Progressing Your Coaching and the Game!
GROW Model & Coaching
Coming into the last phase of the season it is important to review what has gone well and what needs working on, not only on the pitch but also as a coach. Coaches often fail to review their delivery properly after a training session and rarely if ever at the end of the season. A really useful tool is to use GROW (Goals / Reality / Options / Will) - or (G) what do you want ?/ (R) where are you now?/(O) what could you do? / (W) what will you do?
Here's performance psychologist, John Neal exploring the importance of curiosity for progressive and effective coaching. Think about this when evaluating your Options
As a head coach you can use GROW as a tool for your co-coaches, as the lead in a Youth section you can use it for age group coaches or simply for yourself. Coaches are usually reflectors and activists so make this a part of your coaching and grow!
Hierarchy of Contact
How often does a contact/collision session start with rucking and smashing into pads? Going forward, it is essential to remember that the ruck is the last action you should take when carrying the ball into contact or collisions, not the first! Why not put more emphasis on coaching the offload to get your players thinking of a different outcome, other than the ruck!
The Women's Game
Living in Catalunya one of the most interesting aspects of the game over here has been the age that girls can play the game - they continue to play with the boys up to the age of 16. This has resulted in there being far fewer dropouts from the game, their core skills set often exceed the boys, their game understanding is excellent. Their transition into adult game is managed much better, and the club connection is very strong - women's rugby seems to be in a good place here - they enjoy it too. This idea of girls and boys playing alongside each other until aged 16 might throw some peoples arms up in the air, so let RCD know what you think! I can only go on what I am seeing. Feel free to contact us on email, twitter or facebook!
NB I have read the World Rugby Guidelines and they are do not discuss physiological reasoning more sociological - which is fine - still waiting for research to say that is harmful for girls to play with boys - they do Karate, Judo, many different contact martial arts together, just a thought.
If you are looking to set up a school or club account with RCD then please get in touch with info@rugbycoachingdrills.com
