THE PLAYER THINKS FIRST
Whilst Scanning is THE topical subject in soccer today I began my journey teaching it in 1996.
1996 — Founded
14 soccer coaching books — including the 88 eBooks, Wayne is the most prolific author in the USA
88 eBooks
180 Videos — YouTube channel @soccerawareness
7 — Wayne was the technical academy director in charge of the program that produced National youth titles at various age groups at Al Ain, the top professional club in the UAE and former Asian Champions League winners — with 6 more as runners-up
RECOGNITION
José Mourinho responded to two of our books, Developing the Thinking Player and Coaching the 4-2-3-1. Inter Milan’s Marco Monte called Al Ain under Wayne the closest model to Europe’s best academies.
Educational Soccer Symposium professional Clinician for the NSCAA (Seven presentations including on the field and classroom clinics), World Class Coaching, Reed Swain, and many State organizations throughout the USA as well as in the UAE, Germany and Japan.
The Mourinho letter · Full bio
“We” matters to us: at Al Ain we had a team of great coaches helping, and Soccer Awareness has always been shared work — coaches helping coaches, so players learn to think for themselves.
THE COACH
PLAYER · COACH · AUTHOR
The man running the session: Wayne Harrison — former pro, UEFA A licensed coach and, per his bio, the most published author of soccer coaching books in the world.
Soccer Awareness is led by Wayne Harrison, former Blackpool FC professional and UEFA A licensed coach. Wayne was the technical academy director in charge of the program that produced National youth titles at various age groups at Al Ain, the top professional club in the UAE and former Asian Champions League winners — with 6 more as runners-up. Soccer Awareness is how we teach young players to scan, think and decide before the ball arrives.
Wayne Harrison in his playing days at Blackpool — in the tangerine shirt.
CREDENTIALS
UEFA A Licence (1996)
NSCAA Premier Diploma
BA Sports Psychology & Applied Physiology
Great Britain, World Student Games 1979
The Al Ain Academy was voted the Number One Professional Academy in the United Arab Emirates by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council Consultant Marco Monte of Inter Milan who described it as the closest model to the best European professional club academies using Wayne’s Soccer Awareness training model for the Thinking Player developed over many years and with his experienced professional youth team coaches.
Educational Soccer Symposium professional Clinician for the NSCAA (Seven presentations including on the field and classroom clinics), World Class Coaching, Reed Swain, and many State organizations throughout the USA as well as in the UAE, Germany and Japan.
As Eden Prairie HS varsity girls coach (2005–08): state champions in year one, made championship final games three times in four years before moving to Al Ain to pursue a professional career again in 2009.
Tonight’s Session
Four stations: arrival rondos, the condition game, scanning under pressure, free play. Every session trains the brain first.
One Touch Mentality
The thinking is done before the ball arrives. Scan, then think and decide, then set, then perform. One touch when it is the right choice — not always one touch. How we teach it: set a one-touch condition in rondos and small-sided games; train the scan first; build support off the ball; add pressure and shrink the space; remove the condition so players choose; coach with questions.
The Player Decides
Develop every player to the fullest by training the mind before the body. The coach guides; the player decides. Technique is the easy part. Space, time, movement and the decision come first — the ball is the last part.
The Method — Four Areas
Before — scan and prepare. 2. Receiving — one or two touches. 3. Keeping it — dribble, turn, run. 4. Off the ball — teammates move so the next pass exists. Flow: set a condition, players master it, remove it, players decide.
Continuum of Development — Eight Stages
1 Look and observe. 2 Communicate. 3 Positioning. 4 Control. 5 Technique. 6 Skill. 7 Mobility. 8 Transition. The factors: Psychological, Technical, Physical, Tactical, and The Skill Factor — decision making. The 10 decisions before the ball arrives: See — where the ball comes from, ground or air, teammates, opponents; Set — feet and body in position; Decide — what, where, when, how, why; then the end product, and move to support.
Core Training
One-touch mentality (foundation). Scanning (foundation). Rondos in every session. 3v3 and 4v4 games. 8v8 development. Best of Soccer Awareness sampler.
Career
Everton youth / Sheffield Wednesday 1973–1978
Blackpool FC Professional 1978–1983
Oulu Palloseura · Finland · Workington · Carlisle 1983–1989 — including player-coach
Soccer Awareness Founder 1996–now
Blackpool FC Academy director 1996–2000
Eden Prairie SC Director of coaching 2000–2009
Al Ain FC Technical Academy Director, in charge of the youth coaching program 2009–2011
Surf SC / San Diego / Chill SC director roles 2012–2020
Tonka United / North Star FC director roles 2020–now