The Bad Game Playbook: A Guide to the Hard Moments in Youth Football (Player Guide, PDF)
Every player has the game they want to forget. This is what to do with it.
The Bad Game Playbook is written by Alex, a rep-team attacker from Australia who’s been kicking goals since he could walk. He’s won a grand final, played in international youth tournaments in Europe, and earned a sports scholarship along the way. He’s also a qualified referee, holds a junior coaching certificate, and assists a coach with younger kids.
That means he’s seen the bad days from every side: as the player who missed the sitter, the ref copping it from the sideline, and the coach trying to help. This book is what he’s learned. Real football, no filter.
Inside:
- 21 cards for the moments every player faces: after the whistle, dealing with the coach, the ref, teammates and pressure
- Each card tells you what to do tonight, what to do this week, and exactly what to say
- Memorable rules like the 24-Hour Rule, the Chain Rule and the Walk-Away Rule
Plus 5 bonuses:
- The Car Ride Home: a page just for parents
- Five Questions to Ask Your Coach
- The Ref’s Cheat Sheet: the laws players get wrong most
- A Quickstart guide
- A printable “Next Ball” card for the kit bag
Suits players roughly 11-17, and parents of younger players. Instant PDF download, 43 pages, printable.
Also in the series: The Sideline Coach Playbook, for parents, The Road to Finals Playbook, a season guide for players, and The Cheat Codes Playbook, for players. Or get all four in the Complete Next Ball Set for A$49 (save A$15).
Written by a player, not a psychologist. This is practical advice, not therapy or medical advice.
