Under 12 championships - no more Go Games

[AZOffaly]

My experience in that area is limited because I have stopped coaching my son's age group for that particular reason. I feel like I'd be too hard on him, not because I would not want to be biased towards him, but because I am always more aware of what he is doing in a match, good and bad, and I'm too aware of the bad so I feel like I'm constantly 'coaching' him, and I want to be his Da, not his coach. I still help out with that age group (because they have 3 teams I am sometimes given a team to look after for a blitz or whatever), but I always try to take a team he is not on, or else if he is on the team I'm with, I am very conscious that I try not focus on what he is doing. And I always ask him afterwards, first thing, 'Did you enjoy that? Ye did very well, ye are coming on a lot'. He knows himself if he does well or not, and he asks me for tips, or advice, and I'm only too delighted to give it, but I really, really don't want to be the 'You need to get stuck in more, you need to get faster, you need to practise more etc etc' type of Da. I prefer to encourage him to work on his skills, work on reading the game, and enjoying himself, and I find I can do that easier when I'm not his coach.

I also said it to him by the way, because it's important he understands the reason I'm not coaching him is based on wanting the best for him, not because I think it's not worth my time or something like that. Initally he wanted me to continue coaching them, but now I think he prefers it like this.

[johnneycool]

My experience in that area is limited because I have stopped coaching my son's age group for that particular reason. I feel like I'd be too hard on him, not because I would not want to be biased towards him, but because I am always more aware of what he is doing in a match, good and bad, and I'm too aware of the bad so I feel like I'm constantly 'coaching' him, and I want to be his Da, not his coach. I still help out with that age group (because they have 3 teams I am sometimes given a team to look after for a blitz or whatever), but I always try to take a team he is not on, or else if he is on the team I'm with, I am very conscious that I try not focus on what he is doing. And I always ask him afterwards, first thing, 'Did you enjoy that? Ye did very well, ye are coming on a lot'. He knows himself if he does well or not, and he asks me for tips, or advice, and I'm only too delighted to give it, but I really, really don't want to be the 'You need to get stuck in more, you need to get faster, you need to practise more etc etc' type of Da. I prefer to encourage him to work on his skills, work on reading the game, and enjoying himself, and I find I can do that easier when I'm not his coach.

I also said it to him by the way, because it's important he understands the reason I'm not coaching him is based on wanting the best for him, not because I think it's not worth my time or something like that. Initally he wanted me to continue coaching them, but now I think he prefers it like this.

I've been in that situation as well and IMO you're better stepping out of it, but there are other parents/coaches who it doesn't seem to bother and to be fair don't treat their own kids any differently to the others.

In relation to U12's, in Down Hurling there's a league of fixtures so to speak, but no winners at the end of the year (used to grade into separate leagues later on) and the games are three periods of 20 minutes. The score is kept for only the first period and the third period with the middle period set aside to give the weaker lads a run out and IMO it works pretty well by in large and I'd hate to see it change.

[AZOffaly]

My experience in that area is limited because I have stopped coaching my son's age group for that particular reason. I feel like I'd be too hard on him, not because I would not want to be biased towards him, but because I am always more aware of what he is doing in a match, good and bad, and I'm too aware of the bad so I feel like I'm constantly 'coaching' him, and I want to be his Da, not his coach. I still help out with that age group (because they have 3 teams I am sometimes given a team to look after for a blitz or whatever), but I always try to take a team he is not on, or else if he is on the team I'm with, I am very conscious that I try not focus on what he is doing. And I always ask him afterwards, first thing, 'Did you enjoy that? Ye did very well, ye are coming on a lot'. He knows himself if he does well or not, and he asks me for tips, or advice, and I'm only too delighted to give it, but I really, really don't want to be the 'You need to get stuck in more, you need to get faster, you need to practise more etc etc' type of Da. I prefer to encourage him to work on his skills, work on reading the game, and enjoying himself, and I find I can do that easier when I'm not his coach.

I also said it to him by the way, because it's important he understands the reason I'm not coaching him is based on wanting the best for him, not because I think it's not worth my time or something like that. Initally he wanted me to continue coaching them, but now I think he prefers it like this.

I've been in that situation as well and IMO you're better stepping out of it, but there are other parents/coaches who it doesn't seem to bother and to be fair don't treat their own kids any differently to the others.

In relation to U12's, in Down Hurling there's a league of fixtures so to speak, but no winners at the end of the year (used to grade into separate leagues later on) and the games are three periods of 20 minutes. The score is kept for only the first period and the third period with the middle period set aside to give the weaker lads a run out and IMO it works pretty well by in large and I'd hate to see it change.

That sounds like a great idea.

[magpie seanie]

Interesting discussion. Thanks guys. I've been involved with our U6 and U8 teams in recent years both coaching and planning/organising and our biggest problem was rival clubs. We had big numbers and entered two squads or roughly equal ability, boys and girls together. Our nearest and dearest, despite us outlining this plan at the outset and them being contacted to "remind" them, arrived out with their 11 strongest lads and whipped our U8's. The cheers of their supporters gall me to this day. The one nugget from that day was just before the final quarter when I was saying a few words to them about how their skills were improving...."what's the score?" one lad said. Our mantra as coaches was always to say "it's level" but we were being whipped. There was a silence and I just said..."we got a couple of scores in that period....I think it's about level", cringing at myself as I said it. Quick as a flash one of the young lads says - yeah, I think it's level, come on guys, and away off they went. The kids didn't really notice....it was only us adults who were fuming. I learned a lesson there and then.

[AZOffaly]

Interesting discussion. Thanks guys. I've been involved with our U6 and U8 teams in recent years both coaching and planning/organising and our biggest problem was rival clubs. We had big numbers and entered two squads or roughly equal ability, boys and girls together. Our nearest and dearest, despite us outlining this plan at the outset and them being contacted to "remind" them, arrived out with their 11 strongest lads and whipped our U8's. The cheers of their supporters gall me to this day. The one nugget from that day was just before the final quarter when I was saying a few words to them about how their skills were improving...."what's the score?" one lad said. Our mantra as coaches was always to say "it's level" but we were being whipped. There was a silence and I just said..."we got a couple of scores in that period....I think it's about level", cringing at myself as I said it. Quick as a flash one of the young lads says - yeah, I think it's level, come on guys, and away off they went. The kids didn't really notice....it was only us adults who were fuming. I learned a lesson there and then.

I'll give you a better one. There was a rule (u12s I think) where you had to play all players at least a half. So we used to bring maybe 18 players (This was before we had enough for two teams).  IT was 13 a side I think. Anyway, some of the other clubs actually told their weaker players to stay at home, so they only brought 14 or 15, that way they only had to bring on 2 subs instead of our 5 or 6. It was unreal.

[The Gs Man]

I hope their seniors get relegated! 

[No wides]

Interesting discussion. Thanks guys. I've been involved with our U6 and U8 teams in recent years both coaching and planning/organising and our biggest problem was rival clubs. We had big numbers and entered two squads or roughly equal ability, boys and girls together. Our nearest and dearest, despite us outlining this plan at the outset and them being contacted to "remind" them, arrived out with their 11 strongest lads and whipped our U8's. The cheers of their supporters gall me to this day. The one nugget from that day was just before the final quarter when I was saying a few words to them about how their skills were improving...."what's the score?" one lad said. Our mantra as coaches was always to say "it's level" but we were being whipped. There was a silence and I just said..."we got a couple of scores in that period....I think it's about level", cringing at myself as I said it. Quick as a flash one of the young lads says - yeah, I think it's level, come on guys, and away off they went. The kids didn't really notice....it was only us adults who were fuming. I learned a lesson there and then.

I'll give you a better one. There was a rule (u12s I think) where you had to play all players at least a half. So we used to bring maybe 18 players (This was before we had enough for two teams).  IT was 13 a side I think. Anyway, some of the other clubs actually told their weaker players to stay at home, so they only brought 14 or 15, that way they only had to bring on 2 subs instead of our 5 or 6. It was unreal.

I have been to blitz where stonger teams bring best 11 and one sub with a similar mindset those who get the text are invited. What that says to the other lads or why coaches dont see what that says is mind boggling.

[manfromdelmonte]

I was at an U12 blitz last year where our club had the bare minimum of players due to holidays etc

One of our young lads got injured during a game
In the next game the opposing neighbouring club refused to start with the same number of players
"Not our fault ye didn't bring enough players"
They played on. Also didn't make any substitutions until they had us well bet.
Our parents and club learned a very valuable lesson about that club in that one incident

[Croí na hÉireann]

A good tip to deal with the loudmouth at games is to approach them and ask them would they mind helping out with stats for the team. They'll be so busy entering details onto their phone to comment plus you'll have some data for the team.

[magpie seanie]

A good tip to deal with the loudmouth at games is to approach them and ask them would they mind helping out with stats for the team. They'll be so busy entering details onto their phone to comment plus you'll have some data for the team.

That's actually a great idea and our coaching officer has quietly floated that recently. Stats and analysis are a huge part of the game now and while I'd not panic too much about them at those ages it's no harm to get kids familiar with them.....they'll have to deal with them in great detail throughout their lives.

[johnneycool]

Interesting discussion. Thanks guys. I've been involved with our U6 and U8 teams in recent years both coaching and planning/organising and our biggest problem was rival clubs. We had big numbers and entered two squads or roughly equal ability, boys and girls together. Our nearest and dearest, despite us outlining this plan at the outset and them being contacted to "remind" them, arrived out with their 11 strongest lads and whipped our U8's. The cheers of their supporters gall me to this day. The one nugget from that day was just before the final quarter when I was saying a few words to them about how their skills were improving...."what's the score?" one lad said. Our mantra as coaches was always to say "it's level" but we were being whipped. There was a silence and I just said..."we got a couple of scores in that period....I think it's about level", cringing at myself as I said it. Quick as a flash one of the young lads says - yeah, I think it's level, come on guys, and away off they went. The kids didn't really notice....it was only us adults who were fuming. I learned a lesson there and then.

I'll give you a better one. There was a rule (u12s I think) where you had to play all players at least a half. So we used to bring maybe 18 players (This was before we had enough for two teams).  IT was 13 a side I think. Anyway, some of the other clubs actually told their weaker players to stay at home, so they only brought 14 or 15, that way they only had to bring on 2 subs instead of our 5 or 6. It was unreal.

I have been to blitz where stonger teams bring best 11 and one sub with a similar mindset those who get the text are invited. What that says to the other lads or why coaches dont see what that says is mind boggling.

We'd a dickhead manager in our club doing that at underage blitzes where he'd only bring the strong hurlers to 7 or 9 aside blitzes at U10, U12 and so on and now he can't understand why he's struggling to get a panel for U14's and U16's when you go 15 aside.

[Avondhu star]

As regards fathers coaching teams with their son playing I recall under 14 with my son. I was a selector coach etc. I know he didnt like it but no one else would do it. In any case in one game he retaliated against a lad who hit him a slap. He got the red card. After the game I had to address the team about the red carx and keeping discipline. I told them that Mike was wrong to retaliate and that the referee was in charge of dishing out punishment. I also said that if I ever saw any of them taking abuse from an opponent and not defending themselves I would take them off. The son and I were tge best of buddies afterwards

[omagh_gael]

Some great advice here lads. I've just started out coaching/helping out with the u-6s in my local club and my eldest son is playing. Hard to understand some of the attitudes at underage out there!