Why Does Individual Player Development Matter?
When coaching a soccer team, it’s easy to focus on group tactics, collective performance, and match-day outcomes.
But at the heart of every successful team is a group of individuals—each with their own strengths, challenges, and potential. Great coaching isn’t just about getting results on the weekend; it’s about helping every player improve over time.
That’s where Individual Player Development (IPD) comes in.
So, what is Individual Player Development and why does it matter?
Individual Player Development is the process of understanding each player's unique needs and setting targeted goals.
It's also about supporting their personal growth across the Four Corners of development - Technical/Tactical, Physical, Psychological, and Social - and helping each player get better, not just as part of a team, but as a player and person in their own right.
While elite academies have staff and time to focus heavily on individuals, grassroots coaches can still embed player-centred approaches within team environments.
When done well, IPD increases motivation, builds confidence, encourages ownership, and ultimately improves the entire team by raising the level of every individual.
Based on what we cover in our Individual Player Development CPD course on the MiMentor Coaching platform, here are ten practical tips to help grassroots and youth coaches embed IPD into their weekly routines...
Tips For Developing Individual Players Within Your Team
1. Start With Self-Reflection
How to do it: Use a self-review form tailored to your players’ age. Let them reflect on their strengths and areas they want to improve.
Why it helps: It builds self-awareness and starts the development process with the player’s own thoughts, not just the coach’s.
Make it easier: Use simple language and rating scales (e.g. 1–5) for younger players, and revisit the review at regular intervals.
2. Profile Each Player At Least Twice a Season
How to do it: Assess players using consistent criteria aligned with the Four Corner model (technical, physical, psychological, social).
Why it helps: It creates a snapshot of where each player is and provides a baseline for measuring progress.
Make it easier: Use pre-made templates and keep profiles concise. Don’t try to profile everyone at once, stagger the process over a few weeks.
3. Set Simple, SMART Goals
How to do it: Work with each player to identify 1–3 goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Why it helps: Players know exactly what they’re working on and how success will be recognised.
Things to consider: Avoid setting too many goals. One well-chosen focus can be more powerful than five vague ones.
4. Build Goals Into Your Session Planning
How to do it: Create practices where individual goals can be targeted. For example, player A works on weak-foot passing, player B on 1v1 defending.
Why it helps: Development becomes embedded in team sessions without requiring separate drills for each player.
Make it easier: Use colour-coded spreadsheets or planning sheets to track who needs what.
5. Embrace The ‘Player As The syllabus’ Mindset
How to do it: Shift from “What do I want to coach today?” to “What do my players need to work on today?”
Why it helps: This mindset change ensures that every session has purpose and relevance to individual development.
Make it easier: Group players with similar needs when designing sessions to manage variety.
6. Involve Parents In The Process
How to do it: Share the player’s development goals with parents and explain how they can support (e.g. practicing at home, giving encouragement).
Why it helps: Reinforcement at home increases accountability and support, especially for younger players.
Things to consider: Keep communication simple and positive—use one-page summaries or quick conversations post-training.
7. Make Fitness Individual And Fun
How to do it: Tailor physical work to the age, position, and needs of each player—and embed it within fun, game-based drills.
Why it helps: Fitness becomes relevant, targeted, and engaging rather than generic or boring.
Make it easier: Think of fitness in terms of movement quality (agility, balance, coordination) for younger players and endurance/strength for older ones.
8. Use Mini Reviews To Track Progress
How to do it: Every 6–8 weeks, sit down with players to review their Individual Development Plan. What have they improved? What’s next? If you want help with your plans, you can download our free template here...
Why it helps: It reinforces learning, encourages ownership, and keeps the process dynamic.
Make it easier: Use simple check-in questions like “What’s one thing you’ve improved?” or “What’s next for you?”
9. Encourage Peer Feedback
How to do it: Ask teammates to share positive observations about one another’s development.
Why it helps: It builds team unity and helps players see progress through the eyes of others.
Things to consider: Model respectful, constructive feedback and use simple sentence starters (“I noticed you’ve improved at…”).
10. Keep It Sustainable, Not Overwhelming
How to do it: Spread IDP activities throughout the season. Don’t try to do everything every week.
Why it helps: It avoids burnout and allows time for meaningful development.
Make it easier: Rotate focus players each week, and accept that not every player will get individual attention in every session.
Coaching is more than delivering drills - it’s about shaping people.
When you take time to understand your players as individuals and tailor your coaching to help them grow, you make a lasting impact both on and off the pitch.
If you're ready to deepen your understanding and implement Individual Player Development effectively, explore the full Individual Player Development CPD course on the MiMentor Coaching platform.
You’ll find downloadable templates, video insights, session examples, and everything you need to put your players at the centre of your coaching.
