Effective Communication an essential in team development.
In previous posts we have stressed the importance of the 5 C’s, commitment, concentration, communication, composure and control, elements that contribute to success in premier footy teams.
Effective communication it is one of these essential elements in developing the four other components of the 5 C’s and the development of winning game strategy and tactics.
Many players get sick and tired of their coaches and team-mates harping on about ‘talking more’ before, during and after games because of their personality and to a large extent how they were coached in junior football!
This said, there are many players and coaches who don’t understand what effective communication is during training and when playing.
Effective communication comes in two forms verbal and non-verbal or body language and this applies to most competitive sports.
Verbal communication is demonstrated by a player whose instruction at training and playing is clear and direct and you know he’s there to protect you and give you the confidence to succeed.
An example of non-verbal communication is demonstrated by a player who makes positive ‘full blooded’ leads towards his team-mates to gain possession of the ball. These players inspire confidence in the whole team!
There is nothing worse than a player who makes a half-hearted lead towards the boundary waving one arm in the air signifying ‘Don’t kick it to me!’
Half-hearted leads, without the two forms of communication above denies the player kicking the ball the confidence to hit the target.
Communication when training:
There is an old saying, ‘How you train is how you play’ and from experience this phrase is true.
Helping team-mates at training to improve their skills lifts the quality and tempo of the group effort. This is achieved through encouragement when players succeed and when mistakes are made.
Most players recognise when a training exercise is being performed poorly, you can almost bet on the fact that its being performed without anyone showing any enthusiasm for the task with plenty of mistakes.
Occasionally the coaching staff will suggest an exercise that is difficult however if everyone shows enthusiasm and takes on the task with a positive attitude the difficulties disappear.
The positive and enthusiastic attitude of a team who train and communicate well is carried on to the field on match days.
Note: players who are not selected or who are injured should position themselves around the boundary on match days to encourage their team-mates instead of standing around the coach’s box.
Two types of communication when leading for the ball:
As stated in a previous post, there is no point in making a half-hearted lead, it puts everyone out of position and does not give the player kicking the ball the confidence to hit the target.
Use a loud call and commit yourself fully to the lead, signal that it’s your ball using your name or nickname, this gives your team-mates time to get out of the way and gives you the confidence to take the mark. This applies to long and short leads.
Note: When making a full-blooded lead for the ball, run straight at the player who is delivering it, not at an angle across his foot, this ensures quick delivery and prevents the chance of being spoilt by the opposition.
Practice holding your position at training, then get quickly off the mark, if your using cones for an exercise start your lead well back from the cone and go past it at full pace to receive the ball. Players who are ‘Prisoners of the Cone’ tend to wander off the mark in an exercise, thereby shortening the desired distance the coach wants the exercise over.
Players who ‘wander’ off the mark in a training session tend to do the same thing in games thereby putting themselves out of position. This can be a problem in the forward line where the player drifting out of position usually finds the ball being kicked over their head or if they do take possession, they are too far from goal to be effective. The players in the full forward line then have the responsibility of calling them back into position.
Make your leading an instinctive thing when training as soon as you see an opportunity present yourself or help a team-mate who is struggling to mark or pick the ball up.
Good hard leads become contagious in a team, if you set the example your team-mates will follow!
A player who is a good communicator usually gets picked first in selection and deserves his place in the side!
(Our club is fortunate to have a young enthusiastic side with senior leaders who have played ‘A’ grade football and during the ‘Huddle’ their advice should be taken.)
‘Game on’ communication …
Players around the center bounce should begin encouraging their rucks and rovers to do remarkable things!
This can be achieved by non-verbal communication as the ruckman should have a series of signals he sends to his rovers and centreman which way he is going to attack.
In attack players along the half back line must advise those players in the center who have not run-on to pick up their opponents.
This communication is vital to prevent a problem that young emerging teams have – failure to prevent counter attacks!
If the ruck duel is unsuccessful the centerman can instruct his wingmen to fall back into the opposing back line to crowd the play while remaining with the ruckman across the center line to receive defensive kick-outs.
Ruckmen have the added responsibility of communicating their tactics in defence and attack.
When defending the ball should always be worked towards the boundary with a rover and flank player quickly moving inside the contest along the boundary with their goals in sight.
Note: many players make the mistake of positioning themselves directly in front of the ruck duel and getting ‘swamped’ when the pack collapses around them, leaving them nowhere to go.
The players who are running past the ruck duel along the line of the boundary should also have a ‘go-to man’ at the side of the duel to receive handball or shepherd the inside runners once they have taken possession of the ball.
The same principle applies in attack where the aim of the ruckman is to bring the ball back into the corridor enabling the rovers a clear path in their attack. Again, the runners should have their goals in sight to ‘feed off the front’ and remain balanced for effective delivery to the forwards.
We hope this ‘communication’ is of use to you in your playing career. You can never stop learning once you are a member of a football team and dedicated to constant improvement.
Seek feedback from your senior players and coach regarding your progress and never stop trying to improve!
Your point of view is welcome and will be published, please fill in the comments box at the end of this article.
This page is dedicated to Naja Business Consulting Services,
Proud sponsors of the Lesmurdie Mazenod Cricket Club and the Kalamunda ‘Cougars’ football club
459 Albany Highway, Victoria Park WA 6101 Telephone: 0419 930 467
www.narja.com.au
