10 Tips for Coaching Junior Sport — BASC

Take home message

junior coaching is very important. you are influencing lifelong sport and health habits.

For Coaches

Above all, make it fun.
Do your sports Level 0 and Level 1 courses. Learn how to structure your sessions and plan. Show care by having a plan.

For Athletes who coach

Your influence as a role model and mentor is significant. Do not underestimate your impact. Be fun.

Not only has the COVID-19 kept our elite athletes at home, but the future generation as well. Kids all over the country are impatiently waiting to dust off the hockey sticks and footy boots when community sport is re-started (not to mention their parents are also excited!). Whilst there has been a significant setback to resourcing community sport, I am hopeful that this crisis will see an adjustment that allocates more resources and attention to these critical developmental years.

Through involvement as a parent, I have witnessed many junior sport training and carnival weekends. I have watched many of these with a fair level of frustration too as under-resourced volunteers do their best to engage the next generation. Most often, junior coaches are volunteers doing the best they can. I will present 10 tips below for coaches working in junior sport, all targeted at the following two rules:

Rule number 1 - Have fun. Isn’t that why anyone took up any sport at any time? With juniors, we want them to have fun and come back. From the sports perspective, more players playing means more players to choose from for representative teams which leads to local success, to state success and maybe national success. So it is the sports interest to make participation fun. Socially, having fun means more active people (that’s got to be a good result for the community too!). Perhaps I get this from my Dad who, as the umpire, always maneuvered the match and made sure that every kid at the junior footy game got a kick.

Rule number 2 - Remember Rule number 1. Have fun.

Here are my tips to junior sport coaches to help:

1 - Don’t over coach. I will say it again as this really “grinds my gears”. It is not a session on the theory of hitting, or the theory of kicking, or theory of throwing or running or where to stand. It is a practical. Kids spend all day in the classroom. They do not come to training for more theory. Run them around. Set up drills and games, that are simple and flow and they will pick it up. A coaching tip or two here or there and let them have fun.

2 - Lining up. When was the last time you had fun standing in a line? Never. You had fun when you got to the front of the line, so make the line as small as possible. Change your drill, order more balls (they don’t all need to be the same flash brand of ball) or whatever you need, but get the line down to a minimum. Yes, we need a bit of order and a rest every now and again, but not 7 kids standing in line waiting for 1 kick/hit/shot. It’s infuriating to see large lines.

3 - At underage, no one is a specialist. They’re not a forward or a bowler or a mid-court player. They’re a kid trying to have some fun and learn. Try every position. Even that one kid who is perfect for keeping goals, make sure it’s their choice and they have the option of running around if they want too. There are countless examples in senior elite sport of the player who can play any position because during their development they practiced and played them all.

4 - Kids need discipline. It’s not a boot camp, but it’s not a free for all. Speak to any elite sportsperson and they’ve learnt so much from sport that transfers into life. Discipline is one.

5 - Losing. That’s another lesson from sport and it starts at training. Gee I’ve been in some bad teams. Like, really bad. Once my high school Aussie Rules team lost 120 points to 1 and our 1 was forced (true story)! But losing teaches resilience and that’s important. And let’s not fool ourselves, the kids know the score. We can manipulate the teams or rules at training to make it close and we should. No one wants a “blow out” at junior sport but winning and losing are OK. It’s a part of life.

6 - Parents, get involved. You do not need to have the skills and game knowledge of a Sam Kerr or Steve Smith to kick, catch or throw with the kids at training. Even arriving from work for the last 10 minutes, get out there and show interest. You might have some fun and the kids would love to have their parents out there.

7 - Language. I don’t mean curse words - that’s a given. I’m talking about the flippant or harmless comment to young people with fragile self-esteem that cuts deep. Choose your words very carefully. Criticising in front of peers can be traumatic. You have tremendous power to be an inspiring figure in their lives. Do not underestimate the power you have as a junior coach. Ask any elite player and they will, in an instant, name that positive coach who put them on the path. And it was unlikely to be their technical knowledge that sparked the player, but the confidence they instilled. Be that coach.

8 - Participation versus performance. This is tricky and I may sound a bit contradictory. I work with senior international athletes where it’s all about performance. And it probably irritates some people when I’m around junior sport and I couldn’t care what the score is, or who gets selected in the Under 12 Academy/Development/Rep squad. I’m concerned with fairness, with everyone having a go. Is the environment challenging and rewarding for the “best” player to the “worst” player? It is not for sheep stations. There’s nothing as irritating for me as the local junior coach whose teams has has the unbeatable lead who chooses to keep their best players in the best positions. That does not help anyone. Rotate.

9 - Junior elite. Let’s be clear. In my opinion, that is a complete oxymoron. You’re either junior or you’re elite. Not both. You can be an outstanding junior, the best underage tennis player in the world. Rodger Federer is elite. I’m all for pathways for talented youngsters, a place to nurture talent and drive. But at these most vulnerable teenage years, let’s educate and nourish our young talent and resist the urge to push them into the ‘next thing’. We need to encourage our children to stay in sport and not be pressured to be the best.

10 - Remember rule number 1.

I’m hoping in the post-COVID period that grass roots sports, which currently seem decimated, will bloom like a well pruned tree, returning stronger and more fruitful. I cannot wait to see the kids running around again.

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post (or previous ones) please consider sharing via your favourite social (a couple of links below) and signing up to my regular fortnightly email, by clicking on the “Subscribe” button below. When you subscribe, new posts will be delivered to your inbox.

Thanks again. BA.