The Soccer Coaching Podcast Episode 121 - Coaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha players, a conversation with Phil Phillipou
🎙️ Episode 121: Coaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha Players – A Focus on Mindset
Episode 121 marks the first episode co-hosted by Scott Mowberry and Ray Power, launching a new collaborative chapter for The Soccer Coaching Podcast.
For this episode, Scott and Ray are joined by Phil Phillipou to explore the challenges and opportunities of coaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha players, with a particular focus on mindset.
As the game continues to evolve, so do the players we coach. This conversation dives into how today’s young players think, learn, communicate, and respond to pressure — and what that means for coaches working in modern football environments.
🧠 Key themes discussed include:
- Understanding the mindset traits of Gen Z and Gen Alpha players
- How social media, culture, and modern life influence young footballers
- Why traditional coaching approaches don’t always land with today’s players
- Creating environments that support confidence, resilience, and self-belief
- Practical strategies coaches can use to connect, challenge, and support players
- The balance between standards, empathy, and accountability
Phil brings a psychology-informed perspective grounded in real-world coaching and athlete development, offering practical insight that coaches can apply immediately — whether they’re working in grassroots football, academies, or performance environments.
📘 About the guest
Phil is the author of Inspiring Young Minds: The Psychology Mastery for Young Footballers, a book designed to help young players develop strong psychological foundations alongside their football ability.
🔗 Book link:
https://www.amazon.com/Inspiring-Young-Minds-Mastery-Footballers/dp/B0FN79FKV9
📲 Connect with Phil:
- Instagram: @mindsightsport
- LinkedIn: Phil Phillipou
Phils Webinar & Discount Code- https://www.tickettailor.com/events/raypowercoacheducation/2029162
The discount is PHIL10
🎧 Coach’s Voice – get involved
As part of this new phase of the podcast, we’re introducing Coach’s Voice episodes — and we want to hear from you.
Coaches are invited to:
- Send in a voice note (up to 2 minutes) sharing a question, idea, experience, or viewpoint
- Be as individual, reflective, or even controversial as you like
Selected submissions will be played on the podcast and used as the starting point for discussion with Scott and Ray.
A couple of simple guidelines:
- Please don’t use player names
- If your topic is controversial, avoid naming clubs
- If you prefer not to record audio, you can email your thoughts instead
📩 Send voice notes or emails to:
thesoccercoachingpodcast@gmail.com
This episode was brought to you in association with our friends at Soccer Coach Weekly.
Established since 2006, Soccer Coach Weekly is a leading source of inspiration and advice for all grassroots coaches. Join thousands of youth soccer coaches, just like you, saving time and effort in their goal of having the most effective, enjoyable and successful coaching journey for them and their players. – https://www.soccercoachweekly.net/
Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoyed the episode!