Seth wrote:
I've just been out this morning coaching my U16s and as our team were arriving and I was setting up I watched yet another group of u7/8s queue in a line of 18 waiting to run the ball into 2 'coaches' holding tackle shields. This poor practice is unfortunately common throughout most clubs.
I took my current team on as u9/u10s they were in group/division 4 and were the 'B' team at the club in our age group. I went into coaching 13 years ago (this is my second team) in order to develop my career and to develop players In the right way at the right age group. My knowledge and expertise allowed me to see what the long game should be about, to develop sustainable core principles, skills and of course the enjoyment of the game without the concern of winning and losing, as a product of these methods we have climbed the divisions and are in the premier. Some parents took convincing but my role as coach was to deliver the right messages to the players so that win or lose they could see why we were doing things the way we were (...and of course having fun). Unfortunately at a crucial age our children on the whole are being coached in the way I referred to at the start of this post, and therefore our talent pool at the top of the game is largely reliant on the natural (yet still restricted) ability of a relatively small number of players.
I can say I can vouch for this, as seen him first hand, and his team play. Very highly regarded is Seth at his club.
And to answer Sal from earlier, I do accept there is some not so good ones out there, but to give another example of getting it right. Last year Kippax under 13's started off the season in division one of their age group, and hammered everyone with ease for the first 8 games. Then Yorkshire juniors decided to change the split in the leagues at all age groups, so the Kippax coach requested that his team be put in the under 14's league for the rest of season. He explained to all the parents who were concerned, that winning every week so easily was doing their development no favours. He told them all, that yes the age group above is more physical, and therefore they will probably lose games, but he made a commitment that the style they would play, by the end of the year they would beat these under 14's teams.
That team learned to pass and move with speed. The physical side did not become a problem, once they knew they would beat teams by passing. That is a skilful team with some very good players. Those players were not poached from other teams, they have developed. It can be done right.
enjoy the game.
