Ideas To Take Into Next Session!
Here are some ideas and concepts we think every coach should try!
Change your style to fit the situation
Can you identify your coaching style? Coaches tend to adopt different styles of delivery, autocratic (tell) / democratic (sell) / laissez- faire. Coaches have a tendency to be one when actually they need to use these various styles in different contexts. For example, you may very often use a tell style when delivering a tackle or scrum session where safety is paramount and you need to ensure that players get the information they need. You will adopt a sell style when you want to know what the players know, maybe using questions as well. The use of a laissez-faire style is also used when you let the players decide for themselves the direction of training . This may be viewed as a lack of control but if used properly is a more advanced methodology; player led and focused.
New ideas
All coaches struggle with being innovative, very often repeating the same message. Sessions are dull and boring, players are struggling to be motivated and you as a coach are finding sessions difficult to get excited for. Search the site for new ideas, often watching other coaches interact with their players is enough to stimulate some change! There are plenty of drills and games on RugbyCoaching.tv to find some great new ideas for your session.
Ask more questions
Coaches fall into the trap far too often of thinking that they have to impart or tell their players everything they know about the game, how to play, when to play. All this knowledge just given to the player very often isn’t absorbed or understood. A rock solid way to know if they understand what you have been coaching them, if they get it, is to ask Questions!
More Games and Technical Knowledge
Coaching goes through many phases and periods where different ideas or processes are en-vogue. From a drill based approach, technical and positional style coaching, Auckland grids, gamesbased coaching and finally context and scenario coaching.
A well rounded coach must be able to adapt to any scenario and provide levels of guidance and coaching that meet the needs of the players and the team. Your ability to have a balanced approach of using games whilst also being up to speed with technical coaching and positional knowledge will empower you as a coach, delivering far better sessions. Without a relevant level of technical knowledge you will fail to spot errors and fault correct what you see and therefore fail to coach.