|
About Us I grew up in a small town where my
friends and I would meet at the neighborhood park almost as
soon as the sun would come up, and play the sport of the
season until the sun went down. When we were young, the
older kids would play with us and teach us the game. As we
became the older kids we carried the tradition on.
All of our hard work (which we considered fun, we
had no idea playing sports could be considered work)
resulted in conference championships in football all four
years that we were in high school, including one undefeated
season. Our senior year we led the conference in both
offense and defense. The defensive backfield, which I was a
part of, lead the conference in interceptions and didn't
give up a single touchdown the entire year.
In addition to four years of high school football, I
played three years of Little League, four years of high
school basketball and three years of collage basketball. Two
of my college coaches played in the NBA. One of them was
also a starter on an NCAA Division I national championship
team. I've also played softball, basketball and football in
recreational, intramural, or shop leagues too numerous to
count.
Participating in sports as an athlete has been a huge
part of my life. It has helped me make new friends. It has
helped to give me self-respect and confidence. It has taught
me to be humble and respect the rights of others. It has
helped to keep me busy and out of trouble. Being an athlete
has taught me how win and to accept the inevitable losses.
Most importantly, it has taught me to do the best I can and
deal with the results. And if I'm not happy with the
results, what it takes to change them the next time I get a
chance.
Coaching Experience:
I started coaching kids 18 years ago when I first got
out of college. I didn't have any children of my own at
that time but I loved sports and kids. I coached three
years of flag football and then got involved with
administration of the league by serving on the rules
committee and as the Director of Officials which
involved training and scheduling the referees.
Since then, I helped a baseball friend of mine coach
his kids in basketball. We've coached one boy's team and
five girls teams. I also picked up a neighborhood soccer
team when none of the parents were able to make the
commitment.
For my own children I've coached seven basketball
teams, eleven baseball teams, and five soccer teams.
Football 3
Basketball 13
Baseball 11
Soccer 5
----------------------------------
Total 32 Teams
Coaching has brought with it an almost equal number of
valuable lessons as playing. But that is not why I do it so
much. In part I do it because I feel that we all should do
something to give back to the community that we live in. I
choose youth coaching as my community service because I want
the children to have the same opportunities I had to learn
what has helped me in so many ways over the years. But
mostly I do it because I love it. I love to watch the
development, not only as a player, but as a person. The
feeling you get when you can teach a child something and
then see them apply it with success is a feeling I cannot
explain and have not been able to duplicate.
I'm an Idiot:
I'm not an idiot in the general sense of the word. Its
just that since I have been coaching I've learned more about
each sport than I ever knew by just playing. I'm also a
student of coaching in general, and of each sport in
particular. I read books and magazine articles. I watch
videos and attend coaching seminars. I surf the Internet and
download as much information as I can. I talk to as many
other coaches as I can about how and what they do. The more
I learn, the more I realize that I have been teaching bad
habits. Most of the common things about any sport that
everyone "knows" is wrong! Think about it, if all this stuff
we "knew" were true everyone could be a professional coach.
Don't be discouraged. I believe there's still hope for me
and there is for you as well. Simply be open to what are for
you new ideas. Do all of the things I have listed above to
learn. Most important, don't quit just because you don't
know something, learn it, and then teach it to the kids.
Recreational Sports are for Fun:
The single most important aspect of youth sports is for
the kids to have fun. I'm not saying that playing to win is
bad. As a matter of fact, I believe playing to win can be
translated to playing as hard as you can and to the best of
your ability. If you aren't going to try your hardest and
play your best, why play at all?
I've coached in instructional leagues where keeping score
was strictly forbidden (at ages 4 & 5 that's appropriate).
But guess what? Every kid who knew how to count, knew what
the score was. It’s natural. I've coached in leagues were
game scores were kept but standings were not (again at
younger ages I believe this is appropriate). Once again
however, every team knew where they stood relative to the
others. Were not going to stop the kids from competing, and
there is nothing wrong with some healthily competition. It
only becomes a problem when us adults get involved.
I've heard or read opinions of people who believe winning
is the only way to have fun in sports. They say "losing
sucks, just ask the kids they'll tell you." And they're
right, I hate loosing, and I've seen the look of
disappointment on the kid's faces when they lose. But
they're only partly right. They don't seem to realize that
there is more than just winning and loosing in sports. As
long we are using the kids as the experts here, just ask the
kids that sit the bench how much fun it is. By definition
participating has to be more fun than winning, because
without playing you can't win. If all they are going to do
is watch, they might be better off watching their favorite
team play on TV. The other thing to remember is that the
disappointment of loosing lasts for about as long as it
takes for them to get into line for the after game treats.
The disappointment of not playing can last a lifetime.
In recreational leagues I believe that ALL team members
should play approximately equal time during each game. Every
kid should get the opportunity to use all of the basic
skills in each sport at some point during the year. The more
often the better. Participation however, is the key. I coach
for participation first, learning second, and winning third,
they are all components of "fun."
I substitute players independent of the game situation.
This does not mean I believe that every kid should get to
play every position every game. Until the kids really start
to understand the game one position a game is enough. Too
much changing of position and the kids won't learn anything.
There also are certain positions in certain sports that some
kids may never get to play. Pitcher in baseball for example.
No one has fun when the pitcher can't get the ball across
the plate. The point guard in basketball is another example.
If the guard can't get the ball down court to the other
players everyone gets frustrated. Both of these situations
can also be very embarrassing for a young child. There are
also some positions which can put kids with lesser abilities
at greater risk of injury. Quarterback in football, and any
infield position in baseball are examples. Kids should not
be pushed into playing positions that they are not ready
physically and mentally, to play. Goalie in hockey and
soccer are great examples of positions with unrealistic
levels of pressure for a young child. I never force a kid to
play that position. On the other hand, I never refuse to
allow a kid who wants to play it give it a try (as long as I
believe the risk of physical injury is not above average).
And I never pull a goalie just because they allowed someone
to score, or because its a close game. First of all, the
TEAM let someone score, not the goalie. Second, I refuse to
humiliate a child that way. When winning becomes more
important than the person, its time to quit coaching.
Select Sports are for Older Kids:
As a rule, elementary school aged children do not need to
participate in select sport leagues. They can actually harm
the kids. Many of these leagues require a year around
commitment. I know of cases where kids were burnt out
mentally or physically, or both, before they ever reached
high school. Young bodies need time to rest so they can grow
properly. Young minds need to experience many different
things to develop completely.
The problem with some (most?) youth recreational sports
leagues is that they offer only one level of competition.
The very gifted players are mixed in with the average and
not so talented (athletically challenged?) players. This can
be very frustrating for everyone. Coaches that like to play
everyone equally, have problems when the better players, and
sometimes their parents, get frustrated because they are
ready and able to learn and do more, but are being held
back. The lesser talented players sometimes feel inferior
and begin to lose interest in the game or sports altogether.
The problem with this is that this year's super star might
be next year's flop, and vice-versa. The only thing you can
say is true for all kids is that they are all different.
They develop at different rates. Over a three year period in
which I coached one girl she went from one of the shortest
girls on the team, playing guard, to being one of the
tallest, playing forward/center. A tall uncoordinated kid
gets stronger and more coordinated. A short fat kid gets
thin and quick. A shy kid becomes the team leader. This can
all happen in a single year, more likely two or three years.
It can't happen at all however, if the kid becomes
uninterested in sports because they didn't get a change to
play, or were made to feel inferior. The early developers
may also run into a problem if they develop the belief that
they are so good they don't need to practice. The next thing
you know they are the challenged ones.
A huge disparity in talent can also be dangerous. Either
group can cause injury to the other. It’s like the way speed
disparity on our high ways kill people. It’s not the speed,
fast or slow, that kills, its the difference between a 50
MPH driver and an 85 MPH driver. If you don't believe it
think about how fast racecar drivers go on the track. As
long as they all are going fast its relatively safe.
If you experience any of these problems try asking your
league about supporting at least two levels of competition.
Don't be upset if they don't want to support your
suggestion. Most, if not all, administrators are volunteers
and maintaining a multiple level competition league is a lot
more work. You could also ask about letting your child "play
up" a year (play on a team with kids that are a year older).
Please think twice about this. If your child is of average
or small size you may do more damage than good. If none of
this works, allowing your child to participate in select
leagues may be your only alternative. If, and only if, your
child really wants to. Never push your child. If possible
try to find a team that requires something less than a year
around commitment. Three months of any one sport is enough.
(A light off-season development program is OK, its the three
days a week practices with games and tournaments that needs
to be limited.) Remember that they need to experience a
number of different sports, and other life enriching
activities. And they need time to rest in-between sports as
well.
Please DO NOT force your child to play ANY sport, in ANY
type of league, including recreational leagues. Please do
not think your child is going to be the next Michael Jordon
or Ken Griffey Jr. No matter how good they may appear to be,
the chances that your child will play professional sports is
a million to one. Do not discourage them from trying, just
don't plan on it, and don't let them plan on it.
Organization is the Key:
In youth recreational sports, the head coach’s most
important responsibility is organization of team activities.
Actually, that's the case for head coaching at all levels.
The problem with youth recreational sports is that most of
us coaches are volunteers. We have jobs and families. And we
don't have the resources the hired guns have. We don't have
secretaries to handle all of the administrative aspects of
the job. We don't have full-time, paid assistants that we
can delegate to. Sometimes we're lucky if we have an
assistant at all.
Still, the level of organization maintained by the head
coach plays a big part in the level of enjoyment experienced
by everyone, including the head coach. I've had a number of
people tell me: "I tried coaching once, the kids wouldn't
listen, they didn't want to practice, it was a disaster.
"I'll never do that again." Doesn't sound like a fun
experience to me.
At a minimum all practices should have activities
planned. If the coach needs to stop in the middle of
practice to think of what to do next a disaster is going to
break out. We all know how hard it is for kids to
concentrate on one thing for too long. Well, it’s even
harder for them to concentrate on nothing. If not kept busy
they'll be running all over the place, balls will be flying,
and trouble is only seconds away.
I attended a coaching clinic where the presenter
suggested a practice of 45 minutes to an hour for the first
and second graders that I would be coaching. He said that
they couldn't concentrate for much longer than that. Well, I
scheduled one and one half-hour practices because I knew
that one-hour of practice per week was not enough to learn
the sport. My challenge then was to keep the kids interested
for that period of time. What I did was to plan enough 5 to
10 minute activities to fill the hour and a half. I typed
them into my computer and took a print out with me to
practice. After what seemed like 15 minutes to me, the hour
and a half was over, and the kids were saying "are we done
already, I want to play some more." The kids had fun, the
parents that helped had fun, and I felt good because we
covered so much material. See Elements of a Good Practice.
An organized practice is the most important element of
organization because it affects the greatest number of team
members. General team organization is also very important
because it affects the coach. Being organized might seem
like a lot of work but it will make your job easier.
It may also make you look like you know what you are doing.
The kids may not consciously notice it but their behavior
will show it.
Things like a phone call sheet to make sure everyone has
been notified of some specific news. A schedule containing
all team activities (games, practices, scrimmages, and any
other events like picture day and end of the year party)
distributed at the "Parent's Meeting" (see Preseason
Activities). Accurate score sheets and statistic sheets. A
team directory containing the names, phone numbers and
addresses of all the coaches and players. Player's parent or
guardian names are also a good idea. Announcement slips with
the kid's names on them (so you know who didn't get one) to
be handed out when something on the schedule has to be
changed.
Getting at least some of these things setup and using
them throughout the season will make your head coaching job
much easier and more fun. It will also encourage more
parents to come out and help you.
Preseason Activities:
Equipment
If your league expects you to handout uniforms at the
beginning of the season and be responsible for collecting
them at the end of the season (most do) you need to do two
things. First catalog what you have been given. Write it
down. Sizes, count, color. Then write down what is given to
each player. Keep both sheets in a safe place. You'll need
them at the end of the year.
Most leagues give their coaches a limited amount of
equipment for practice and games. Balls, cones, bats, what
ever. I have never found it to be enough. I'm always buying
more, but it helps to have the equipment. In addition there
are some coaching essentials you must have. A clip board, a
whistle, and a good hat. OK the hat is optional.
Some leagues give first aid kits (I think they all
should, but some are afraid of liability) if yours doesn't
get or make one. I bought a couple of reusable ice packs,
some athletic tape, some Band-Aids, and some gauze. I keep
the reusable ice packs in an insolated lunch bag with a
little cooler ice pack in the freezer until its time to go
to a game or practice. Then I throw it into my coaching bag
with my clipboard, whistle, and some other stuff I'm about
to tell you about and I'm off.
To be responsible I should warn you about the trouble you
can get into by incorrectly administrating first aid. I'm
not actually suggesting you apply any first aid. I have been
certified by the Red Cross in first aid and CPR and I don't
really ever use either one. The first thing they teach you
is DON'T DO ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T NEED TO. Most of the time
calling 911 is the best thing you can do for a serious
injury. For non-serious injuries, the ice pack helps the
injured kid get over it. For real injuries that aren't
serious enough for 911, I let the parents of the injured
player use my equipment to apply their own first aid. I
haven't been sued yet.
There is some other more optional stuff that I have found
very useful. A stopwatch for example. Some times I use it in
practice for certain drills or tests, but more importantly I
use it to time games when a publicly visible game clock
doesn't exist. Or when the game clock breaks (which happens
a lot to shoe string budget leagues). A rain suit for
outside sports. I use a suit marketed for campers and
hikers, it folds into about a four inch by four inch square
pouch. I also take my cellular phone to every practice and
game. I unfortunately have had to use it to call 911, but is
also useful for other things. Like the time I had to call
half of the team because one of the other coaches read the
schedule wrong and they were all going to be late for the
game.
Season Schedule
Practices, games, Picture Day, Uniform Handout, Uniform
Return, Treat Signup
Parent's Meeting
League Rules, Your Team Rules, Your Coaching Philosophy,
Introductions (yourself, assistant coaches, parents)
Elements of a Good Practice:
Similar to a good speech, where you tell the audience
what you're going to tell them, you tell them, and then you
tell them what you told them. A good practice involves
telling the kids what they are going to work on, working on
it, and then telling them what they just worked on. This
approach does two things for the kids. First it allows them
start thinking about the sport. We all know that only
half of any sport is physical, the other 90% is mental.
Second they need the mental repetition as much as the
physical repetition. With that in mind I have divided my
practices into the following segments:
1. Introduction
2. Warm-ups
3. Activities
4. Conclusion
The Introduction is where you tell the kids what they are
going to work on. The Warm-ups and Activities segments are
where they work on it. (Warm-ups and Activities are kind of
the same thing. I separate them because too many coaches
skip the very important aspect of warming up.) The
Conclusion is where you tell them what they worked on. The
following paragraphs go into detail on each segment.
Introduction
I break my introductions into two parts. In the first
part I review the last practice or game. During the
preseason I review the skills worked on during the previous
practice. I actually use the notes from the conclusion of
the last practice. During the season I review the previous
game. Praise the good team play as well as individual play.
Let them know the one or two areas that need the most work.
This will lead into the next section, practice overview.
In the practice overview tell the kids what skills you
are going to work on during this practice. Be sure you tell
them why they are working on a particular skill. The
purpose of dribbling in soccer for example, is to move the
ball down the field - away from your goal. This may sound
obvious, but young or first time players may not
understand.
This part of the practice should not take too long.
Coaches love to talk, but players/kids don't like to listen.
If you get the kids involved by asking them questions and/or
allowing them to ask questions you can go a little longer,
but even then, if you go too long you'll get into trouble. I
allow five minutes for the entire introduction. Most of the
time it doesn't last more then three or four minutes.
Warm-ups
The warm-up and activities parts of a practice correspond
to the body of a speech, it’s where the real work gets done.
I have broken warm-ups out because too many coaches forget
to warm the kids up, or worse yet don't think its necessary.
(When my son was seven years old he pulled a groin muscle in
a soccer camp because they had the kids jump into dribbling
competitions without warming up first.) Even if you believe
its not physically necessary, they should get into the habit
early so they don't hurt themselves later.
Warm-ups should start with some light running, jumping,
and twisting. The idea is "to get the blood flowing." After
the muscles are warm they should be stretched. No bouncing,
simply hold a stretched position for about twenty seconds.
There are numerous warm-up and stretching drills that are
generic and can be used for all sports. There are also
drills that will target specific skills for a particular
sport. Intermix both types for variety. See the section on
warm-up drills for examples. Somewhere between 10 to 15
minutes should be allocated for warm-ups, which is a good
reason why some of the drills need to target specific
skills.
Activities
This is the part of the practice where specific skills
are developed. Offensive and defensive schemes are
developed. And most of the fun is to be had. Every practice
should include at least 10 to 15 minutes of scrimmage. The
kids love it, and it’s the best way to learn how to play.
They can't learn to play the game without playing it. By
allowing them to scrimmage, you are allowing them to
scrimmage, you are allowing the kids to learn from each
other. I have come to the conclusion that kids can teach
each other much better than we could ever hope to. If you
leave this for the end of the activities section you can let
the kids earn the opportunity to scrimmage. If during the
introduction, you let the kids know what they are going to
do during the practice, you can remind them throughout the
practice that the more they fool around the less time they
will have to scrimmage.
Pick one, at the most two, skills to concentrate on
during a practice. Choose a set of drills, five to ten
minutes each in length, that build upon each other. The
drills should allow at least half of the kids to be
participating at the same time. You may need to recruit
help, but if you can give detailed instructions there will
be other parents willing to help.
I know some coaches that will make a kid, or set of kids
if that's what a drill calls for, repeat a drill until "they
get it right." I have found that this approach embarrasses
the kids and makes the other kids get bored waiting for
their turn. (We all know what happens when kids get bored.)
I prefer to let the next kid, or group, go. Yell
encouragement to those who get it right. The kids will teach
each other better then we can.
Consider making the scrimmage activity something less
than a full team scrimmage. In soccer for example, play two
games of 3 on 3, or 4 on 4 instead of 7 on 7, or 9 on 9. Try
to set up as many games as possible to avoid substitutions.
The smaller teams will allow each player to exercise their
skills more often.
Conclusion
Like the introduction, the conclusion in divided into two
parts. The first part is a review of the current practice. I
actually copy the overview notes from the introduction. Tell
the kids what they just worked on and why. Ask if
they have any questions or comments. Ask if there were any
drills that they did or did not like. Make note of these for
the obvious reasons.
The second part of the conclusion is announcements. The
time and place for the next practice or game. Any special
events like picture day or a parade that the team might be
participating in. Some coaches like to handout announcement
slips to each player. This is especially important if part
of the schedule handed out at the beginning of the season
has to change for some reason.
|
