#56 Why Kids Keep Making The Same Mistakes (It's NOT Skill)
From Shouting From The Sidelines by Luke Towning
January 21, 2026 · 44 min
About this episode
This episode explores why children make the same mistakes in matches despite knowing what to do, emphasizing the role of habits over skills.
Why do children keep making the same “mistakes” in matches even when they seem to know what to do in training? In this episode, we explore a common frustration for parents and grassroots coaches and explain why the answer is often not a lack of skill. During games, children aren’t consciously recalling instructions or techniques. Instead, they rely on habits - the behaviours and decisions they’ve repeated most often in their football experiences. That’s why: Players can look confident in training but freeze or play safe in matches The same mistakes keep showing up on game day Constant instructions from the sidelines rarely lead to better decisions We discuss: How decision-making in football is largely unconscious The difference between training performance and match behaviour Why habits matter more than instructions What parents and coaches can focus on to support better long-term development This episode is for: Parents trying to understand what they’re seeing on match days Grassroots coaches looking to improve decision-making without adding pressure Anyone interested in child development through sport Useful links Online resources for grassroots coaches: 👉…
People in this episode
Host: Luke Towning
Topics covered
- child development
- football coaching
- decision-making
- parenting
- grassroots sports
Keywords
- children mistakes
- football training
- match behavior
- decision-making
- grassroots coaching
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Online Football Courses, Foot Tech Academy
More episodes of Shouting From The Sidelines
- #60 7 in 10 Kids Quit Football Before They're 13 - Here's Why · May 11, 2026 · 34 min
- #59 Red Flags, Green Flags & The Truth About Kids' Football Coaching · April 20, 2026 · 1h 20m
- #58 We’ve Coached 1,000+ 1-to-1 Football Sessions…Here’s What We Learned · March 18, 2026 · 1h 2m
- #57 Accepting Where Your Child Is in Football (Why Pushing Too Soon Can Backfire) · February 26, 2026 · 31 min
- #55 Q&A - How much training? Mixed Teams? Behaviour Issues? · December 5, 2025 · 34 min
- #54 The Physical Side of Kids’ Football: What Parents Really Need to Know · November 24, 2025 · 31 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Shouting From The Sidelines podcast page.