By John Dixon, Redcliffe Dolphins - Preparing a junior player on match day is a  task for all coaches and although there is no definite procedure to follow a course of action should be planned. Every coach will have differing views on how to perform duties on match day. Outlined below are some ideas for coaches to think about. Included are some quotes from Jack Gibson's book " Played Strong, Done Fine". Discussion is invited, especially from coaches at mini / mod level through to coaches at elite junior level eg Colts or U/19.
To begin with:
(1) Winning needs to be placed in perspective. It should not be the primary source of motivation at junior or recreational levels. While acknowledging the desire to win is a natural one, the coaches main emphasis should be on the players enjoying themselves and performing to the best of their ability.
The emphasis on winning also needs to personally be resolved by the coach within his own coaching philosophy eg.
Is winning more important than giving each player the
equal opportunity to play (not token involvement but genuine participation)?
(2) Each team is comprised a set of individuals not a set of clones. The aim for the coach is to get the best from each individual, from the most talented and dedicated player to the least motivated and least skilled.
"You coach individuals not teams. If you can do this a side will emerge." - Jack Gibson
(3) Game day is the culmination of a week's preparation.
(4) Establish the routines that govern match day and ensure that you, the players, your support staff and the team's supporters know and follow them.
On match day there are three times that a coach has contact with the team as a whole and with individuals within the team: pre-game, half-time and full-time.
(A) PRE-GAME
‘The coach's job in those days was to assemble a good team. Once he had done that he just let them go out and play. There was none of this blackboard nonsense you hear about today.
Team talk? Johnny (Cochrane, the coach) used to stick his head around the dressing room door just before a match, smoking a cigar and smelling of whisky, and ask, "Who are we playing today?" We'd reply "Arsenel, boss," and he'd just say "Oh well, we'll beat that lot," before shutting the door and leaving us to it.'
- Raich Carter, on playing soccer for Sunderland in the1930s.
• Know Your Players
The NRL and SL games often show a peek preview of the dressing room prior to a game and you will see players doing various things whilst getting ready to play.
Some are getting a rub, others are already suited up, some are still fully clothed in their ordinary dress.
The coach should respect each players pre-game ritual and give the players the space they require as long as it doesn't interfere with other players.
Spend this time talking to each player as an individual,
ascertaining and establishing his state of preparedness and covering any aspects of the game specific to that player.
" I never give a footballer a job he can't do. Encouragement and giving each footballer a job which isn't beyond him often produce outstanding results."
- Jack Gibson
The expectation of this pre-game stage is that at a designated time prior to kick-off all players are ready (dressed / strapped / rubbed) to go to warm-up at the same time - no stragglers....... |
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