Expectations of a Coach

By Peter Schwab
AFL Director of Coaching

Your football season may have started or is just about to. You may be a first time coach; you may have been coaching for years. You may have been asked to be an Auskick coach or you’re a seasoned senior football coach. Whatever your circumstances there will be challenges and expectations.

Recruiting, planning the season, setting up the support staff, establishing the game plan, selecting a leadership group, getting to the know the names of the children and parents will be just some of the tasks in front or hopefully behind you.

But if there is one crucial element in the coaching process you need to understand:

“What is expected of you by those who have entrusted you with the job?”

No matter what level you are coaching you need to know how your performance will be measured.

At AFL level a coach, regardless of whether he is a first year coach or a seasoned veteran, needs to know from his Board what is expected of him.

If the Board hasn’t told him, the coach needs to work it out with the playing group and football operations staff and then present to the Board.

Trouble always arises when the expectations of the Board are out of synch with the coach. There needs to be a realistic measure of what will constitute a successful season.

In the cut throat world of professional and semi-professional sport I have listed below just some of the questions around expectation that a coach needs to answer:

1.     Where will the team finish?

2.     How many wins will that take?

3.     How will you manage and assess the players and staff performances?

4.     How do you intend to promote a learning environment?

5.     What are your medical plans?

6.     What are your fitness plans?

7.     What is the strategy for building the playing list?

8.     What is your plan for attracting the best support staff and coaching structure?

9.     What do you have to achieve to be re-contracted?

10.   What are the Board’s expectations?

All this is a daunting task for a coach, but is essential to present a united and clear view of where the Club is at and where it will be going.

If, as the season unfolds, the expectations are not likely to be achieved a coach will need to explain to the Board why expectations have not been met. The reasons must be valid and evidence based, not just excuses.

But it is not just AFL, at all levels coaches need to meet with the people responsible for appointing them so they are clear on what is expected.

Write them down; constantly assess yourself and the team against them as the season progresses.

An Auskick coach has expectations which may be as simple as:

1.     Teach the children to kick and handball with correct technique and to mark the ball on chest.

2.     Constantly encourage and reinforce effort and efficiency.

3.     Create an enjoyable experience.

Any Auskick coach not fulfilling these basic expectations needs to consider what he or she is trying to do with young boys and girls who are learning the game.

Any junior coach should have as one of their measurable outcomes that the youngsters they coach will return to play next year.

Remember at junior level this process does not need to be exacting. Just some basic outcomes you as coach, the players you are coaching and the Club agree are worthwhile striving for.

If I had to give one pointer to junior coaches I would say focus on the development of the individual within the collective environment.

Coaching is about teaching those under your care to be more effective and efficient at what they do.

If all the players you coach improved then you have achieved regardless of the win/loss ratio.

One of the biggest challenges in coaching junior players is that training sessions must suit the whole group generally, rather than assist the individual with skill development.

There are of course a number of reasons for this, such as a shortage of time, coaching assistance and lack of equipment. Another area to address is the varying degrees of skill amongst the group and the fact that their  attention span is short.
We will attempt to address some of the obvious problems so that when you start working with the youngsters you will be able to address these problems.
Junior coaching is one of the most satisfying parts of football and one of the most important for the future of the players development.  The booklet is an A5 size easy to throw in your kit bag.

Keep up the great work.
Happy Coaching
John “Swooper” Northey

To purchase go to shop

In Phoenix , Arizona  a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia.

Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination.
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams.                                                                                              Now that was no longer possible..
The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son’s dream to come true.
She took her son’ s hand and asked,

‘Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up?
Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?’
Mommy, ‘I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.’
Mom smiled back and said, ‘Let’s see if we can make your wish come true.’

Later that day she went to her local fire Department in Phoenix , Arizona , where she met
Fireman Bob, who had! a heart as big as Phoenix
She explained her son’s final wish and Asked if it might be possible
to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine
Fireman Bob said, ‘Look, we can do better than that. If you’ll have your son ready at
seven o’clock Wednesday morning, we’ll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day.
He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!
And if you’ll give us his sizes, we’ll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat – not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.’
‘They’re all manufactured right here in Phoenix , so we can get them fast.’

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck.
Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station.
He was in heaven.
There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls.
He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic’s’ van, and even the fire chief’s car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched was Billy, that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept – that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and
asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, ‘We can do better than that.
We’ll be there in five minutes.. Will you please do me a favor?

When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the
PA system that there is not a fire?’
‘It’s the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time.. And will
you open the window to his room?’
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy’s third floor open window—-16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room
With his mother’s permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him.

With His dying breath,
Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,
‘Chief, am I really a fireman now?’
‘Billy, you are,  Jesus, is holding your hand,’ the chief said With those words, Billy smiled and said,
‘I know, He’s Been holding my hand all day, and  The angels have been Singing..’

He closed his eyes one last time.

Please pass this on to as many players, club officials and members.

This Story is powerful and there is nothing attached,
Uplifting stories are one of the best  Gifts we receive.
There is no cost, but a lot of rewards, let’s Continue to uplift one another.

True Story

“How lucky are we”

playing-positions

Players rely on parents to get them to training each week and will also be unavailable on occasions, as they are required to go on holidays or family outings, which take priority over football games. Unlike senior selection where it is a panel of people making decision, the junior coach nearly always completes this task on his own with the loyal support of his team manager. Players are notified at training each week and the coach then keeps his fingers crossed, hoping that all players turn up. Communication is vital to both player and parent should a person not be selected to play. We have an absolute responsibility to the game to ensure that no player leaves for another sport, just because he feels that he is not being given a fair go. Parents play an important role in this area as they can monitor the disappointment and encourage the young player to hang in there when he or she feel hard done by.
Remember that we are coaching to develop football and life skills for these young players and it is not all about winning each game that we coach.
Influence – The one thing that has always amazed me in football over the last 20 years is how big an influence the junior sporting coach is on the development of a young person. There are a lot of young people who rely heavily on the support of their football coach. He or she is the person who gives them encouragement, advice and confidence. Players will remember more from their sporting coaches than they will from a lot of other areas of their lives. In this day of age where young people do not have the sporting idols or role models available to them, this responsibility falls to parents and coaches. With parents being forced to work long hours each week, the coach is the obvious person that young people will lean on for support. Accept the responsibility and keep the importance of the position you have accepted in mind whenever you talk to a young player.
Rotations - If you have a large number of players available, then rotating all players is not only fair, it is the only way for players to learn to handle minor set backs that will confront them as they progress to the higher levels in years to come. Do not just rotate a handful of your lesser players each week. Work to a system of rotating all players where they may only miss one or two games for the year. Discuss with your players at the start of the season, the need to treat all players equally in terms of development and then follow that up by sticking to your word. Do not fall for the trap of leaving players out when they are due to play, just because you are playing a stronger team. Players place a lot of trust in their football coach and will be very disappointed to be let down by a person who they consider to be a friend.
Positions – Another issue for all coaches that needs to be addressed. Players need to learn how to play a number of positions at a young age and the only way this will happen is when you show a willingness to give them a go. Do not leave a player in a key position all game or each week, just because he likes playing there or you consider him to be the best player. You will never know the capabilities of each of your players or be able to monitor their development, if you do not give them opportunity. This is one way for the coach to be tested in terms of whether he places a greater emphasis on winning as opposed to developing. Consider these issues at selection each week and understand that there are many long-term gains.
Communication – Coaches who can communicate will be successful in developing young players and guiding them through the ups and downs they will be confronted with throughout the course of the football season. Set the rules at the start of the season and then work hard to support them by continually communicating with your players individually and collectively. They need feedback on areas to improve encouragement and support when they are struggling, a pat on the back when they are playing well or showing signs of improvement. When it is their turn to miss out as you are rotating the team each week, make sure that you take the time to speak with them. Give them a role on match day if possible and make sure they still feel part of the team. Communication is the best skill a coach can have. Always be very positive to your players. Tell them what they need to hear and then always follow any negative with at least two positives.
Leadership - The most frustrating part of senior coaching is to see so many players progress through to the higher levels of football without leadership skills. Because this is such a big problem, I would encourage all junior coaches to consider the importance of leadership development for all players you coach. I would like to see coaches rotate their captaincy roles each week to ensure that all young players have the opportunity to enjoy and develop a liking for being the team leader. Set a couple of tasks for the team leader on his day. It may be as simple as tossing the coin and then talking to his team-mates. It may be that he must get up at the completion of the match and report on how his team went for the day. Whatever you decide, remember that it is important to expose players to this role at an early age.