How Soccer Video Analysis Transforms Coaching at Youth Academies

"With busy parents with kids, they go from baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, whatever it is, and then they've got one parent in this state, the other one in this one, having access to videos is pretty cool," says Mitch Kavanagh, Director of Coaching at Gretna Elite Academy.

Kavanagh's observation captures a fundamental shift in how youth soccer programs operate today. Video analysis has moved from a luxury reserved for professional teams to an essential tool that serves players, coaches, and families at every level.

This challenges the traditional assumption that effective youth coaching depends solely on real-time instruction and memory-based feedback.

Gretna Elite Academy's comprehensive coaching approach

Mitch Kavanagh has been Director of Coaching at Gretna Elite Academy for several years, where he runs the Girls ECNL program while also serving as Assistant Coach at Creighton University Men's Soccer. His dual role gives him unique insight into both youth development and collegiate preparation.

Gretna Elite Academy serves players across all age groups, from junior academy to ECNL level. The club's philosophy centers on progressive development, starting with individual ball skills at the youngest ages and gradually expanding to include tactical understanding.

Kavanagh's experience spans both grassroots development and high-performance environments, making his perspective particularly valuable for understanding how video technology impacts different levels of the game.

The struggle with traditional coaching methods

Before implementing comprehensive video analysis, Gretna Elite faced typical challenges that plague youth soccer programs nationwide. "A lot of our coaches aren't in a full-time environment, they have other jobs," Kavanagh explains. "So being able to have something you know will record the game is massive. You don't have to worry about parents or a volunteer with a handheld camera."

The club struggled with inconsistent game documentation and limited ability to provide players with concrete visual feedback. Coaches would rely on verbal instructions and memory-based corrections, often delivered days after games when specific moments had faded from players' minds.

Recruiting presented another significant challenge, especially during COVID when college coaches couldn't travel to evaluate players in person. "We could back it up with video, we could back it up with data to send them," Kavanagh notes about the importance of having quality footage readily available.

Without reliable video documentation, the club couldn't maximize player development opportunities or effectively showcase their athletes to college recruiters.

How Veo solved Gretna Elite's coaching challenges

Gretna Elite Academy has been using Veo for approximately five to six years, implementing it across all age groups from U11 through ECNL. "Everyone in the club from the 11 age groups has access to Veo," Kavanagh explains.

The automatic recording capability eliminated the need for manual camera operation. "It's really simple, it's not complicated. It's literally a green box and you start and stop, and it works, and it does a great job," Kavanagh says. This simplicity proved crucial for coaches juggling multiple responsibilities.

Veo's highlight features transformed how coaches analyze games. "I tell all our kids when I'm breaking down video, I'll watch it, speed up until I see something I want, or maybe I'm watching something three times. I see something I don't like in a build out, or I like our pressing, whatever it is, clip it, send it out, they can look at it," Kavanagh explains.

The technology also revolutionized family engagement with the program. Parents and grandparents who couldn't attend games due to travel costs or scheduling conflicts could still watch their children play. "We've had a lot of parents and grandparents thanking us for that," Kavanagh notes.

For recruiting purposes, the consistent quality footage became invaluable. Players could regularly send video updates to college coaches, and some have even started creating YouTube channels to showcase their development.

Ready to transform your coaching program?

Kavanagh's experience demonstrates how video analysis can address multiple challenges simultaneously while enhancing the overall club experience. Ready and curious about how video technology can elevate your coaching program? Veo experts are standing by to help you discover the possibilities.