Reader,
As coaches, we often all find ourselves obsessed with the technical and tactical. This is often the part of the game that draws us into coaching.
Whether it’s outsmarting an opponent, developing players technically or helping our teams win games, these are all areas that coaches can influence.
Beyond this, however, sport can be a vehicle to build character in young players, arming them with life skills for the future.
One area of the game (particularly when working players aged 16-18) I have been reflecting on lately is how we support the development of character traits like resilience, persistence, collaboration, perseverance and courage – attributes that will help young people develop beyond the game.
Don’t get me wrong, fundamentally, I believe in ideas like equal game time in youth development, trying to support every individual and ensuring success is about more than just results.
However, there are moments in the season or when working in more performance-focused contexts as youth players transition towards senior football, where earning a start for the team, contributing as a teammate off the field, contributing off the bench, or dealing with setbacks like non-selection, injuries or other forms of adversity can help young players understand that in life, things don’t come free.
During these moments, we must ensure clear, honest and candid communication.
If you sit down with a 16-year-old player and explain your reasons, (having built enough trust over time with them that they know you care), they may not like it, but they may accept it (and benefit from it) in the long run.
The same goes for providing feedback. Failure is inevitable in the learning process.
I love building my players up, focusing on what went well and will spend well over 80% of my video review sessions focussing on success or examples of performance in line with our playing style.
But at times, when things aren’t where we want them to be, we need to be honest, provide critical feedback and support processes to help us improve.
Three things to consider
- How do you connect with your players so that in tough moments, you can be honest with them?
- Do you implement any rites of passage through the season where players might have to earn things more? This could be tournaments or more ‘performance’ oriented phases of the season.
- When you do have to provide critical feedback, know whether the recipient can cope with this in a group setting, or perhaps you need to individualise it, sit one-to-one and discuss it.
One thing for you to try this week.
Set yourself a task of having one-to-one performance conversations with players during the season.
Consider how you will approach this, how strong your connection with each player is and how you will adapt your approach based on your relationship with them.
One critical resource on the topic.
Check out this superb article from leading psychologist and pioneer of motivational interviewing, Professor Stephen Rollnick on coach communication and connection.
