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Building Trust and Rapport with 14-16 yr old group

I am due to take over from a long established coach at a club taking the 14-16 yr old category. I've been helping out and taking half the session for a few weeks now and come Sept the other coach will step back and leave it to me most weeks. The group is mixed ability with up 20-30 coming each week to an hour long session. Some do play in league games and a number come for the social aspect. One thing I have noticed is that I sometimes struggle to get them to listen and carry out instructions properly. I also think there is a bit of testing on their part as I am new and they want to see what they can get away with! Any tips for building up a bit more trust and rapport with the group? I think my lesser experience comes through at times (have been a coach for 2 years now and mainly taken ladies groups who are at a lower level player wise).
Anne-Marie Clegg, Netball Player, England
Asked:
Answers: 0

It is most important that they do not know you are concerned about your lesser experience. Be confident and prepared for trainings. Take a look at the latest Sportplan blog regarding building trust in a team:  https://www.sportplan.net/drills/blog/secrets-to-success-2017-07-10.jsp 

Jaime Bracewell, Netball Administrator, England
Answered:

I'm a new coach (who's never played netball before) and I coach this same age category (I have done coach development programs and co-coached for two years). What helps me is my enthusiasm for the game - I love it. I think the girls latch on to that. Being prepared is also a big one. My girls all have more experience playing netball and if I'm not prepared with talks and drills their focus is just off. BTW, maintaining focus with this age group is difficult (confirmed to me by other more experienced coaches) there is just so much going on in their life with high school, boyfriends, after school work, etc. Is the group you coach as big as 20-30 girls? Are you able to organise the session plans in a way that has you talking to smaller groups. Maybe start of one group with a warm up that they can self manage and have your talk with the other group and then switch? To keep up the momentum, maybe enlist the help of some of your players to help set up the drills? I find that if I leave too much time between drills, I lose momentum and have to work that much harder to get their focus back onto it. Hope this helps.

, Netball Coach, Australia
Answered:

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  • search our library of 700+ netball drills
  • create your own professional coaching plans
  • or access our tried and tested plans