectively communicate as a leader and administrator in your field.

If you pursue the thesis track of our Master of Science in Sports Management degree, you will develop a thesis proposal, conduct research, and defend your thesis upon completion. This experience is valuable, especially if you wish to further your education as a doctoral candidate. Often, thesis projects can be published for public consumption where you could become an expert on the subject matter.

Featured Courses

• SMGT 503 – Ethics in Sport
• SMGT 621 – Coaching Theory
• SMGT 622 – Strategic Player Development
• SMGT 623 – Sports Governance

Master’s in Sports Management – Coaching and Athletic Administration Program Highlights

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online master’s in sports management from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
• You can complete this degree program in as little as 1.5 years.

Master’s in Coaching and Athletic Administration Degree Online Information

• This program falls under the  School of Business .
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Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.

As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits:

• Tuition discounts –   $275 per credit hour for graduate courses .
• Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a   First Responder  (less than $625 per course).
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set log-in times.

Potential Career Options with a Coaching and Athletic Administration Degree

The online master’s in sports management degree opens the door to these potential careers:

• Athletic event planner
• Promotion and development administration
• Sports management information professional

Admission Requirements for the Sports Administration Degree

A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 or above GPA is required for admission in good standing. Please visit our   admission requirements page  for more detailed admissions-related information.

All applicants must submit the following:

• Admission application
• Application fee*
• Official college transcripts
• Unofficial college transcripts may be accepted with a completed official transcript request form**
• Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

**An official transcript is needed within 60 days of acceptance or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first.

*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, Non-Degree Seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and Certificates.

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Other programs you may be interested in

Master of Arts (MA)

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Sports Management: Outdoor Adventure Sports (Thesis)

Sports management: sports administration (thesis), sports management: tourism (thesis), looking for a different program.

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You have to have a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline when you are going to school online, but the amazing thing is at Liberty you do not need to do it by yourself. You really do have resources like someone who is going to school on campus.

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Coaching for Master thesis Bachelor thesis – Diploma thesis –Dissertation

Accompaniment

Proofreading

I personally support you in writing your Master’s thesis/Bachelor’s thesis/Diploma thesis/Dissertation. I use my professional experience for you: as a lecturer and as a coach of doctoral candidates and students since 2001 – with many very positive feedbacks. 

Every exchange of documents and all our telephone calls and emails remain confidential. From our initial contact to the submission of your thesis, I outsource nothing. I do everything for you personally, full-time.

I coach you within the legal framework so that you can sign the Declaration of Independence with a clear conscience and hand in your Master thesis/Bachelor thesis/Dissertation with pride.

Sincerely, Dr. Simon Reitze

Graduates have trusted Dr. Simon Reitze for over 20 years

The initial meeting with you was great. Based on that I was able to write the whole paper. Thank you for your valuable feedback and corrections.

Master thesis - Executive MBA

Accompaniment and proofreading

Thank you for being there when things are burning. Even when you were abroad you supported me tremendously on my deadline and found reassuring words

Adult education area

Accompaniment, master thesis & further work

You gave me a simple 'recipe' for the master thesis, thank you very much! ... I never thought I would get such a good grade! 🙂

Supervision, CAS and Master thesis

You have a super voice. Listening to you on the video call, my husband said, 'Not only do you get coaching, but you get free therapy.' You drive down all my nervousness." - "You always come across as calm, unagitated, and that helps me think calmly.

Long term customer - Economy

Monitoring of several complete study programs

It is always amazing how easily you explain difficult things

Master thesis - Special education

You are my mental coach. Without your mental support, I would never-never have been able to do this.

Revision of diploma thesis - social pedagogy

Dear Simon, the work is bound and I very relieved!!! I would like to thank you again very much for your competent guidance!!! Especially your encouragement and support in relation to the pursuit of my theme and heart's desire is priceless and I am very grateful to you!!!

Bachelor Thesis - Social Work

They have helped me enormously. Now I really know how to write. What you told me, no one has ever told me before. I have looked at many books on the subject of 'scientific writing'. I am very satisfied with the coaching.

Secondary Education

Coaching 'How to write?'

Dear Mr. Reitze, thank you for your high quality corrections. I am absolutely satisfied with them.  I have studied your corrections and comments carefully and have accepted or implemented them almost 100%.

Master thesis law

A thousand thanks for your competent and supportive help! I felt so really "framed" and taken care of....I can only recommend you.

Master thesis social work

Thank you very much! That was almost unbelievable how you pulled that out of your sleeve.

Master thesis MAS Corporate Finance

Coaching 'Start

Thank you very much. I could never have done it without you. I just received confirmation that the work has been accepted. That is a great relief. May I ask for your help again with the next work? A little earlier, of course.

Writing a Matura paper in 36 hours

Intensive accompaniment

I learned a lot in these 2.5 hours. I appreciate it very much. Can we make a next appointment?

Bachelor thesis - University of Education

Thank you very much for your support. It has helped me a lot. I also felt taken very seriously by you as a person. That was a very positive experience.

Master thesis - course of studies in the field of coaching

I completed the master with a 6.0 and received great feedback. I am very relieved and the effort has also paid off for me professionally. I am very happy about that. It was definitely the best decision to contact you. Many, many thanks!

Note: I do not offer Ghostwriting, but support you in the writing process with my scientific expertise!

Price Calculator

Book online, 6 offers for your success, start-coaching.

In a one-to-one coaching session, we jointly develop the concept of your Master thesis/Bachelor thesis/dissertation: 1. your topic, 2. research objective, 3. research question, 4. methodological approach, 5. outline, 6. milestone plan, 7. a research guide, 8. a writing guide. Result: draft of your disposition / exposé. This forms the basis for your academic paper and initiates the copywriting process. 2.5-hour personal one-to-one coaching online

CHF 437.50 (incl. VAT)

HOW TO WRITE? - This is how! (personal instruction)

2. HOW TO WRITE? - This is how! (personal instruction) You already have your topic and a rough outline and want to get started? In a one-to-one coaching session, I will work out with you how to proceed with your topic. I explain to you what scientific writing is really about, what makes a good writing style and how to research successfully. Anyone can write scientifically, but it takes a little practice! Result : Revised outline, personal guidance on writing and researching, milestone plan. 2-hour personal one-to-one coaching online

CHF 350.00 (incl. VAT)

Intermediate coaching / -Feedback

You have already started your Master thesis/Bachelor thesis/dissertation and would like support when you need it? I would be happy to accompany you on call, e.g. by a phone call of 5 minutes, a video call of 20 minutes, or a meeting to give you interim feedback or guidance for the next step. Just contact me. I keep a timesheet for ongoing support. I charge per 5 minutes. You pay exactly for the time you use.

CHF 175.00 per hour for individual coaching (online/by e-mail/by phone/in the coaching room in Solothurn) (incl. VAT)

Editing per chapter

You have already started writing and would like corrections and suggestions for improvement? I would be happy to do an intermediate proofreading for you. - A) Efficient option: I give you general feedback and show you how you can improve your text using exemplary passages. - B) Comprehensive option: I correct your text in detail (citation, spelling, grammar) and make comprehensive detailed comments and suggestions on all aspects of your work (incl. structure, line of argument, style). CHF 159.60 per hour (incl. VAT)

CHF 159.60 per hour (incl. VAT)

FINAL CHECK - Quality check before submission

You are about to finish your Master thesis/Bachelor thesis/dissertation and would like to get feedback on the quality? I will support you with a professional assessment. In addition, I will provide you with important information so that you can put the finishing touches to your academic work. Feel free to contact me by email, phone or online!

1 hour preparation (analysis) + 2-hour personal one-to-one coaching online: CHF 509.60 incl. VAT.

proofreading & editing

Before submitting your Master thesis/Bachelor thesis/Diploma thesis/Dissertation, I will proofread and edit your academic work if required. I optimise the writing style used and check the citation, the bibliography and other components of your work.

Calculate now the price

Get a price estimate now with the price calculator for ✓ Coaching ✓ Accompaniment ✓ Editing ✓ Proofreading.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Coaching effectiveness, coaching development, redevelopment'

Create a spot-on reference in apa, mla, chicago, harvard, and other styles.

Consult the top 15 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Coaching effectiveness, coaching development, redevelopment.'

Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.

You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.

Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.

Dahlin, Sean Robert. "Redeveloping Coaching Effectiveness: Perceptions of NCAA Division III Head Coaches." The Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1499382863653917.

Kiosoglous, Cameron Michael. "Sports Coaching Through the Ages with an Empirical Study of Predictors of Rowing Coaching Effectiveness." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/22029.

Van, Oosten Ellen Brooks. "The Impact of Emotional Intelligence and Executive Coaching on Leader Effectiveness." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365117435.

Figlar, Marilyn K. "Perceived Effectiveness of Internal Executive Coaching Engagements by Participants in a High Potential Leadership Development Program." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64328.

Lange, Alissa A., Irena Nayfeld, and Hagit Mano. "The Effects of an Early Childhood Stem Professional Development Model on Coaching Effectiveness." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4187.

Dolev, Niva. "Developing emotional intelligence competencies in teachers through group-based coaching." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/27618.

Ebrahim, Habiburaghman, and Helm B. Mathur. "Investigation of the effectiveness of coaching in development of leadership competencies (emotional intelligence) within BPSA (Pty) Ltd." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/15055.

Wong, Hoi-shan. "Peer coaching in action research as a lived practice for teacher professional development." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2005. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B35684938.

Wong, Hoi-shan, and 黃愷珊. "Peer coaching in action research as a lived practice for teacher professional development." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B35684938.

Ebrahim, Habiburaghman. "Investigation of the effectiveness of coaching in the development of leadership competencies (emotional intelligence) within BPSA (Pty) Ltd." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/8585.

Milar?, Sueli Aparecida. "Interven??o breve em organiza??es: mudan?a em coaching de executivos." Pontif?cia Universidade Cat?lica de Campinas, 2008. http://tede.bibliotecadigital.puc-campinas.edu.br:8080/jspui/handle/tede/400.

Bennet, Angelina Anna. "Using psychological type for developmental coaching : the inclusion of intrapersonal type dynamics, effectiveness related to aspects of ego development, and the individual's capacity for development." Thesis, London Metropolitan University, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.542802.

Jones, Rebecca. "The effectiveness of workplace coaching : a meta-analysis of learning and performance outcomes : scale development : theoretical model of individual differences and longitudinal study." Thesis, Aston University, 2016. http://publications.aston.ac.uk/28541/.

Gregory, Natasha. "A review of the effectiveness of the young lions leadership development programme in a South African financial institution." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/8520.

Fraňková, Anna. "Bariéry úspěšného koučování v organizaci." Master's thesis, 2015. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-337252.

The Dale Method

your postgraduate degree, you commit to submitting a thesis at the required standard before you graduate. Failure to submit a thesis on time results in prolonged periods of misery and serious stress because of years of delay in completing this project.

Submitting a good thesis is difficult but not impossible. Personally, I was unable to find a practical, useful methodology to guide me along my way. So, I created my own.

As your academic year begins, the assignments, activities, or the thesis itself will cause you to struggle. You will have setbacks and disappointments, but you will experience feelings of achievement and success if you put in the work and seek help when you need it.

The most crucial action you can take right now is to reorient your mindset and get your systems in place. This will be the foundation from which your planning will evolve.

Many times, in my practice as a coach, I’ve watched students with the appropriate systems and daily habits succeed beyond their own expectations. Many of their peers who push back against planning and working in discrete, incremental sections, struggle to stay afloat from day one.

The task of writing your thesis is the proverbial banquet that you can’t consume at a single sitting. No matter how smart you are, I assure you, there is no way to get the best result without breaking the project down into logical, manageable sections. This approach precipitated the synthesis of The Dale Method. 

This 6-phase methodology addresses all the elements of postgraduate study resulting in the student feeling in control throughout the year:

(1) Supervisor relations (2) Topic choice  (3) Thesis process – five chapters (4) Project management (5) Writing and editing (6) Psychological challenges and wellbeing.

These phases are not linear but cyclical and flexible in nature: the individual moves in and out of each phase depending on their immediate challenge.

Submitting a good thesis is difficult but not impossible. 

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A Systematic Review of Graduate Thesis Studies on Coaching

2022, Sosyal Bilimler ve Eğitim Dergisi

The coaching concept has been used in different fields since its emergence in the 1550s. Today, it continues to be used in many areas such as sports, health, business, and education. Although the coaching approach has a long history in practice, its use as a concept and research is not very old. Academic studies in different fields contribute to the subject of coaching, and the field gains depth through new studies. In this study, postgraduate thesis studies on coaching conducted from 1999, when the first postgraduate study in coaching was born, to 2020 were examined by document analysis method. The findings showed that although the graduate thesis studies on coaching date to t999, it has been carried out for 14 years without interruption since 2007. It was also found that the majority of the studies on coaching were carried out as part of master’s theses. Besides, the study revealed that coaching was investigated in 23 different subjects, mainly in education followed by training and business. The other result indicated that postgraduate thesis studies on coaching were conducted in 46 universities. Anadolu University took first place, followed by Marmara University and third Gazi University.

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Your personal coach for the master thesis

Looking for a coach for your master thesis? You've come to the right place. Learn who our coaches are, how our master thesis coaching works, and what costs you can expect.

Table of content

• 1 . Who are the coaches for my master thesis at Rock your Thesis?
• 2 . Why are we the best choice for your master thesis coaching?
• 3 . Who is the master thesis coaching for and what benefits does it offer?
• 4 . What master thesis challenges does the coaching address?
• 5 . What is the process of a master thesis coaching like?
• 6 . What costs can I expect for a master thesis coaching?

1. Who are the coaches for my master thesis at Rock your Thesis?

We are proud to present a specialized team of master thesis coaches that stand out for their exceptional academic expertise and extensive experience. At Rock your Thesis, you'll find coaches for your master thesis who meet the following essential criteria:

• 1 All our master thesis coaches hold at least a PhD or are in an advanced stage of their doctoral studies.
• 2 Each coach for master theses holds leading positions at prestigious universities in the DACH region and has extensive experience in supervising final theses, with more than 15 successfully guided students.
• 3 Our coaches specialize in all disciplines (e.g., economics, psychology, law, computer science, mechanical engineering, and many more) and regularly contribute to reputable academic journals.

We are redefining the standard! Rock your Thesis is recognized and supported by well-known industry partners (including the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and leading research institutions (including the University of St.Gallen (HSG) and the University of Cologne). The collaboration with top academic institutions emphasizes our expertise and reliability in the field of master thesis coaching.

Our excellent coaches at a glance:

Jonas Ryberg

University of St.Gallen (HSG)

PhD candidate

Dr. Katharina Reiter

Technical University of Munich

In practice

Dr. Arne Heimendahl

University of Cologne

Dr. Alexander Stuckert

Technical University of Darmstadt

Laura Benyei

Dr. Simon Bründl

Dr. Maximilian Knapp

University of Mannheim

Dr. Katja Knops

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Niklas Roulands

University of Bielefeld

Dr. Julius Berges

RWTH Aachen University

David Nawrath

Stanford University

Dr. Martin Schumacher

Jenny Zimmermann

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Bjarne Schwarz

Tiziana Schopper

Dr. Florian Schaefer

RWTH Aachen

Dr. Linda Bandelow

Postdoctoral Researcher

Roger Heines

Dr. Arne Grüttner

Jan Spiekermann

University of Münster

Dr. Maximilian Schacker

Dr. Daniel Proba

Dr. Maximilian Richter

Joscha Krug

Angeliki Kalogeraki

Anastasia Kukula

Dr. Lena-Marie Pätzmann

Eric Klebeck

Sina Plietzsch

HHL Leipzig

Yann Müller

Tobias Maier

Alexander Mueller

Edwards School of Business

Timo Brunner

Francie Lange

Felix Mosner

Pia Seimetz

Hanna Brosch

Richard Turinsky

University of Strathclyde

Tobias Großbölting

Dr. Sven Kannler

Dr. Michael Greineder

Harvard University

Saskia Spang

Frankfurt School

Rafael Bischof

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

You can find a detailed presentation of our coaches and their qualifications here .

2. Why are we the best choice for your master thesis coaching?

The market for academic coaching, especially for the master thesis, can be confusing and flooded with dubious providers. Many students report negative experiences with master thesis coaches who charge exorbitant prices and exploit students' insecurities. Typically, these providers fall into two groups:

This group consists of individuals offering their coaching services online, often with just a bachelor's or master's degree and without a higher academic qualification such as a PhD. Often, these coaches lack expertise in specific disciplines such as engineering, natural sciences, economics, law, or social sciences.

This category includes platforms that connect students with various coaches without clarity on who these coaches are and what qualifications they have. Even when coaches are listed, detailed information about them is often not available. Similar to the first group, most coaches only have a bachelor's or master's degree and are not actively involved in research.

Unlike other providers, Rock your Thesis places great value on transparency, quality, and close, trust-based cooperation with our students in the area of master thesis coaching. Our decisive advantages:

• 1 Outstanding coaches for the master thesis: Our coaches have PhDs or are in doctoral programs and impress with profound expertise and methodological skills in their specialty areas.
• 2 Transparency: We place great value on a transparent introduction of our master thesis coaches and their qualifications. Additional information about our coaches is easily accessible via Google.
• 3 Personal support and accessibility: Our coaches are familiar with the challenges of the master thesis from their own experience and offer fast, straightforward support, for example, via WhatsApp.
• 4 Fair prices: We offer transparent, fair pricing with the option of installment payments. The coaching fees can often be tax-deductible.
• 5 Proven coaching program: Our scientifically based coaching program, supported by leading academic institutions, has already helped over 250 students succeed and testifies to our professional competence and reliability.

With these clear advantages, we set ourselves apart in the field of master thesis coaching.

3. Who is the master thesis coaching for and what benefits does it offer?

Our master thesis coaching program is aimed at students with a wide range of needs: Whether it's about choosing a challenging topic, compensating for a lack of experience in academic work, working alongside studies, or being under time pressure, our coaching offers the solution. Especially prospective graduates who aim for an outstanding grade, feel inadequately supported by the university, face complex topics, need to conduct demanding empirical or quantitative research, are on the verge of starting their careers, have uncertainties about their research results, lose orientation, or need to improve their work will find the ideal support here.

Choosing master thesis coaching is motivated by various reasons. The main benefits that our students highlight are:

• 1 Efficient management of the master thesis: For students who want to balance work and studies or quickly enter professional life, our targeted coaching provides the necessary support. It boosts motivation and makes it easier to manage the demands of the thesis and professional obligations.
• 2 Individual support through the master thesis: Many choose our coaching due to a lack of supervision or poor connection to their university. We connect them with master thesis coaches who are consistently competent contacts for any questions and challenges.
• 3 Excellent academic performance: Students who want to use their master thesis as a stepping stone for a career in leading consulting firms or major technology companies benefit from the opportunity to differentiate themselves through excellent performance.

“As a professor, I can only recommend Rock your Thesis. All tutors come from renowned universities. A forward-looking platform that meets the highest academic standards.”

4. What master thesis challenges does the coaching address?

Personal coaching by an experienced master thesis coach offers you individual support in a one-on-one format . Whether you're at the beginning of your master thesis and need to find a topic, design a research concept, or are already in the phase of data collection and analysis – our coaching program is flexible to your progress, your specific topic, your schedule, and the particular challenges of your work. This applies to full-time students as well as working professionals pursuing their studies part-time.

A master thesis coach can help you with a variety of problem areas , such as:

• Selecting and refining a suitable topic and developing a clear research question.
• Writing a structured and meaningful research concept.
• Logically structuring your work to ensure a coherent structure and convincing argumentation.
• Systematically searching for and evaluating relevant literature.
• Planning, conducting, and statistically analyzing empirical research.
• Organizing, implementing, and evaluating expert interviews.
• Methods for overcoming writer's block and increasing your writing productivity.
• Applying academic writing style and implementing it in your work.
• And many other aspects crucial to the success of your master thesis.

5. What is the process of a master thesis coaching like?

In close cooperation with our academic partners and based on our extensive experience, we have developed an effective master thesis coaching program that has already helped many students succeed. Our coaching program is based on five central pillars , which we specifically tailor to your individual requirements and personal learning style to ensure the best possible results.

• 1 Free initial meeting: Each coaching starts with a non-binding initial consultation where we discuss your current status, challenges, and goals. We consider your schedule, identify potential difficulties, and set clear goals to ensure you get the master thesis coach who perfectly fits your needs.
• 2 Personal one-on-one coaching: You receive individual and detailed support in all phases of your master thesis. The coaching sessions take place over Zoom and allow for intensive engagement with important topics such as topic selection, research methodology, structuring, argumentation, and academic standards.
• 3 Precise writing feedback: Our team provides you with detailed feedback on your texts to improve the quality and consistency of your work and ensure adherence to academic standards. This feedback focuses on critical areas such as grammar, spelling, citation styles, structural organization, and presentation of your research findings.
• 4 WhatsApp support: Through our WhatsApp support, you always have quick access to assistance. The Rock your Thesis team and your personal master thesis coach are reachable within 48 hours to answer questions, ensuring continuous support and advice throughout the entire creation process of your master thesis.
• 5 Individual action plan: We develop a work plan tailored to you, providing a clear guide for your master thesis. This plan includes a detailed schedule, key milestones, and planned coaching sessions, enabling you to work in a goal-oriented and efficient manner.

A comprehensive overview of the five pillars and the included services can be found here .

6. What costs can I expect for a master thesis coaching?

At Rock your Thesis, the support of leading academic institutions enables us to keep our prices fair and student-friendly. We understand that investing in a master thesis coaching can be a significant financial burden for students. Therefore, we are continuously striving to optimize our services and make them affordable for a wide student body.

An essential part of our offer are the variable payment options , including the possibility of installment payments. This ensures that our master thesis coaching is accessible to all students seeking our support. Thus, you can fully concentrate on your master thesis, with the flexibility to settle parts of the costs later, for example, after successful career entry. Moreover, the costs for coaching are often tax-deductible , which can provide an additional financial advantage.

Our pricing is completely transparent and includes various packages tailored to the specific needs and requirements of each student. Whether you are looking for a basic package for fundamental support or a comprehensive package for intensive and specialized guidance – we guarantee that you will receive the support necessary for the successful completion of your master thesis.

Our coaching packages in a nutshell:

1-hour-package..

One-hour session to address specific questions or challenges of your thesis.

€89,99 /hour

• Online 1-on-1 coaching
• Precise writing feedback

5-hours-package.

Comprehensive support on key aspects of your thesis to help strengthen your work.

€84,99 /hour

• WhatsApp-Support
• Flexible payment options*

10-hours-package.

Thorough guidance to provide extensive coaching, covering multiple facets of your thesis.

€79,99 /hour

• Individualized action plan
• -5% Proofreading

20-hours-package.

End-to-end coaching for a polished, well-researched, and submission-ready thesis.

€69,99 /hour

• -10% Proofreading

Frequently asked questions explained for you

Do you need help.

Get in touch with us. Together we will always find the right support for your bachelor thesis. We will be happy to advise you free of charge.

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Coaching Studies (MEd)

The Master of Education in Coaching Studies (MEd CS) program provides students with a background in the art and science involved in coaching sport.

The program is designed for experienced sport coaches and leaders who are looking to engage in professional development and advance their careers. It is a course-based program, which requires completion of a project and 2 co-operative education (reflective practice) work terms.

Required courses are taken as part of a cohort group on campus for 2 consecutive summers, followed by two 4-month work terms (Sept-Dec, Jan-Feb) in the first year (alternative arrangements are also possible). 

Two electives are taken outside of the summer term and may be chosen from courses in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, other departments at the University of Victoria, or from other universities to complement your interests in coaching studies. 

Quick facts

Students in this program will:

• develop necessary knowledge and skills to design an MEd project
• define the concept of knowledge translation and apply to the development of the MEd project
• develop and refine writing, oral presentation, and group facilitation skills
• apply knowledge and skills from course-work to advance coaching practice
• apply reflective skills to refine and advance professional coaching practice

Find a supervisor

You do not need to find a supervisor to apply to this program. The cohort leader each year supervises the projects for all students.

Show me program details

Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:

I am a Canadian citizen or permanent resident International student

Show program details

Your program details

Application deadlines.

July entry – apply by March 15

Admission requirements

Program specific requirements.

For admission, applicants need extensive coaching experience and an undergraduate degree in human kinetics, physical education or kinesiology (or equivalent) from an institution recognized by UVic.

In addition, candidates will normally have:

• 5 years of coaching experience, and
• National Coaching Certification Program qualification at level 3 or “Competition Development” (this certification is advisable, not required)

Include with your application:

• assessment reports from 2 academic referees who can speak to your ability to undertake advanced studies
• a letter of intent (2 pages or less) introducing yourself, describing your academic background, your coaching experience, as well as your career goals

Completion requirements

Funding & aid, tuition & fees.

Estimated minimum program cost*

* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator .

Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.

Ready to apply?

You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.

Apply now     How to apply

Faculties & departments

• Faculty of Education
• Recreation & health education
• Physical education & coaching
• Kinesiology

Related programs

• Kinesiology (MA)
• Kinesiology (MSc)
• Kinesiology (PhD)
• Physical Education (MA)

Contact Grace-Ann Wynter at [email protected] or 250-721-6682 .

< Back to Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education overview

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Click here for our new Coaching offering

New applications for coaching are paused. In the meantime, fill out  our form  to be notified when coaching is available again,  contact us  directly, or chat with  our AI Thesis Mentor  (requires ChatGPT Plus) .

We are currently pausing new applications for coaching . In the meantime, we invite you to fill out our form to be notified when coaching is available again. By subscribing, you can also receive our newsletter which includes updates on our services, access to our Research Question (RQ) database, and other relevant topics that can assist you in your research journey.

You can also  view our online guides  for  undergraduate and masters students and prospective PhD students to help you choose a thesis topic.

You can also sign up for one of our newsletters. The  Future Researchers’ Journey  is a 6-week email-based summary of our advice on how to choose a thesis topic and shape your research career for greater impact. The  Topic Discovery Digest  helps you to find thesis topics, tools and resources that can help you significantly improve the world. The Early Career Research Opportunities Newsletter is a bi-weekly digest of hand-pick opportunities such as jobs, internships, prizes and scholarships that are particularly relevant to students from undergraduate to PhD level interested in our  recommended research directions .

Learn more about our coaching service

Are you writing a thesis or considering your PhD topic? Our coaching service is designed to help students like you maximize the impact of your research. While we are not currently accepting new coaching applications, our guides for undergraduate and master’s students, as well as prospective PhD students, provide valuable insights for choosing a thesis topic.

Coaching can help wherever you are in your PhD journey.

Writing an undergrad or master's thesis?

Coaching can help you discover how to have more impact with your research and connect you with further resources to help you get the most our of writing your thesis.

Frequently asked questions

Our coaches can help in a number of ways. They can help you think through open questions you have about your studies and future career, suggest tools and resources that would be a good fit for you, connect you with researchers to support your further, and offer you advice on things like finding a PhD supervisor and applying for funding .

After you’ve written your thesis or dissertation, we can also help you get your research noticed, including by publishing it on our site.

We generally work with students who will be writing a thesis or dissertation (at undergraduate, masters or PhD level) or submitting PhD applications in the next six months, however if you don’t quite fit this criteria we still encourage you to reach out.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. We typically reach out to accepted applicants within 1 to 2 weeks of their applications. If you have a deadline that means you need to hear back sooner, please make a note of this in your application.

If you want your research to do as much good as possible – either directly by contributing to solving a pressing problem or by building skills so you can have a bigger impact later – we encourage you to apply for coaching. 

We primarily coach students who are considering research careers, but if you plan to pursue a different career we still encourage you to apply.

We’ll assess your application on the basis of your interest in having a positive impact and our belief that we can offer you support. If for any reason we can’t offer you coaching, we will still offer you helpful resources.

A coaching session lasts 30 minutes. Your coach will start by understanding your goals and any open questions you have. They may then help you consider how you could increase the likely impact of your research, offer you further resources, connect you with other researchers or organisations, or advise you on topics such as applying for funding, finding a supervisor or choosing a research question that is a good fit for you. 

After the first coaching session you’re likely to have  lots of ideas and ways to get further support. However, many students appreciate meeting their coach for more sessions. Our coaches also stay in touch to provide ongoing guidance via email.

Yes – we still encourage you to apply. We recognise that your skills, qualifications and interests may mean that a different direction is a better fit for you, and the list of directions we feature on our site is not intended to be exhaustive.

However, we might not be able to help you as much as we could if you chose a research direction we recommend, as for these directions we have already found mentors, potential supervisors, research agendas and other useful resources to get you started.

We’re a nonprofit aiming to help students begin research careers that address pressing global problems. This means we particularly appreciate feedback about how we have helped you, to help inform our future applications for funding.

You can see all the services we offer on the homepage. As well as  individual coaching, we provide  help with finding supervisors and PhD funding , recommendations of research directions that are particularly likely to have a big positive impact, a newsletter of curated opportunities for early career researchers , and advice for beginning a successful research career .

Students we've advised

Our coaches.

Apply for our coaching and the coach who is the best fit for you will support you in your journey towards an impactful research career.

Marie Zedler

Head of coaching.

Marie is the Head of Coaching at Effective Thesis and is responsible for managing the coaching services and our expert network. She holds a BSc in Neuroscience from UCL and is currently working towards an integrated MRes+PhD in Sensor Technology at the University of Cambridge. Her most recent research focused on developing low-cost sensors for the early detection of plant stress. Marie’s interests include alternative proteins and the food system, biosecurity, as well as community building. In her free time, Marie loves rock climbing, ice skating and cold water swimming, and she needs ideas for a new sport to try out!

Conor Spence

Conor is a Coach at Effective Thesis. He enjoys helping talented students have a high positive impact through their thesis and study decisions. He enjoys discussing interesting impactful topics and encouraging and motivating people. He has a masters in neuroscience and a background as an educator, researcher, and coach within universities and the non-profit sector. He also enjoys throwing ultimate frisbees when he has time.

Our expert network

Our coaches can connect you to researchers from our network of over 100 experts, who can help you find the most important open questions in your field.

Philip Trammel

Philip Trammel is a research affiliate at the Global Priorities Institute at Oxford University. He advises students on applications of economic theory to global priorities research.

Dr Cassidy Nelson

Cassidy Nelson is Co-Lead of the Biosecurity Research Group at the Future of Humanity Institute. She advises students on health security, biosecurity and pandemic prevention.

Vanessa Kosoy

Vanessa is a research associate at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. She advises students in mathematics, computer science and other quantitative degrees interested in human aligned artificial intelligence research.

Prof David Denkenberger

David Denkenberger co-founded and directs the Alliance to Feed the Earth in Disasters (ALLFED). He has 65 peer-reviewed publications and is the third most prolific author in the field of existential and global catastrophic risk.

Maxime Stauffer

Maxime is a co-founder and chief executive officer of the Simon Institute for Longterm Governance. Max advises students in political science, behavioural sciences, mathematics and physics interested in improving political decision making.

Parendi Birdie

Parendi Birdie is the Head of Brand Strategy at Mission Barns. She advises students who are interested in both technical and non-technical areas of the field of cellular agriculture.

David is the Principal Research Manager at Rethink Priorities and a research fellow at Canterbury Christ Church University. David advises students interested in moral psychology and empirical social science.

There are many other researchers and collaborators for whose support we are very grateful.

Effective Thesis

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• Nov 18, 2021
• 30 min read

Thiago Motta - Coverciano Thesis 2019/2020

With renewed interest in the famed Italian coaching academy in Coverciano (Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano) due to Andrea Pirlo's thesis recently being released, we have decided to take a look at some of those theses*.

This does not include an analysis of the thesis but instead just our interpretation. Our own explanations or interpretations are in blue.

We've observed the theses of Massimiliano Allegri, Andrea Pirlo, and now Thiago Motta (who received the highest score in his class, just above second-placed Pirlo).

*With all these theses, the translations are far from perfect but we tried to ensure the coach's meaning was kept while making it readily accessible and understandable.

The Value of the Ball The Tool of the Trade at the Heart of the Game

Thiago Motta 2019/2020 Thesis

Introduction

My relationship with the ball started, like with almost all children, when I received it as a “birthday present” from my father.

So immediately, thanks to the personal sentimental and emotional element of this parental gesture in a familial setting, I formed a symbiotic and natural connection with the ball.

The ball became my most precious of possessions. It allowed me to express myself through football whether it was in the house, on the street, alone or with friends, all with the dream of becoming a great player and the desire to have fun and beat my opponent whoever it was.

This relationship was further consolidated when I transitioned from recreational football to my first structured experiences of football and five-a-side.

The ball, in this transitory phase, through infancy and adolescence, went from simple recreational “object” to a team game “instrument”, of a more complex nature within the collective game.

Thanks to the ball, the game’s horizon widened from the circle of family and friends to the one of my new family, my footballing family.

And the game, from recreational expression consistently grew into a more competitive environment, as a projection not solely as an idea of individual and collective movement, but also one with the personal satisfaction of belonging to a group, a family, of football devotees.

Although acquiring more accurate knowledge linked to the different types of football (11-a-side and 5-a-side), the emotional component was always present : both the ever-present personal attachment to the “birthday present” and the collective attachment to the team’s “instrument” of expression.

The ball, in both cases, as a personal recreational tool or as a collective one, proved to be the most precious of assets, the supreme element in the game.

Losing it — in whatever game situation — meant not just losing the object of personal affectation (the gift from day) but also losing the indispensable instrument of belonging to the group-team, and the family-team.

Losing the ball then became a sort of footballing “crime”, individual and collective, that needed to be rectified in the most decisive way possible, both on the street with friends relying individual effort, but especially on the field, in a competitive environment, through teamwork.

After my transfer to Barcelona, in Spain, all of these foundational elements were amplified, deepened and perfected, reinforcing the awareness of the ball’s centrality and of its management, individually and collectively, as an expression of the game of football.

In any case, it was a natural evolution, the ball playing the role of both “personal object of affection” and “collective instrument”, but with a cultural development aimed at improving ball control skills during match phases, both from a personal point of view (“the ball is mine”) to a collective one (“the ball is ours”).

The idea of losing the ball was no longer simply a footballing “crime” but also a stimulus of reflection, not just to elaborate the best strategy for possession, but also of loss prevention, and naturally, ball recovery.

To summarize, the ball and its management became the fulcrum of a more structured interpretation of a personal and collective game philosophy that would lay the winning foundations for Barcelona in LaLiga and in Europe.

My arrival in Italy allowed me to enrich and my technical and tactical ability, but through different types of football philosophies. And it was not necessarily the through focusing on the object/instrument, but instead focusing on the alternating spatial occupation and our consequent positioning on the field in relation to the opponent and the respective doctrines of football expression.

Serie A’s diverse culture, due to the multiplicity of contrasting notions and approaches, is dear to me. It has allowed me to further nourish my thoughts on the centrality of the ball in the expression of both individual play and collective, expanding convictions and principles and also, the application of opposing football basics.

Basics that, in fact, elevated and tested the universal mechanisms through the universal and natural prism of the ball object/instrument.

In this sense, the intellectual disparity between the “maestri” (managers) like Gianpiero Gasperini at Genoa and José Mourinho at Inter, can be summarized in a comparison of experiences : at halftime of the Milan derby of August 29, 2009; in the management of the rossoblù’s offensive organization.

Whereas both managers, demanded control of the game through vertical play in the offensive phase, the methods to achieve this were diametrically opposed.

At Inter, Mourinho prioritized verticalization between the lines, as was evident to me at the end of the first half of the first 2009-2010 derby. After the first 45 minutes, we were 3-0 up against Milan. A scoreline which was obtained through game criteria and ball management with which I felt the most in-sync. At the exit of the changing rooms, in the tunnel, however, Mourinho told me to play the rest of the matching focusing no longer solely on control, but on exploiting vertical openings behind the Rossoneri defensive lines. In the second half, we scored just one more goal, for a definitive scoreline of 4-0, but that year we still won the “Triplete” (treble).

At Genoa, Gasperini required a more elaborate form of verticalization. Not only through direct passes behind the lines, but prioritizing an organized passing structure. Often, in my “regista” (director/deep playmaker) role, I had the job of playing directly into the number 9, Milito, through direct vertical play. On the other hand, for Gasperini, it was better to play vertically by exploiting the use of intermediary players around the “trequartista”. In this system, the play not only developed vertically, but it also allowed me to proactively participate and position myself in and around the opposition’s penalty area and thus multiply the resources to attack the goal. With direct passing play to the forward — as Gasperini pointed out to me one day — we can put Milito in a shooting position but I automatically exclude myself from the zone and consequently I reduce the team’s creative options to go to goal.

Finally, in France, my formative and intellectual path took me to a concept of the game that went from the technical to the practical and pedagogical.

And not only with Carlo Ancelotti’s PSG, but in particular with the management of Laurent Blanc, through an overwhelming dominance in the league using technical and tactical edicts that were, in general, the opposite of this approach.

A contrast that only served to further lift the superiority of a philosophy initially applied on the pitch as a player, translating the synthesized experience of individual game management to the service of the team, technically and tactically ; “and subsequently, as coach of PSG’s Under-19, with the role of transmitting to the youth the foundational principles for a global and stratified vision of football, but based on the primordial and natural element of football : the ball.”

Hence, the proposal of this thesis is to interpret football through the centrality of the ball as a “oggetto affettivo/strumento di lavoro” (“personal objective/work instrument”), also in its psychological significance (First Part), understood as team and individual mastery, cultivated by specifically technical exercises, to guarantee the largest range of construction and evolution of the team and personal game, illustrated by a practical case of action which includes its various aspects addressed here (Second Part).

Psychological Analysis

During my carrer as a footballer, I often observed how my teammates limited themselves technically during training and matches, reducing the tactical production of team team and the individual

High level football is a sport in which the responsibility of performance is shared but it is predominantly the pure technical element of the singular players that will determine the capacity to control and manage the ball.

The ball can be defined as a work instrument but through which the abilities of each member of the team are expressed, of the team itself, united the principal objective of scoring and thus, winning.

An objective that can be achieved through a variety of game approaches and schemes and interpretations, based on the characteristics of the players, the opposition and the strategies put in place; however, it still starts from the base element : ball mastery which has a primordial value from a technical point of view, with implications on game situations, from a mental point of view as a tool to progressing through the various psychological stages that contribute to the global development of the individual, but also affective/emotional to alludes to — as mentioned in the introduction — to the embryonic value of the object, the football.

Hence the importance of mastering the player’s work instrument, that is, the ball which in its central peculiarity within the game of football, becomes a conducting thread in a series of reflections on the mental approach of the individual and the practical consequences on the result and the team’s expression, understood as a network of personalities that may or may not synchronize to achieve the common objective.

PERSONALITY

Returning to the observation, of those teammates who limited themselves in expressing their technical ability, thus emerged the importance of control of professional competence that would transform the ball from work tool to a tool of personality of the individual player, and subsequently, that of the team to which he belongs.

From a simple object of play/work, the ball becomes in this manner an instrument for improving the psychological-mental capacity to face the challenges, objectives and difficulties that derive from its professional use, but that benefits the collective, according to a virtuous cycle that allows everyone to express themselves and contribute — according to their own cultivated and developed means — to the success of the team.

It is therefore necessary to first define the personality of the player/individual, shaped by genetic predispositions and by his first fundamental childhood experiences, specifically in the social and cultural environment in which he could express himself.

A definition that is linked to the fundamental evolution of his relationship with the ball — as stated in the introduction — to the player’s childhood in his emotional and affective relationship with the ball object.

On the other hand, according to some studies supported in the youth department, up to the age of 11, the affiliative dimension of playing with friends, of meeting new friends and being able to have fun are still predominant and then broaden in the search for the excitement of competition and the enthusiasm that sprouts from it up un til the age of 14; finally, to develop and maintain not just an adequate physical shape but also and especially a sporting level that allows one to impose oneself, to make a difference as an individual in the collective, and so to contribute to the achievement of the shared objective within the group/family represented by the team.

Consequently, without delving into the Freudian meanderings on the definition and the development of personality, it is necessary however to understand the concept of an internal drive towards the outside, characterized by an origin, a goal and therefore an object.

Personality, according to the philosopher Umberto Galimberti, represents the set of an individual’s psychic characteristics and behavioral elements through which their integration constitutes the irreducible nucleus, even in the multiplicity and diversity of the situations in which it expresses itself.

Personality allows one to integrate and organize physical and mental elements in order to facilitate the individual’s adaptation to their environment.

In fact, the individual/player finds himself to be an actor in a complex context and expressing himself on several levels, from training through to the match, in a specific place - the stadium -, exposed to the pressure of thousands of fans and media, both in a punctual manner (the match), and in a daily sense, through the newspapers, television and last but not least, social media.

There, the importance of a player calmly expressing his abilities becomes fundamental not only to the individual expression of the individual/player, but also to for the his relationship with the work/family/team group and with the external environment.

Each one of these levels of expression presents potential difficulties that will contribute to the player’s self-inhibition, through a limited or conditioned use of the ball— once again — not only as a basic work instrument, but as a multiplicative revealer of the psychological-mental potential on which to intervene in order to ultimately facilitate the creation of a virtuoso team spirit that would allow them to reach their objectives.

The accomplishment of an objective should be approached as a thrilling challenge, inevitably accompanied by a dose of intense stress but as a vital element in the individual’s adaptation and survival mechanism.

Stress and its management become almost an initial indicator of the individual/player’s personality and their ability to keep within a supportable limit so that it won’t interfere with decision-making, emotional, cognitive and behavioral processes.

In a football player, the first element of stress derives from ball mastery through which he aspires to integrate a team, carving out a relational technical space with his teammates, with the primordial intent to not only express himself, but also to experiment in the creative aspect of the game, potentially committing mistakes that are not subject to excessive criticism and as always with the intent to completing the path that leads to victory.

In this context, the stress linked to a technical inability to master the ball, comes from a sensation of limitation perceived as threatening, due to an environmental demand and registered as excessive compared to the perception of one’s own abilities to cope with it.

In practical terms, the mechanism is revealed, for example, in isolating a player in training or — with more devastating consequences — in game.

Not only through the player’s, who does not display the necessary personality (mental and technical) in relation to the team, lack of involvement with the team and to its ultimate goal of victory; but also in the act of “hiding” denying the teammate’s availability in areas of the field and in phases of the game that generate greater situations of difficulty and thus stress.

In this sense, it is interesting to note, during a broadcast on social media with former champion Didier Drogba, his experience at Chelsea where he found himself compared to teammates who were less technically gifted and therefore — in his anecdote — considered inferior but above all, unreliable, as well as being the target of veiled mockery when in their presence, but more direct and ferocious in mini-group chats with teammates.

Thus returning to the need to identify the solution to the problem, it would be ambivalent to consider, for example, the theory of the sociologist Aaron Antonovsky, who found that stressful events are faced on the one hand by characteristic resources of personality and on the other, by specific environmental elements such as the network of supportive social relationships.

The bonds between teammates are therefore extensive for it is with them that difficult moments are confronted.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Coming back to the indispensable ability to manage stress, induced by internal and external stimuli, it is necessary to reinforce the principles of coping and resilience.

The first principle, coping, is considered, in psychology, as a process that brings to the forefront, individual resources through actions and emotions known to essentially reduce the risk of harmful consequences that could result from a stressful situation, and contain negative emotional reactions, as evidenced by Francesco Riccardo in Educazione allo Sviluppo del Potenzialle Personale (in Education in Personal Potential Development) (and Calzetti Mariucci).

On the other hand, resilience, according to the terms used by psychologist Edith Grotberg, is the human capacity to face life’s challenges, overcome them and to emerge strengthened and transformed.

To summarize, resilience also includes the ability to use experience borne from difficult situations to build the future.

However, this intrinsic capacity must be brought out, cultivated and developed in the player through the fundamental instrument of work, the ball, creating habits, reinforcing its natural and spontaneous use for the purposes of personal and collective improvement, until training, thus allowing the development of mutual trust between the individual and the group, promoting shared harmony and respect for choices and objectives, reducing the possibility of conflicts arising that could compromise the team bond, the performance and therefore, the result.

In this sense, over the course of experiences as a footballer, I have found that in Spain, for example, there is not intrinsically more quality among the players but instead a working objective to instill more confidence in players with the ball, as a primordial expression of their football profession.

Going back to my time in Brazil, I can confirm that the footballer’s job, in training, could not be separated from the ball, as this is considered a natural method of expression for the player.

As opposed to preparatory situations linked to an exasperated use of the tactical component that could have beneficial effects on the squad’s predispositions in occupying space in relation to the different phases of the game, but with the risk of depriving the player of the personal relational habits with the ball, potentially “only touched” a few times during an entire session.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Instead, the ball comes into play as a means to develop the emotional intelligence of the player, who is at the center of the relationship that constitute the essence of team spirit, through the diversity of the individuals.

In fact, emotional intelligence favors communicative exchanges, the ability to resolve problems, stimulating the individual and collective constructer process.

It is true that only once one is aware of their own personal competences, are they able to master the social aspect, understood to be the capacity to manage relationships with others, through empathy and the social skills that foster collaborative links, forming around the basis of consent and support.

Also in this thought by Riccardo, the parallel with the indispensability of serene ball use emerges from arrogance, given that the main purpose of emotional intelligence is to help make optional decisions, completely conscious of the rational and emotional level, to positively incorporate others in a achievement of a shared objective.

Yet again Riccardo underlines how within groups, each member should be aware of themselves, because awareness is the starting point of any change.

Self-awareness also cultivates the team scope when the coach, in order to meet the players’ need for satisfaction, according to studies by Tammy Horne and Albert Carron, organizes behavior and exercises allowing the players to improve their individual abilities and involves the commitment of all the players.

In a work group, collective satisfaction is obtained when individuals manage to find and impose their own technical identity within the group. Therefore personal motivation, social cohesion and inter-group collaboration, thinking in terming of “We”, limiting the issues of rivalry, detrimental for morale and results.

Through the tactical knowledge connected to it, the ball as a tool becomes principal expression of competence by a single player, where competence means the ability linked to knowledge and experience acquired in a specific field of activity : i.e. knowledge and know-how.

Therefore in professional fields, the ability to provide effective services (or performances) is the best expression of competence which we can also understand as the dexterity and skill in using one's knowledge in an intentional and effective manner in the production and problem-solving areas.

Thus the ball becomes, in my opinion, the expression of a team’s competence in the play they produce, depending on the chosen tactical values but also on the opposition.

Through the expression of football competence with the ball, we do not limit ourselves to the Mastery of execution, understood to be the technical ability to control the ball. The reasoning is expanded to a certain representation of the structure and criteria of this competence, as a potential element of expression of a global and collective idea of team play/teamwork.

Therefore it becomes an essential pillar linked to the ability to master complex situations that specifically occur in every game.

AWARENESS AND EMPATHY

Without ever losing sight of the need to contribute to the personal development of the player/individual, helping them confront, with confidence and greater certainty, the stressful moment due to an unnatural relationship with the ball that limits their own possibility to express themselves on the field, is a matter of self-awareness.

A concept that allows us to predict how to confront, with greater preparation, the various situations that life/the game holds, adopting behaviors and attitudes useful for their objectives and also exhibiting skills and abilities that produce behavioral flexibility and versatility, individually and collectively.

Higher emotional control is achieved through self-awareness, taking it from a detrimental intensity to a stable level, thus transforming it into something pleasant that facilitates a state of serenity, indispensable to mastery of self, the tool of expression represented by the ball, and the player’s role within the community to which they belong, the team.

Awareness therefore also leads to an easier stress management, which has been attributed to the player’s lack of mastery of the expressive tool, the ball.

Having identified this lack of technical ball mastery as a potential origin of stress, it should, however, be remembered that the solution also involves the possibility of effectively communicating, both verbally and nonverbally, this discomfort.

Therefore we should not underestimate the impact of empathy, understood to be the ability to put oneself in the other person’s shoes, thus perceiving their emotions and thoughts.

The lack of technical ball mastery risks multiplying the obstacles to healthy communication, useful not only to the individual to feel part of the group, but also to avoid creating other forms of censorships.

Censorship in this case as a lack of willingness on the part of the teammates to include the player considered to be less technically-gifted, which then exposes the entire team to more stressful situations through the player’s lack of personality and lack awareness of his ability.

In addition to the threats posed by the opposition’s similar ease in identifying the weak point and putting into practice a strategy to exploit this.

So, in practical terms, the lack of empathy can facilitate the censorship spontaneity of circulation of the ball between players.

As a result, the indispensable glue of team solidarity which makes it possible to face obstacles with a “we” mentality deteriorates, or in any case, denies any possible larger resolution, reducing the number of possible solutions with the exclusion of the teammate considered less adept.

Failure to demonstrate technical ball mastery can induce the player to use the mechanism of empathy, while the rest of the team avoids it, if by empathy we mean the capacity to put oneself in the reality of another to understand their point of view, thoughts, feelings, emotions and pathos.

In practice, the principle of sharing, on which the concept of team solidarity is built, of belonging to the group with all of its tactical but also emotional implications, is blocked.

The consequences can be potentially detrimental because they could directly undermine the balance in the group, provoking a negative spiral in the mutual attitudes of the individuals.

With the more gifted elements not only tending to easily isolate the less gifted, they also limit their own work because by right the more physical roles belong to the less technical players.

It’s the typical case of the highly technical forward who refuses to do any defensive work, considering it to be a task belonging to those teammates who do not have sufficient technical ability and thus must at least compensate by doing the dirty work.

It is an attitude that irredeemably/irreparably contributes to the unraveling of the team’s relational fabric, motivating the insecure, less technically gifted players, to renounce themselves not only from the possession phase but also from the more vigorous nature of teamwork, precisely because they are rejected by the others or at least because they are no longer willing to be considered a lower rung within the hierarchy of the team.

This initiates a process of deterioration of the individual and collective options, limiting the identification of opponents’ flaws and the prospects of the game, with an additional risk of being further destabilized by the opposition’s attitude if they are able to grasp and exploit the weakening of the team’s collective strength.

CRITICAL THINKING AND CREATIVE THINKING

Hence the importance of the concept of critical thinking, according to Galimberti’s definition, understood as the ability to examine a situation and assume a personal position on the subject, which explains how this capacity constitutes the foundation of a responsible attitude towards experiences and an autonomous respect towards environmental conditioning.

It thus becomes even more essential this need to insist on the willingness to attribute technical mastery of the ball to the player, to facilitate the freedom attributable not only to critical thinking, but also to the ability to find solutions through creative thinking.

By creative thinking we mean the ability present since childhood to think of alternative solutions to difficult situations, by “blowing up” behavioral patterns that act as a brake. This is similar to, as stated in this paper, the doubt caused by technical limit, perceived by the player when in possession of the ball.

Creative thinking is linked to the principle of sharing and the exchange of ideas, concepts indispensable to teamwork. As Albert Einstein said, if logic takes you from point A to point B, imagination takes you everywhere.

Therefore combating self-censorship, the personal limitation induced by one’s own technical limitations of the mastery of the work instrument that represents the ball, inexhaustible and infinitely precious psychological-mental resources are guaranteed for the player and the coach who than thus count on individuals capable of making decisions directly on the field, without succumbing to the fear of losing the ball, therefore losing it for the team, and consequently losing credibility in the eyes of teammates and, last but not least, in the eyes of the opponent.

In this regard, if the stress becomes too intense and unmanageable, the probability of the individual/player renouncing the decision making process, or deciding to postpone it from time to time, rises, weakening the fabric of the game. On the pitch this translates precisely into the problem of not making oneself available to teammates during the construction phase of play, censoring oneself, excluding oneself.

The problem of the inability to make a decision arises, according to the terms defined by the psychologist Gaetano Kanizsa, also taken up by Riccardo, when an individual motivated to reach an objective cannot do so automatically or mechanically nor by instinct or learned behavior.

In this sense, training ball mastery develops not just the skills with the goal of resolving problems in preparation for the match and then on the field, but also critical thinking, creative thinking and the management of the emotional aspect in regards to dealing with teammates, the environment and the opponent.

In fact, the focus of technical training induces a phenomena of “debridage”, of unbridling, also typical to the process of brainstorming, which in the training of creative thinking allows the individual to identify a significant number of solutions for each problem.

Knowing that in general when one has only a single possible solution, we feel caged ; conflict emerges when there are two possible alternatives; while with three alternatives we, in fact, feel free.

The same can be true on the pitch, where conditions are not only tactical but also psycho-mental suitable for players to elaborate and face choices with indispensable security, spontaneity and certainty in themselves in regards to the ball and their teammates, with whom they interact and feel protected around and in regards to the adversary on the field and the environment which in turns puts the players under pressure.

This last aspect is a paradigm that can however have a beneficial effect not only on the player who is technically limited but also for those players who are highly technical, who can express their skills with more freedom, putting them to the service of the team for whom they feel supports and protects them. This is also thanks to the fact that the players have given their trust to their less technical teammates, motivating and reinforcing their role in the team, through commitment and growth in technical mastery, nourished by mutual empathy also cultivated in training.

One goes easily from a team with few protagonists to a team with many, according to one’s own attitude and skills put to the service of the collective. Where star players contribute to the strength of team because they receive the advantage of not just playing for the team, but also a personal advantage, that of being able to express their talent and collect deserved awards.

And if for example, even the star players strive to recover the ball, it will automatically reinforce the team’s collective ability to recover the ball. This is still true even when the ball is lost by the less technical players who are surrounded by the comforting collective compensation of their limits.

By reinforcing the subject’s/player’s personality, their creative and communicative capacities increase, because by nurturing their technical mastery of the ball, mental well-being is promoted which in turn increases the motivation for self-care and the care of others.

SELF-EFFICACY

Through this virtuous process, nourished by a careful maturation of individual technical skills, we have the awareness of self-efficacy, defined by Canadian psychologist Albert Bandura as the self belief in one’s ability to organize and perform sequences of action needed to produce certain results. From this comes the confidence to effectively confront every test, feeling up to the task, with specific tasks, bringing motivation, personal resource and action into play.

The parallel between the player’s on-pitch role is clear when considering that if the individual considers that the result of their performance can vary depending on their direct commitment, they will have higher expectations to successfully reach the set goal ; the player will also be convinced that the result can be repeated in the future, consolidating the perseverance in overcoming difficulties that may arise when executing a task.

Without underestimating that— according to the approaches of Schunk and Zimmerman cited by Riccardo— the mastery and presence of models of effective individuals who positively face challenges stimulates the learning of new abilities and strategies in others.

Thus hence the experience of observing technically average teammates, in a virtuous collective context fueled by highly skilled technical elements willing to contribute to a common objective without prejudice, elevated with the passage of months and training the level of ball mastery. This leads to a constantly more essential contribution to the expressive possibility of the team on the pitch.

Therefore the anxious moments become potential challenges, stimulating and positive, helping to acquire more motor and thus technical skills and in summary, reinforcing the collective awareness of the team’s strength.

Ricardo still recalls, in the already cited book, how in sporting environments, the most self-assured athletes, confident in their effectiveness, demonstrate an elevated level of concentration, particularly through the control of intrusive thoughts and an adequate management of stress factors, being more accepting of the risks of competition and showing themselves to be ready to face the inevitable moments of crisis.

Psychologists Jessica Militello and Patrizia Steca underline how the feeling of self-efficacy is essential in both the training phase, promoting a high level of improvement and refinement, and in the competition phase, by optimizing decisions, elevating effort, execution and orchestration in various activities. Without forgetting that the conviction to improve increases the intrinsic satisfaction of a performance, making it interesting.

A further step is taken, again through the use and appropriation of ball mastery, strengthens motivation, understood to be the activating force, directing behavior towards specific goals, supporting the effort required to reach them, acquiring and managing external and environmental stimuli.

This is a motivation understood as intrinsic it allows the individual to perform an activity because it is stimulating, a source of pleasure and it provides satisfaction through feeling more and more competent, independent of the typical external stimuli of extrinsic motivation. Therefore he is able to assume the appropriate behavior without being discouraged by the difficulties of the activity.

Consequently, adversity becomes part of a whole, to be managed— according to the AA.VV.’s 1983 Expectations-Value model— precisely as a component of the a game, waiting for the right moment to display one’s potential and skills. The athlete therefore reaches a point where they give their best in the balanced pursuit of their own limits, finding an incentive to improve and feeding the team’s virtuosity. The player then arrives at a state of adhesion not only to their own ability, but also to the integration into the context in which they express themselves.

In an ideal model, where the global harmony is established at team level, the individual/player can converge towards a state of flow, understood as a mental condition in which athletes find themselves so immersed in their performance that they experience a moment of serenity and concentration, of total absorption. A sort of trance that can translate to physical activity and consciousness, in maximum concentration, an essential ingredient for excellence in performance.

Pelé himself, Riccardo recalls, described his flow as a “calm strain, euphoric with the feeling of being able to run all day without tiring, dribbling anyone, almost physically outmatching the opposing team.”

Without wanting to try to make any player into a potential Pelé, it must however be emphasized that all the components so far described in their psychological significance, in reality, find a common driving thread in their expression of the concept of technical mastery of their professional/affective tool, the ball.

In fact, for each stage, the confirmation of the appropriate and serene use of the ball favors and consolidates the psychological-mental aspects that contribute to the maturing of the football athlete.

Lastly but significantly, it becomes evident that a single footballer’s technical and psychological maturity contributes to the development of the collective intelligence that drives a team, without the natural hierarchies imposed by the personalities and skills of the individuals harming the life (harmony) of the group/family to achieve the common objective, represented as victory.

STRENGTH AND OPPOSITION

This global expression of personality and of the consolidated skills of a team has a direct impact not only on the team’s performance, but also as a sum of reciprocal wholeness of the individuals, obviously orchestrated in prearranged philosophy of game and tactics; but it also impacts the opposition that finds itself facing a collective and united block, ready for a collective sacrifice against the opposition, with a shared and multifaceted paradigm that enhances individual skills brought together in order to achieve the objective for which everyone takes the field.

Consequently, by cultivating the touch of the ball, understood as a basic element, as an initial affectionate gesture of childhood, as a spontaneous sign of sentiment and pleasure, a nature relationship with the ball develops, one that leads to the development and strengthening of mental and technical resources, in order to contribute to the deployment of the expressive capacity of the individual and that of the strength of a team that not only facilitates the resolution of the moment adversity is faced in the game but also will inhibit the opposition team who are forced to face a further hostile variable.

Thanks to the habit of the individual in the natural and serene use of the ball, this contributes to the formation of a dissuasive global team effect in confrontations with the opposition, forced to adapt their game to include an additional risk of danger, not only induced by the difficulty of contending for the objective with the opposition group, but also by each single element that benefits from technical, physical and mental coverage of the rest of the team to which they belong.

This paradigm that I will define as the adversary’s collective inhibition contributes to the transfer of the an additional stress factor to the opposition due to the difficulty of including in their own game a risk of suffering from (imposed by) their opponents, which implies more consumption of precious mental and, indirectly, physical energy.

More concretely, a team that finds itself facing a group that is unified, harmonious and polyvalent in different skills compensated by a mentality of sharing the skills of each, beyond the individual limits and the common goal, will be induced to assume a mentality at lest cautious even in the simple work of pressing and recovering the ball, fearing to expose themselves to the complete and reactive force of the opposition.

A force expressed not only but the more specifically technical individuals but also by those who are less gifted but thanks to daily improvement from specific ball mastery training, contribute to the completion of the group’s potential.

Reinforcing the overall awareness, the capacity to handle stress, to confront the phases of the game with more confidence and courage, thanks to a conscience and a deeper knowledge of one’s own means, individually and collectively, in a positive spirit that frees up, multiplies, the creative resources and the freedom to act on the field, facilitating the conviction of being able to successfully attain the predetermined goal. However, it all begins with the first touch of the ball, the foundational element of the game and the first intimate moment of judgement of the value of a football player.

Technical Analysis

The concepts expressed the preceding chapter, “a unified, harmonious group with polyvalent skills,” are born from my personal footballing experience but also from observing various tactical phases in the games I studied and observed.

The Leeds United Case

Observing, for example, the style of play Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United, I identified elements of “collective technique” trust present in each individual player, participating actively in each phase of play.

To better explain the concept collective “technical confidence” let’s take into consideration an action by Leeds United in the construction phase in the opponent’s half of the field: often we the central defender, Stuart Dallas (sic), horizontally supporting the wide midfielder, Jack Harrison, pulling the opposition pressing towards them in order to obtain advantageous space behind the line of pressing.

Having obtained this effect, or tactical advantage, it is very interesting to note how the central defender remains available to the teammate in possession either by 1) offering an option himself in the created space or 2) requesting the ball, to then replay it on a vertical diagonal, always looking to use the advantage of the created space following the pressing, towards the other midfielder on the opposite side.

I take as an example this typical action, among the multitude of Marcelo Bielsa’s tactical baggage, to demonstrate certain points I find important:

The most evident one in regards to the awareness of all the elements necessary for the team to be useful tactical protagonists in the development of the game, determined by self-confidence in possession of the ball; to be able to create passing lanes or show themselves in open spaces in all elements, in my opinion, is only thanks to a conscious and natural rapport with the game’s instrument, the ball

That possession of the ball should not be confused with a sterile, and thus useless, series of horizontal passes, but instead it should be preparatory to a verticality that is as efficient and quick as possible. It is often confused— it is not my place to say if it is wrong or right— the concept of possession of the ball with a style of playing through across horizontal lines; this example from Bielsa’s game— among the many evoking the Argentine coach— allows the explanation of how the theoretical concept of possession must absolutely precede vertical transition in the shortest possible time.

Emphasizing the speed I mentioned above, it is fundamental to develop to the maximum, together with the development or the improvement of one’s technical skills, even peak physical form, precisely to allow the team to maximize the advantage of the spaces achieved thanks to the possession of the ball.

I also find it interesting to describe the concept of freedom of choice made in this case by central defender Stuart Dallas in the very moment in which he opts for movement, with or without the ball, in the space created behind the lines of the opposition’s pressing, or in remaining in wait offering a specific passing lane. I believe that these mechanisms, that obviously come from tactical indications provided by the coach, achieve their highest effectiveness thanks only to the players’ conscious application and that this derives not only from their knowledge of tactical strategies, but also from their natural and, where necessary, improved relationship with the tool of the game, the ball.

The Germany 2014 Case

In regard to the other phases of the game, specifically in the out-of-possession phases, the movements of the German national team, coached by Joachim Low, during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2016 Euros in France are very interesting.

It is evident that in their tactical organization the principle of “thinking of attacking while defending and thinking of defending while attacking.” In fact, at the 2016 Euros in the game against Italy , I was very impressed by the difference between the two teams in ball recoveries in the opposition halve: 5 for the Italian squad, 22 for the German.

The German players, when they lost the ball, positioned themselves at a maximum distance of 5-10 meters from their opponent, ready to press immediately, thus instantly complicating Italy’s out ball.

These are elements that reside in Jurgen Klopp’s tactical philosophy, in the non-possession phase, when he himself says: “Counterpressing is one of the best plays, the best moment to win possession of the ball is when you have just lost it and the opponent is still in the phase of orientating passing lines, forcing them to spend useless energy in trying to keep the ball in vain.”

A concept that translates to high pressing, with the focal point always being the ball, with two players in the center of the pitch to maintain the essential balance.

There were moments in the game where the German defensive line was no more than 10 meters from the Italian penalty area, with the intention of suffocating Italy’s build-up play.

It remains evident that if the counterpoising is not implemented quickly, or the central area of the pitch is not immediately covered, the possible lethality of the opposition’s counter attack is greater, thus making it easier to keep possession of the ball. In the 2014 World Cup, the pressing carried out by Germany was even more obvious, as evidenced in the game against Brazil where the two fullbacks, Howedes and Lahm, and the three central midfielders— Khedira, Schweinsteiger and Kroos— were constantly in the opposition half in support of the pressing implemented by the attacking line of Oil, Klose, Muller.

Also, in this case it is worth noting the constant advanced position of the central midfielders in order to impede Brazil’s easy build-up play but especially to recover the ball as quickly as possible.

Among so many potentially useful examples, I chose the examples of these two teams, Marcelo Biela’s Leeds and Joachim Low’s Germany, to reiterate the following concepts in which I strongly believe:

To play dominant football, one must not be afraid of the ball

To play attacking football, one must want and obtain the possession of the ball

The defensive phase must be oriented towards recovering the ball as quickly as possible

It is evident from the analysis that the ball is always the focal point of my attention, since I believe that the team positions itself coherently and homogeneously in relation to the ball, not only automatically reducing the tactical options of the opposition team but, above all, increasing the tactical and physical effectiveness of the team itself.

Having made it this far, I wanted to highlight the primordial value of the ball, from sentimental and emotional incipit linked to the pure recreational concept of child’s play, from which grows the ambition to make a professional life out of it; therefore deepening the influence of the indispensable mastery, from a mental and psychological point of view, individually and collectively, to allow the transfer of the virtuous effect to the competitive level, as a professional tool; to thus examine the technical exercises that, in my opinion, through daily practice is the best match preparation, understood in its turn as a moment of catharsis because the culmination of the ultimate satisfaction of taking to the field, as a recognized member of a group focused on the conquest of the objective of winning.

Regardless of the type of exercise adopted by each coach, I still would like to highlight how particularly advantageous it is to reproduce potential match situations in training, using an equivalent number of players for each phase of the game: from defensive release to build-up, up to the finishing phase, without neglecting the processes of recovery and relaunching. But in any case and as always, in the presence of the tool of the profession: the ball.

Only in this way is it possible for a player to complete themselves, through the constant presence of the ball, and to feel not only at ease from a technical point of view, but prepared from a tactical point of view, in a collective context that values the personal qualities that they were able to develop during the week, through a constant “dialogue” with their teammates.

A “dialogue” that takes place in the context most similar to the real moment of collective expression, through the shared universal language: the ball.

If we like, the more this common language is practiced and cultivated, the more luxuriant the dialectical exchange becomes, and the final engaging recital, fully exploiting the talent of each component that happens precisely during the “momentum” in the game, intended as a collective expression.

Reproducing the different potential action perspective also allows one to link the different types of exercises in each training session. In my opinion, this variety is also indispensable in order to get out of the routine of daily work which can lead to a plateau in training and could compromise the virtuous balance needed for the centrality of the use of the ball.

Escaping the repetitiveness of everyday workin life contributes to enriching a climate of curiosity and enthusiasm essential not only from an individual point of view, but also for team spirit which is then comforted in turn by the reassuring effect of knowing how to deal with what has been experienced, virtuously and creatively, but still pragmatically, in training.

In the cases where the ball is the central point, precisely to develop and consolidate individual characteristics, while simultaneously facilitating the collective amalgamation.

To summarize, even in training, the ball is transformed into a common thread that has the multiple effect of facilitating the reproduction of the most realistic patterns that will be later applied in-game, acting, in turn, as an intermediary throughout the different phases of the game, but also between the different groups in the team, as well as between individual players.

All this by nurturing an anti-routine approach that allows the de-fusion of the risks linked to the repetitiveness of the action that inevitably leads to drops in concentration and in the quality of the work produced.

Therefore a coach cannot ignore an organic approach, since his team is organic in its complexity, understood as a harmonious complex of individuality that works daily to grow together on the field.

The fact remains that the intrinsic victory of each coach, beyond the result that comes from it, lies in being able to create a context daily work that allows each player to be at ease, while increasing their technical capacity, making them an indispensable element of the group, in turn reassured by the consolidation of the team spirit that compensates for its limits, improving the skills, in order to finally be able to deploy the best elements available.

Such virtuous movement is obtained by choosing to impose the constant presence of the only element that carries an emotional charge that blossoms and flourishes from playful childhood activity, to spread luxuriantly, up to the highest level of competition.

A game instrument that then becomes the career of any professional player.

And this one universal element that— according to the outline I wished to illustrate in this thesis— crosses the temporal dimension, from childhood to adulthood, thus developing the sentimental sphere in multiple psychological and mental effects, organically incentivizing individual and collective technical work, in order to also counteract the daily repetitiveness, is the ball.

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Collin morikawa opens up on his struggles, a coaching change and contending at the masters, share this article.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Collin Morikawa thanked the locker-room attendant at Augusta National as he packed up his belongings Sunday night.

As he stuffed dirty shirts into his bag, Morikawa, who shot a final-round 2-over 74 and finished T-3 at 4-under 284 in a tie with Max Homa and Tommy Fleetwood, paused to talk about his struggles on the course, firing his swing coach and nearly winning the third leg of the career Grand Slam after a hitting a new low last week.

“I’m in a transition,” Morikawa told Golfweek when asked who he’s working with now. Morikawa confirmed that he parted ways with Mark Blackburn, who he’d hired after last year’s Ryder Cup. Under his tutelage, Morikawa won the Zozo Championship in October but he’s hit a lull of late.

“When I went to Mark and Mark is amazing, one of the most knowledgeable people in the golf world I’ve ever met, I learned a lot but I figured out quickly that for me it’s not really knowing more, it’s remembering who I was,” he explained. “I just had to take a step back and start from the basics again. It worked out (for 62 holes).”

Collin Morikawa on the No. 7 green during the final round of the 2024 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network)

Morikawa said he’s talked by phone with former coach Rick Sessinghaus a few times, but hasn’t formalized whether they will work together again just yet.

“I’ve seen the top of the top and I know it’s still there,” said Morikawa, who won the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 British Open. He reached No. 2 in the world but entered the Masters at No. 20. (He vaulted to No. 13 after the Masters).

Morikawa shared the lead at 7 under after making birdie at No. 8 on Sunday, but he made double at the ninth and Scheffler made birdie and he headed to the second nine trailing by three.

“Greed got the best of me,” he said in his post-round news conference. “Nine, can’t miss it over there and can’t leave it in the bunker. 11, just tried to hit too perfect of a shot. It’s not like at that point I was trying to press. I knew where I stood. Yeah, just can’t do that. In the past I haven’t done it, but kind of where the game’s at.”

A few things I’ve learned from this week. 1. Don’t hit it in the water on 11, duh 2. Get better at tee flips so I’m always going second — Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) April 15, 2024

Morikawa’s game has been in a bad spot. He’s looked lost and spoke on Saturday after his round about hitting the ball aimlessly. He entered the Masters having missed the cut with an 80 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and finishing back of the pack at the Valero Texas Open.

“I used to walk by a bunch of players on the range and wonder why they hit so many balls. That’s pretty much become me,” Morikawa said. “JJ [Jakovac, his caddie] asked me last week at the Valero (Texas Open) if I’ve ever hit the ball that bad, and I never have in my life. I can’t think of one moment in my life since I started golf. Last week was truly, I thought I’ve seen lows but from a ballstriking standpoint that was a new low for me.”

Morikawa recounted on Saturday how he and Jakovac found something on the range Monday. Asked to disclose what exactly he found, he declined. But he said he would take a lot of positives from the Masters.

“I saw a lot of good shots this week. It’s close,” he said. “To be able to contend with what I had last week? Absolutely I can take some positives.”

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Steve Clifford ends Hornets coaching tenure as winningest coach in franchise history

The Associated Press

April 14, 2024, 5:40 PM

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Steve Clifford ended his Charlotte coaching tenure on Sunday as the winningest coach in franchise history.

Clifford expects to remain with the franchise as an advisor. He announced in early April this season would be his last, saying the grind of 82 games has become too much for him at 62 years old.

“I’m really proud of all of our guys, but tomorrow, for sure, I’ll reflect back on everything,” he said, breaking into a sly smile after his team beat the playoff-bound Cleveland Cavaliers 120-110. “And I am hopeful that the fingerprint reader still works and lets me in the building.”

Clifford has spent seven total seasons with the Hornets, including the past two, and is their leader in games coached (574) and wins (244).

Clifford’s next role has yet to be defined by new general manager Jeff Peterson, but he is eager to help Charlotte build off an injury-plagued season that saw it post the third-worst record in the East at 21-61.

“I’m going to think about this win a little bit, but I’m going to move on quickly because I’m excited about this next opportunity,” Clifford said. “I’m going to learn a lot and, hopefully, I can contribute.”

Rookie guard Nick Smith Jr. was pleased the Hornets sent Clifford off with a victory, ending the game on an 18-2 run over the fourth-seeded Cavaliers.

“Even though it was the last game, coach wanted us to keep playing hard,” Smith said. “I ain’t gonna lie, I’m happy as hell because we came out and played hard and got the W.”

Charlotte will build around forward Brandon Miller, the second-leading scorer among rookies at 17.3 per game, and hopes to have former All-Star guard LaMelo Ball healthy for training camp. Ball was limited to 22 games because of right ankle tendinopathy.

The Hornets also own their first-round pick and are in the May 12 draft lottery.

“The whole thing depends on the summer because you want to have development with these young players, and also through the roster,” Clifford said. “There were key, key guys that didn’t play a lot of games this year, so their offseason is big, as well.”

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Tiger Woods Sets Masters Cut Record, Plans on Giving Fred Couples the Needle

• Author: Bob Harig

In this story:

AUGUSTA, Ga. — He would never say he is satisfied with simply making the 36-hole cut in a golf tournament. But Tiger Woods did concede just briefly Friday afternoon that doing so at the Masters will allow him a brief opportunity of glee.

“I think I will be able to as soon as I'm done with you guys text Freddy and give him a little needle,” said Woods while talking to reporters, referring to Fred Couples.

Woods played 23 holes on Friday after Thursday’s first round was delayed by weather and completed them in 2 over par, finishing the second round with an even-par score of 72.

His 36-hole total of 145, 1 over par, will easily make the 36-hole cut and give him a Masters record of 24, which dates to his first year as a pro in 1997. He was tied for the record with Gary Player and Couples.

Tiger Woods waves to the patrons during his second-round 72.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Network

Given his lack of play this year and the physical limitations due to issues with his lower right leg and back, it is an impressive accomplishment. Woods entered just two tournaments since making the cut and withdrawing from last year’s Masters and then having ankle surgery.

He finished 18th in a 20-man field in the Bahamas in December at the Hero World Challenge and then withdrew after just six holes of the second round of the Genesis Invitational in February due to illness.

When he didn’t enter the Players Championship last month, there was concern about the 15-time major champion’s readiness for this week.

Typically, making the cut for Woods was all about how it impacts the tournament.

“It means I have a chance going into the weekend. I'm here,” Woods said. “I have a chance to win the golf tournament. I don't know if they're all going to finish today, but I'm done. I got my two rounds in. Just need some food and some caffeine, and I'll be good to go.”

Woods didn’t look so good to go when play began at 7:50 a.m. Friday with the resumption of the first round. Although Woods pumped a drive into the 14th fairway, he missed the green short with a wedge and failed to get up and down.

The conditions were cold and windy, making it more challenging. His approach to the 15th missed the green, from where he nearly holed the chip shot before missing birdie putts at the 16th and 17th. He found a greenside bunker at the 18th and couldn’t save par, finishing the first round with a 73.

Woods was up and down across the first nine of the second round, following a birdie at the 3rd with bogeys at the 4th and 5th, then a birdie at the 8hth. He made nice a par save at the 11th, missed the green in the wrong spot at the 14th leading to another bogey, and then birdied the 15th after hitting the green in two.

He parred the remaining three holes, including a nice up and down from 30 yards at the 18th.

“Yeah, I'm tired,” Woods, 48, said when asked about the physical challenge. “I've been out for a while, competing, grinding. It's been a long 23 holes, a long day.

“But (caddie) Lance (Bennett) and I really did some good fighting today, and we've got a chance.”

Count Max Homa as impressed after playing alongside Woods.

“It was awesome,'' Homa said. "It really is a dream to get to play with him here. I've been saying, I always wanted to just watch him hit iron shots around here, and I was right up next to him. It was really cool. His short game was so good. I don't think I can explain how good some of the chip shots he hit today were.

“He's special. We had a really quick turnaround, and if I was feeling tired and awful, I imagine he was feeling even worse. So all the cliches you hear about him and all the old stories about how he will grind it out, it was fun to see that in person.''

Woods is heading to the weekend in a tie for 22nd, seven shots back of the 6-under lead shared by Bryson DeChambeau, Max Homa and Scottie Scheffler.

“I'm right there,” Woods said. “I'm only eight back as of right now. I don't think anyone is going to run off and hide right now, but it's really bunched. The way the ball is moving on the greens, chip shots are being blown, it's all you want in a golf course today.”

DeChambeau began the day at 7 under par and got to 8 under with a birdie at the 13th. Only Max Homa, who finished at 6 under par, and Scottie Scheffler managed to get to 7 under for the tournament.

Woods, 48, first played the Masters as a 19-year-old in 1995, when he was low amateur. He missed the cut in 1996 and turned pro later that year. The following year, in his first Masters as a pro, he won by 12 shots and went on to win the tournament of total of five times, including in 2019.

He missed the Masters in 2014 due to back surgery and again in 2016 and 2017. He missed the 2021 event following a car crash that has seen him making just eight worldwide starts since that time.

“I've always loved playing here,” Woods said. “I've been able to play here since I was 19 years old. It's one of the honors I don't take lightly, being able to compete. The years I have missed, I wish I was able to play because there's such an aura and mystique about playing this golf course that I don't think that—unless you have played and competed here, you probably don't really appreciate.”

Woods holds the PGA Tour record for consecutive cuts made at 142, a streak that went from 1998 to 2005. He broke the record of 113 held by Byron Nelson. Jack Nicklaus once made 105 cuts in a row. No player in Woods’s era has gotten halfway to his record.

He has also missed just 23 cuts overall worldwide in 27 years as a pro.

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