Technology and methodology: the impact of the Evolution Programme app

The growth of Italian youth soccer passes through the Evolution Programme, the technical-sporting and educational training course aimed at young female and male football players throughout the country, but also at all those involved in their growth: trainers, managers, coaches, and parents. The Evolution Programme proposes a new approach and methodology that can foster the creation of an environment in which every female and male football player can express themselves at their best. And in this path of dissemination and diffusion of the methodology, there is also the contribution of YouCoach, which from the beginning has put its digital skills at the service of this ambitious project.

In this interview, we exchanged a few words with Massimo Mapelli, the current National Technical Manager of the Evolution Programme, and with him we talked about an innovative, unique and internationally appreciated tool: the official Evolution Programme app.

• The Evolution Programme Application: can you explain in a few words what it consists of and how it works?
• What needs prompted SGS to believe in this tool? Why did you choose it?
• How many people have been affected by this innovation? Give us some numbers
• How was methodology sharing handled before the App was adopted?
• What challenges have been overcome in using this tool and what challenges remain to be won? How has the technology provided by YouCoach improved the experience of coaches and clubs participating in the Evolution Programme?
• What was the most significant improvement for Evolution Programme?
• How important do you think it is to have a state-of-the-art IT and technology structure for football clubs? What benefits have you experienced in the Evolution Programme project because of the technology you have adopted?
• Looking ahead, what impact can the use of the Application have on the project and what other challenges await you?

The Evolution Programme Application: can you explain in a few words what it consists of and how it works?

Explaining it in a few words is difficult, because first I would have to explain in a few words what Evolution Programme is, that is, the Program coordinated by the Youth and School Sector that has as its primary objective to structure a technical-sporting and educational training program aimed at the territory and all those involved in the growth of male and female footballers: technical staff, managers, coaches, and parents. The Program proposes a new approach and methodology that can foster the creation of an environment in which every female and male player can express themselves to the fullest.

We needed a tool that could collect and disseminate our methodology, and this is where the app comes in.

It works like any app, it is easily downloadable to any device whether Android or IOS, it is free, it is very intuitive, and even a person unfamiliar with technology can easily use it. It is divided into sections, the main ones are Exercises, Training sessions, Calendar, Documents, Communications: the presence of filters allows everyone to easily find what they are interested in.

In addition to the downloadable version that can be consulted by everyone, our FIGC SGS coaches have an account that allows them to develop training sessions and share them with the coaches of the clubs included in our Territorial Development Areas (they, too, have been assigned an account free of charge) via the more extensive and comprehensive web version of the app.

What needs prompted SGS to believe in this tool? Why did you choose it?

Certainly the need to be able to reach as many professionals as possible with ease: the smartphone in your pocket is now within everyone's reach.

The Youth and School Sector has a willingness to adapt to the times; when I first started coaching, I had a binder and, with pen and paper, I would write down all the proposals and over the years collect them in folders, which filled my bookshelf. Later I started using the computer and was collecting everything in files and folders. Now, thanks to the APP, we have everything in our pockets.

The work that SGS's technical areas are doing is of the highest level, and that is why we have used the app to make sure it is spread as well as possible.

How many people have been affected by this innovation? Give us some numbers

The 2024/25 season is the first in which we are going full steam ahead with the APP; at the time of this interview, the app has been downloaded by about 15,000 people.

And if we think that there are about 40,000 coaches in Italy, we are already well on our way. Beyond those who have downloaded the application, the number of downloads of our content, which has exceeded 7,000, has an important relevance for us. In addition, more than 2,500 accounts have been created since this season: in addition to our staff members, these are the coaches who are part of the clubs within our Evolution Programme-related project.

How was methodology sharing handled before the App was adopted?

The workout conducted within the Federal Center was sent every Monday to all members via a mailing list. This workout, produced by our Methodology Area, was the same for all Federal Centers. Subsequently, our Local Federal Centers and Methodological Areas left it up to each technical manager to create the training session, using the proposals designed by our methodological area and making use of the APP to build the training session.

In addition to the mailing list, there were and still are other ways of sharing the methodology: above all, in-person and remote meetings. In particular, the latter has remained and the frequency of meetings has increased, making them complementary to the use of the APP. And it is precisely these meeting occasions that are ideal for sharing and popularizing the download and use of the APP itself.

What challenges have been overcome in using this tool and what challenges remain to be won? How has the technology provided by YouCoach improved the experience of coaches and clubs participating in the Evolution Programme?

We have improved the usability in any place and at any time of all content; we have given another way of sharing for different age groups; these are definitely challenges that have been won.

Then there is a more important challenge to overcome: we are not satisfied with reaching everywhere and always the largest number of football technicians, but we would like to make them improve their experience by implementing the contents of the Evolution Programme methodology.

As for the second question, the Evolution Programme app has certainly improved and facilitated the experience of coaches who are part of the AST project, making it exclusive for them to use the app and immediately get hold of general content or content regarding their team group.

What was the most significant improvement for Evolution Programme?

Today, all staff members in the school youth sector speak the same language, share the same methodology, and while being part of a large team, aim for their individual improvement (and this, in tandem, will benefit the entire Italian football system).

How important do you think it is to have a state-of-the-art IT and technology structure for football clubs? What benefits have you experienced in the Evolution Programme project because of the technology you have adopted?

In order for a club to be highly competitive, I think it has to stay in tune with the times; I think this is very important. I am happy that the Italian Federation is one of the first in Europe to have a dedicated APP.

At the same time, we were also lucky: Youcoach's staff members not only have IT skills but also have expertise in football, and this allowed us to be in sync immediately in implementing our requests.

Looking ahead, what impact can the use of the Application have on the project and what other challenges await you?

The challenge I would like to win is that the APP could also reach out to other projects in the Youth and School Sector: it could involve other projects such as school projects, women's football projects, professional youth leagues, and others.

In terms of the imminent, an upgrade has just been released that allows the video of the practice proposal to be viewed as well. Often a coach or player reading or watching a drill cannot understand it and imagine what it would be like on the field, so they do not even consider it. The video is definitely straightforward and by imitation is very understandable. I think that's what the future is all about, putting what used to be static into motion by making sure that it's always within reach.

In the future, work is being done to build a particular practice but... I will stop here now and go no further, otherwise I reveal too much. To the most curious I only recommend downloading the APP. 

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