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Winning is
everything... There's no prize for coming second... If winning isn't
important, why do we keep score?
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BenRadford/GettyImages |
Heard these
clichés? Of course. But, in the context of youth development, how
important is winning a game?
Clearly, if you are going to play a game, there
is little point in not trying to win it. However, the problem with
much of youth football today is that winning has become too
important and the development of players has been sacrificed for the
result.
In England, as
elsewhere, we have many youth leagues. Success is easily and
invariably measured by results each week and the league standings.
But if the emphasis is predominantly on results what mindset does
this put the coach and the players in? Training, tactics and team
selection will be based around the next game. Long-term development
of players is sacrificed for the 'quick fix'. Ask yourself these
questions in relation to your team:
1. Does everyone get equal time?
2. Does the coach encourage players to express themselves and learn
in a game?
3. Does the team selection and tactic revolve around a few more
physically able/mature players?
4. Does the coach invariably bench perceived weaker players even
when the team is winning?
If your coach
were doing these things then I would challenge his/her emphasis.
Players need to learn a variety of positions. They need to be
encouraged to express themselves and make decisions without fear -
fear of being criticised or fear of losing.
Coaches,
parents and players must think in the long-term. Training,
development programmes and matches must be based around a long-term
development programme that works on every aspect of player
development and caters for individual needs. Chances are your coach
doesn't have such a plan and just 'lives' for the next game. But as
in any other educational activity there is (or should be) a syllabus
or plan to work to.
Don’t forget
that an individual, and a team, can play well and lose. So when your
son or daughter comes home from soccer don’t ask 'Did you win'? You
should be asking 'How did you play?'
The second
question also reinforces in your child that her performance is not
being measured by the result of the match. The result is just one
indicator of performance and, at youth levels, not the most
important one.
Children want
to make their parents happy. If a parent over-emphasises the result,
so will the child. Don't say winning isn't important, just don't
make it the most important thing.
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Winning – what
does it mean?
Maybe we as
coaches and parents need to redefine winning.
Winning to me
is to have everyone still playing at U12 that started at U6.
Winning is
giving the children a passion for the game they can enjoy for life.
Winning is
challenging every player to achieve realistic goals based on the
child's individual abilities.
Winning is
giving them positive role models.
Think of the
difference the child sees in coaches who want their kids to have fun
versus those coaches screaming at the players, the ref and each
other across the field.
Soccer can be
enjoyed at all ages. Let's not drive the next Mia Hamm or David
Beckham from soccer at U7 because of our misguided concept of
winning.
Let them have
fun and remember it's their game!
WorldWideSport.com
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Understanding why children
participate in soccer
By: Dr. Colleen Hacker, NSCAA National Academy Staff
Coach and Professor of Sports Psychology at Pacific Lutheran
University; Tacoma, Wash. Reproduced courtesy of the
North Alabama Soccer League
A majority of
the reasons children participate in sport are intrinsic reasons. The
top priorities are:
-
To learn and
improve their skills
-
To have fun
-
To be with
friends
-
To
experience the excitement of competition
-
To
demonstrate their competence
To enhance
their physical fitness
Notice that
the extrinsic goal of winning and beating others is not at the top
of the list.
Similarly,
when children drop out of soccer, their withdrawal can be traced to
the inability of the sport experience to meet their primary
motivations for participation. The common reasons are:
-
Failing to
learn or improve their skills
-
Not having
fun
-
Not being
with their friends
-
Lack of
excitement, improvisation and creative opportunities
-
Lack of
exercise, meaningful movement and fitness improvements
-
Lack of
optimal challenges and/or consistent failure
Practical
suggestions for coaches:
Encourage
players to measure their performance by improvements in their own,
personal levels of proficiency and ability rather than by comparing
themselves to other players or to other teams based on the game
outcome.
Because
children have several reasons for participation and not just one,
design practices to meet as many different participation motives as
possible (i.e. learning, fun, friendship, fitness, challenge, etc.).
more
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Further reading
PARENTS: Make Your
Child A Winner
by Gary Williamson, NTSSA State Coach
Attack the Play of 5 & 6 Year Olds…
or you can sit back –
relax – and have as much fun as they do!!!!! By Mike Parsons
Fun is gone, kids now
must play games
By Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld.
SPORTS:
WHEN WINNING IS THE ONLY THING, CAN VIOLENCE BE FAR AWAY?
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