Rugby League Coaching Manuals

It is essential to have an understanding, interest in and appreciation of why players decide to play Rugby League. Successful coaches direct a lot of attention to this aspect of their coaching and take a careful personal interest in their athletes and all factors that affect their performance.

Coaches must understand:
(a) What motivates players
(b) Why they play Rugby League
(c) What they hope to achieve
(d) What are their needs
(e) How do you assist players to achieve
(f) How to manage this process

The coach's role is to understand and appreciate what motivates players and what their needs are. This is then as much about the team as the coach.

The period of time spent by players in the modified game is a very important time for impressing young players and it will be a time for moulding their attitude toward the game. Coaches in this area will be responsible for ensuring this will happen.

Motivation
The first point for consideration is what motivates players or, in fact, what human motivation is all about. To help illustrate this I want to refer to an American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, who proposed a "needs hierarchy theory" that has become a key concept in the study of human motivation.

His model has five basic levels that need to be satisfied at each level before the next level of needs is attempted. Understanding of these human needs could provide a coach with the information and knowledge he could apply to the coaching process.

Maslow's Five Levels of Needs:

LEVEL 1 - PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS - LOW LEVEL NEEDS
• Hunger, Thirst, Sleep
• Taste, Smell, Touch
• Fundamental biological functions

LEVEL 2 - SAFETY AND SECURITY
• Protection against danger and threat
• Freedom from fear, anxiety and chaos
• Need for structure, order, law, limits and stability
These are derived from a desire for a peaceful, smooth-running stable environment.

LEVEL 3 - BELONGING, LOVE AND SOCIAL ACTIVITY
• Satisfactory association with others
• Belonging to groups
• Giving and receiving friendship and affection
• Desire to join and become part of a club and team

LEVEL 4 - ESTEEM
• Self-respect - achievement, competence and confidence
• Deserved respect for others - status, recognition, dignity and appreciation
• Achieved by positive reinforcement from the coach when challenges and goals are satisfied.......