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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 19/11/2008 10:02:35
Posts: 3,
Visits: 2,222
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| I've now been helping coach my clubs under 15's side for about 3 weeks now and as it's my first ever experience with coaching all i can say is what a learning curve but so far i'm really enjoying it. In 3 weeks they've had 2 matches so i've had a chance to see all the players play and got a good idea of the skill and commitment level ive got to work with, which to be fair is very good. To cut a long story short they've been together since under 8's but never had a great deal of quality coaching so not had the best last couple of season but they have the talent to improve 10000% with the right coaching. We've got potetially a great pack, with 4 great back rowers in the squad which is gonna make for some tough choices this season. A great 9,10,12 a steady 13 also a full back who is very small but has great basics and alot of guts. Our problem is we have no wingers, no size, pace or power. My question to you guys is what game plan is the best suited to our squad strengths. Also I want to sign up for the weekly coaching sessions what is the best ones to go for if coaching under 15. Stick with the junior ones or go for the senior ones, i know that a bit of a silly question but i haven't read any of them yet and the junior ones could be aimed at really young players eg 8- 13 year olds. Cheers.
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 08:49:15
Posts: 163,
Visits: 194
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1) you have a duty (IMO) to develop the wingers - so a game plan that ignores them is doing them a disservice - they've paid their subs as much as anybody else in the squad as well. You also won't be coach of the year with your senior coaches who at best inherit wingers into the adult sides at your club that haven't been developed, or at worst see those players walk away from the game because nobody is helping them develop.
2) this is youth - its not just about the best game plan to win a game... its about helping ALL players understand the game. Olly Redman deliberatley instructs (instructed?) his U19/Academy teams to play game plans totally unsuited to the conditions at times - a wide handling game in the teeming rain against Australia at Kingsholm springs to mind. If your squad only ever plays the most suited game plan for their current strengths how will they ever learn what is and isn;t appropriate at times, and what they may be able to do that they woulldn;t ever vnormally consider?
3) as such - identify what the wingers need to be better players - analyse their physical, mental, technical and tactical abilities (IIRC somewhere backin the midsts of time somebody posted a possible list of these abilities for all positions... ??). Devise individual coaching program to strengthen them. Provide them with opportunities to use their knowledge. Yeah - you may lose a game or two... but at the end of the day does it matter? In 5 years time your success will be measured in player retention and those players' input in their senior sides, not whether you won or lost two matches in 2009.
Purely IMO. natch.
didds
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