In The Technical Area with Steve Allen

Steven is the current Women’s Goalkeeper Coach at Nepean FC. 

When did you first start coaching and why?

I first started around 7 years ago taking up SAP and Youth league goalkeeping coaching at the club I finished playing out of , we saw the club had a need in the younger age groups to provide a more supportive holistic goalkeeping service in house rather than outsourcing the coaching out of the club.

It was time for the new challenge and pushing myself as a coach and when the opportunity arise at Nepean I took it with both hands an the timing couldn’t of been any better with my first daughter on the way, what a great new experience!

What do you think are the 3 main characteristics of a successful coach?

Confidence; Empathy and understanding; and communication.

How do you keep developing yourself as a coach to be the best you can be for your players?

Networking with other coaches and self-evaluation and reflection are very important. I also value the concept of trial and error, every error is good as long as I learn from it and reflect how to be better for my players next time.

If you could turn back the clock, what advice would you now give to yourself when you first started coaching based on the experiences you have had?

Coaching is like playing we want to win every week and we want to get to the top as quickly as we can, my advice would be to slow down and take your time!