Thoughts on modern coaching …
Over the past three decades Australian football has seen many changes in the structure, function and organisation of the sport.
Amateur clubs now follow the lead of the AFL competition in adopting a professional approach to the marketing, administration and operating of their organisations.
The term ‘business’ was not given much thought twenty years ago when referring to a football club as the cost to run their facilities was borne in the main by the players fees, revenue from social functions and bar and canteen turnovers.
Increased costs due to football association fees, local government ground hire, insurance, medical support, club strip, maintenance and other outgoings, all adding to the financial burden clubs face during the year.
Today leading amateur clubs rely heavily on sponsorship to offset the cost of coaches and so called ‘elite’ players who demand to be paid for their services.
The selection of a coach has a profound effect on the welfare of the club and needs careful consideration. As for the employment of elite players, this is a subject for another weekly topic!
Jack Ensor who was a senior coach with the Perth Football Club for many years, said that a football club was a learning organisation and through its activities, members gained a great deal through the notion of self- development.
He believed that players learnt through the discipline of teamwork, to become highly motivated people in the community.
His coaching method was not strongly hierarchical, as he believed hierarchical structures did not lend themselves to players taking responsibility for their own actions and wishing to learn from their mistakes.
In team-based structures, this has implications for the way modern coaches could perceive their roles and the way their team is reacting and performing.
I believe that by the time players have reached the stage of senior football they have a good understanding of the game through junior coaching and their exposure through the media, as well as their friends and teammates.
Drawing out this knowledge coaches using simple questioning techniques regarding training and playing, encourages these younger members to have input into club activity. This also enables senior players to pass on experience and suggestions for team improvement.
Your thoughts would be appreciated, Watto!
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Cnr. Lawnbrook and Boronia Roads, Walliston WA 6076 (08) 9291 0876 http://lesmurdieclub.com
