The Coaches/Administrators Thread - All Sports

[AZOffaly]

The IRFU now want to form a National Academy from 16s upwards. They are hoping to do away with Youths 18s and Schools 18s and form an Ireland 18s A & B. It was hard enough to get into they system as it was for the late bloomers and I think this well firmly shut the door. In theory Brian O'Driscoll probably wouldn't have made it if this was in place 20 years ago.

I don't understand that at all. It should never be a closed shop.

[Tony Baloney]

The IRFU now want to form a National Academy from 16s upwards. They are hoping to do away with Youths 18s and Schools 18s and form an Ireland 18s A & B. It was hard enough to get into they system as it was for the late bloomers and I think this well firmly shut the door. In theory Brian O'Driscoll probably wouldn't have made it if this was in place 20 years ago.

I don't understand that at all. It should never be a closed shop.

How late is late? Due to a spike in interest from the RWC there have been a few kids just started in my eldest lads u-12 team. It have caused a bit of an issue with training as they don't have sufficient coaches to take the training as it is, never mind dedicating time to going back to the absolute basics for newbies.

[Billys Boots]

Interesting read on one club's view of the (current) pro youth system in Scotland.

For those chasing Pro Youth Football, can I ask you to stop and think for a minute about the piece below.

This Club, 20 years ago was a strong advocate for Pro youth, in that Scottish Football needed a radical change to try and stop the slip down the rankings of World football. However after another failure to qualify for a major championship (the last being 1998), even when they have opened it up to more teams suggests that the system is failing miserably. With Wales and Northern Ireland qualifying and the Republic, with the potential of still qualifying, all who have smaller leagues, is concerning. Progression in Europe with our Club sides is becoming a national embarrassment. This would suggest that the current system isn't working, and millions being spent on it yearly, it is money certainly not wisely spent.

Outwith about six or seven teams in the whole of Scotland, football development is done badly by our senior sides.

I watch parents trail their 12 year old kids all over Scotland to places like East Stirling three times a week, then travel to Peterhead etc for games, committing four and a half hours to training, spending six hours on travelling before you count in games per week, to achieve what, the possibility to play for East Stirling first team, earning less than what they would make in the local McDonalds or Burger King for committing more hours.

Clyde at least had the honesty to bin their Pro youth system, stating that it was failing, and that they had produced one player in all the time they ran their system and even then, he only lasted a short period. The players lack competitive edge and many fail miserably when they drop out at thirteen/fourteen years of age from pro youth when they are deemed not good enough to make it by the senior Club, who have let them go. These kids may have been at that Club for five or six years. They are badly let down by senior Clubs and many feel like failures at such a young age.

When we come to football, parents become irrational, and if you think logically and compare it to some other careers, would you respond the same way if someone from Burger King called you up to say they wanted your son to come and work for them, when he is eight years of age. Of course you wouldn't however Albion Rovers come in for him, they will drag him to Coatbridge where it will cost you time and money for what return, he will play in the third tier of Scottish Football, and maybe get £20 per week. Just give your son the petrol money you would use taking him to the football and tell him to go and practice 10 hours a week in your back garden. He will become better that way.

People spend far too much time travelling to these out of the way places to try and get their son in the system. If you spend more than three hours travelling, combined, to training every week then surely that must affect your sons schooling. These are young kids and getting home at silly times can only be detrimental to your child and their education. If you spend an hour in a car travelling to training, then an hour and a half training, then an hour coming home. That is three and a half hours. Instead of spending more time in the car than actually training, stay locally, play locally, and use the three and a half hours to practice. That will be the only way he will get the 10,000 hours to become proficient at football. Spend money on a coach to do one to one work with him, get your local Club to run extra nights, ask them to hire in an experienced coach to deliver quality sessions.

Pro youth is dead in its current format and its failing your kid miserably. So ask yourself when a Club comes calling, is it going to be beneficial for my childs future, or detrimental. Is it going to affect my whole family, for the slim chance my son may make it at Morton and earn less than what he would earn in a normal job.

[Dinny Breen]

The IRFU now want to form a National Academy from 16s upwards. They are hoping to do away with Youths 18s and Schools 18s and form an Ireland 18s A & B. It was hard enough to get into they system as it was for the late bloomers and I think this well firmly shut the door. In theory Brian O'Driscoll probably wouldn't have made it if this was in place 20 years ago.

I don't understand that at all. It should never be a closed shop.

How late is late? Due to a spike in interest from the RWC there have been a few kids just started in my eldest lads u-12 team. It have caused a bit of an issue with training as they don't have sufficient coaches to take the training as it is, never mind dedicating time to going back to the absolute basics for newbies.

I don't think there should be an age limit on it. Paul O'Connell, John Hayes and loads more all took up rugby late, majority of schools players only start in 1st year. Coaching resources is an issue at any sport but all coaches should be revisiting the basics on a regular basis. With so many unique positions in rugby a player shouldn't know his future position until at least 16 and should still be learning new skills.  I had a 15 year old kid come to me as centre, I moved him to back-row, he got a scholarship to Blackrock and they moved him to prop. He played tight-head for Ireland 20s last year and got into the Leinster Academy this year.

[Itchy]

Lads resurrecting this great thread. I've a question for coaches out there. At what age do you think it appropriate to begin...

1- Introducing underage players to strength and conditioning.
2- Introducing underage players to a gameplan/tactical approach. E.g. get men behind the ball, counter attack vrs high press up the field etc.

[LooseCannon]

Lads resurrecting this great thread. I've a question for coaches out there. At what age do you it appropriate to begin...

1- Introducing underage players to strength and conditioning.
2- Introducing underage players to a gameplan/tactical approach. E.g. get men behind the ball, counter attack vrs high press up the field etc.

As early as possible with fitness. Build it up as you go along.
Bodyweight exercises from about 10 or 12. Not necessarily at training, but let them do it at home.
Obviously show them how to do it at training then let them at it. Planks, bodyweight squats, sit-ups initially. Build up their core. Then can move on to pushups.


Tactical approach: asap(without confusion) start slowly. It will definitely be of  benefit in the long run.
Progressively increase tactical input at trainings. But you'll have to drill it in to them(not in an autocratic tone or anything like it) Repeatedly input the same tactics. Use cones: 15 red 15 blue, etc.(may be 13, idk) line all cones out and explain how it'll be of benefit.

[redzone]

Lads resurrecting this great thread. I've a question for coaches out there. At what age do you it appropriate to begin...

1- Introducing underage players to strength and conditioning.
2- Introducing underage players to a gameplan/tactical approach. E.g. get men behind the ball, counter attack vrs high press up the field etc.

As early as possible with fitness. Build it up as you go along.
Bodyweight exercises from about 10 or 12. Not necessarily at training, but let them do it at home.
Obviously show them how to do it at training then let them at it. Planks, bodyweight squats, sit-ups initially. Build up their core. Then can move on to pushups.


Tactical approach: asap(without confusion) start slowly. It will definitely be of  benefit in the long run.
Progressively increase tactical input at trainings. But you'll have to drill it in to them(not in an autocratic tone or anything like it) Repeatedly input the same tactics. Use cones: 15 red 15 blue, etc.(may be 13, idk) line all cones out and explain how it'll be of benefit.

Less cones the better I sat. Small sided games 3v3 4v4 etc is the way to train. Minor level time for tactics enough for tactics.