Why Your Training Sessions Should Feel Uncomfortable (If You’re Doing It Right)

“If It Feels Easy, You’re Not Coaching for the Real Game”

Let’s start with a question : How do you feel walking off the pitch after a session?

If the answer is:

“That was smooth, the drills ran clean, barely any mistakes...”You might not be pushing your players enough.

Here’s a truth that can sting a little:

Comfort is the enemy of progress in grassroots football.

The Perfection Trap Most Coaches Fall Into

We’ve all been there. The session where:

• Players move fluidly between drills

• There’s barely a misplaced pass

• The parents are smiling on the sidelines

• And you’re thinking, “Nailed it.”

  
  

But what actually happened?

Were your players tested? Or just rehearsing? Did they make decisions under pressure? Or follow instructions? Did they solve problems? Or avoid them?

If every session feels tidy and “safe,” chances are your players aren’t learning how to adapt... they’re learning how to perform drills.

And here’s the kicker:

Football isn’t a drill. It’s a chaotic, ever-changing decision-making storm.

What Real Learning Looks (and Feels) Like

Development isn’t always visible on the surface. Often, it looks like:

• Players making poor choices

• Long stretches of silence

• Confusion during constraints

• Awkward pauses and restarts

• Messy small-sided games with constant breakdowns

  
  

That’s not failure. That’s the process of adaptation - the raw, uncomfortable space where learning lives.

Coaches often pull the plug too soon. They see a player struggling and jump in. They feel a session losing momentum and switch drills.

But if you push through the discomfort? That’s where the growth kicks in.

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The Silent Session Test: Can You Step Back?

Try this experiment:

Run a session without giving technical instructions during the drill. Just set constraints, step back, and observe.

You’ll probably feel:

• Useless

• Frustrated

• Tempted to shout corrections

• Worried about what others think

  
  

Good. That’s the feeling your players get when you’re not constantly solving problems for them. And they need to feel that, to build football intelligence that lasts.

You’re not stepping back because you’re lazy. You’re stepping back because you trust your players enough to struggle now and succeed later.

3 Signs Your Session Is Actually Working

Here’s how to know your session is pushing the right boundaries:

1. Players Are Asking Questions

Not just answering yours — asking their own:

• “Can I try something different next round?”

• “What if we switch sides quicker?”

• “Why do I keep getting caught in the middle?”

  
  

Curiosity is a by-product of challenge.

2. Leadership Starts to Emerge

In sessions designed around player problem-solving:

• Quieter players begin communicating

• Dominant voices start listening

• The group corrects itself without coach input

  
  

That’s a sign of learning autonomy and it only shows up under pressure.

3. The Game Transfer Is Obvious

When your players start applying session themes on match day without being told, that’s gold.

You’ll see them:

• Scan before receiving

• Adjust their spacing

• Communicate off the ball

• Recognise when to stay, move, or overload

  
  

Those decisions don’t come from perfectly executed drills. They come from struggling, adapting, and figuring things out mid-session.

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Designing for Discomfort: A Few Practical Tips

Let’s be clear: uncomfortable doesn’t mean chaotic for the sake of it.

Here’s how to structure smart discomfort into your sessions:

✅ Use Constraints, Not Commands

Example:

• Max 2 touches

• Goals only count from one-touch finishes

• One side can only use the wide channels

• These rules force players to think differently, without constant interruptions.

  
  

✅ Let the Drill Run Longer Than You Want

Give them space to fail, adjust, and evolve. Let the learning breathe before you intervene.

✅ Ask Questions That Don’t Have a Clear Answer

Instead of saying “You should’ve passed earlier,” try:

“What other option did you have there?” “How could you create more space in that moment?” This invites ownership and reflection, which lead to long-term understanding.

✅ Accept Silence

If no one’s shouting, organising, or solving problems, that’s a sign they’re still figuring it out. Don’t fill the silence. Let it grow into communication.

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Final Whistle: Growth Happens in the Gap Between Comfort and Chaos

The most effective sessions often look the worst, especially to an untrained eye.

They don’t go viral on Instagram. They don’t impress the parents watching from the sidelines. They don’t always feel satisfying in the moment.

But they build:

• Decision-makers

• Problem-solvers

• Confident players who can think for themselves

  
  

So next time your session feels messy, awkward, or a little bit out of control?

Don’t fix it. Embrace it. You might just be doing your best coaching yet.

If that’s the kind of coaching you believe in... the kind that prioritises real development over perfection... then you’re exactly who we built The Football Hub for. Our subscription gives you access to a growing library of purposeful, game-realistic sessions designed to challenge players, stretch their understanding, and embrace the kind of “productive discomfort” that leads to lasting growth.

Because great coaching isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about creating the environment where players discover them.