LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT the fight is won and lost far away from witnesses… behind the lines, in the gym and out on the road, long before I dance.

  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

“ the fight is won and lost far away from witnesses… behind the lines , in the gym and out on the road , long before I dance under those lights “ Muhammad Ali

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AT THE CORE

COACHING THE WHOLE PERSONPlayer development ;Is about accelerating growth and learning on many levelsGrowth as a person and as a playerBoth should not operate in conflictAny compromise in personal development will compromise player developmentGood coaches will recognise that long term football success begins and ends with strong fully developed peopleIf player development is to be effective it must address the needs of the complete person

  Long term player development

“ perhaps the single most important element in mastering the techniques and tactics of racing is experience. But once you have the fundamentals , acquiring the experience is a matter of time “ Greg Le Mond – World Cycling champion

LTPD is best considered in terms of CAPACITIESGrowth expands capacityCapacity for Football and Capacity for lifeCapacities are Hierarchical and Multi-DimensionalThe objective in high-level development squad training is to expand the capacities at all levels of the performance pyramidAchieved by properly balancing periods of stress and recovery in each phaseTraining concept is simple – No Stress = No Growth ; No Recovery = No Growth Stress and Recovery must be applied by the coach in all phases of player development

 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

HIGH PERFORMANCE PYRAMID

Peak performance under Pressure

Spiritual Capacities

Mental Capacities

Emotional Capacities

Physical Capacities

 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

EXPANDING PHYSICAL CAPACITY

At the base of the pyramid and of player developmentCoaches spend hours honing these capacities I.e. cardio-respiratory fitness, flexibility, strength and physical recovery skillsTraining stress applied by the coach prepares the player to execute game skills under pressureEqually important is the recovery period built inImportant are ; diet ; sleep ; rest and hydrationStress exposure is applied by the coach but recovery should be jointly managed by he coach/player and parentsBreakdown in this area can have an effect up and down the pyramid

  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “ to give yourself the best possible chance of playing to your potential you must prepare for every eventuality. That means practice” Seve Ballesteros

Key Principles of expanding physical capacityEmphasis on general physical conditioningSpecial window of opportunity on developing strength and speedIncreased technical work on game skills and good practice techniquesIntroduce individual training programme dependent on specific needs associated with roles within team and stage of growth and developmentMonitored flexibility programmeProvision of mental skills and mental toughness programmeRemedial programme support i.e. help with technical skills or other areas of skill deficiency

 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Key Principles cont’dReinforce positive attitudes and behaviours on and off the pitchTeaching of performance lifestyle skills i.e nutrition, diet, hydration, drug education, balance of study/work/rest/play and time managementContinued participation in complementary sports although towards the end of the phase moving towards specialisationDevelop autonomy, independence and responsibilityGaelic Games specific technical and tactical work in competitive situations creating opportunities to make key decisions ; decide on best methods ; make judgements ; assess risks ; learn from mistakes ; create pressure ; recognise key match momentsUse senior players to mentor and guide

  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

“ people who enjoy what they are doing usually do it well” Joe Gibbs – US Superbowl Coach of Washington Redskins

Expanding Emotional CapacityAble to summon right emotional response in match time – just as important as right physical responseCoach needs to develop players emotional self-control and regulationPressure of match situation can summon negative responses i.e fear, anger, frustration, disappointment etcControlling these emotional responses just as important as controlling physical responsesOne of the GREATEST challenges facing a coachPlayers must be trained to respond to challenges not from fear but self-growth and discovery – meet the challenge head on with confidence

 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

WHAT TO DO TO DEVELOP EMOTIONAL CAPACITY ?Establish routines in emotional goal setting, accountability, anger and fear management, confidence building Have pre-match routines , between point rituals and post match briefings – focus on effective self-regulation and controlAs in physical training the greater the emotional force applied i.e. competitive pressure – the greater the need for emotional recovery Making training FUN can help lift players emotionallyActivities and a life away from gaelic Games is goodCoaches must work closely with parents to eliminate problems occuringInsufficient rest, sleep, low blood sugar etc can cause the wrong emotional response from a player during critical phase of game time e.g. free in last minuteBreakdown in this area can have an effect up and down pyramid

  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT“Enjoy the journey…. Enjoy every moment and quit worrying about winning and

losing “ Matt Biondi – Olympic Swimming champion

Expanding Mental CapacityTo help players concentrate fully during competitionKey areas – positive thinking ; visualisation ; mental preparation and time managementApplies on and off field – up and down pyramidSloppy approach in this can affect players ability to perform under pressureNegative self-talk can lead to loss of control emotionally (anger) = poor performanceLow blood sugar can lead to –irritable player = lack concentration = poor performanceCoaches help by getting players to think and talk positively about themselves – use positive images and role models pre/during/post games – on and off fieldImportant to build in mental recovery – non stop thinking of games = staleness/burnoutNeed to build in break from training/competition to keep players stimulatedCoach must work with players/parents to ensure hobbies/friends/work exists

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT“ Coach John Wooden enjoyed winning but he never put it before everything. He

was more concerned that we became successful as human beings… his philosophies have been instilled for a lifetime “

Karem Abdul Jabbar – American Basketball Star on Coach John Wooden – who was one of the most successful college basketball coaches in collegiate history

Expanding Spiritual CapacityEvery person is made up of Body, Mind and Spirit – Human Spirit is endlessHow do you as a Coach harness this?Is winning trophies, titles, hero worship more important to you as a coach/person than Honesty/Integrity/Respect/Truth and Bravery of Character?If you as a Coach can develop this aspect of a player you have a most powerful weaponIf a player can develop this aspect they can use it to overcome , fatigue, frustration and discomfort and deal with failure /disappointment more positively – stronger player/personCoaches help by getting players to develop their capacity for handling pressure , personal ethics, discipline, passion, courage and self-controlLinking core values with football development needs co-operation coach/parentsPoor sportsmanship/cheating/disrespect will flourish where core values do not exist

 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARYFocus on refinement and precision of skills – include technical mastery and tactical understandingRecognise growth spurt and hormonal changesUnderstand peer group influencesIncrease intensity and develop mental aspects of preparationAllow players to have an input into trainingDevelop players to analyse on-field situations and problem-solving skillsExpect questioning/challenges from playersCommunicate with parents regularlyAdd strength, nutrition and stretching – develop coreRefer to your own medical back up for regular assistance with physical exams and checkupsMonitor for over training