Coaching Children - Discipline

[AZOffaly]

Hi all,

looking for your thoughts on this. I'm the coaching officer in my club, and we have great numbers at the moment in our nursery programs, u6,7,8 and actually all the way up to u9 and 10. We are a dual club, and give equal attention to hurling and football.  Things are generally going well, but obviously from time to time you run into a few issues and in my role I'm trying to propose a solution to a couple of them.

In our younger age groups the kids are great, but obviously they have 'moments' where they don't pay attention, or don't properly concentrate on the game or skill they are learning. Everyone knows that in hurling especially, every second is vital in a childs development of the skills of the game, so this is causing our coaches frustrations, and is also affecting other kids in the group, making a ripple effect. Up to now we've been trying to handle these kids and their messing by running it out of them, or trying to work individually with them but it's taking a lot of our time.

Recently we've had a new hurling wall built, and the back of the wall features a storage room where various equipment is held. My proposal is that if a coach is having a behaviour issue, or someone not executing the drill properly, they would approach the manager and place the child into the storage room for a period of 10 minutes, to allow them cool off. That would allow the child to calm down, and to understand the seriousness of what we are trying to achieve. The fact that the door is locked means you don't have to worry about them going missing or anything, and there's enough light in there for the child to not be frightened.

Has anyone else any similar schemes in their clubs? Any help appreciated.

[Zulu]

Hi AZ, I'm afraid I'd strongly disagree with this suggestion. If my child came home and told me their coaches locked them into a small room they'd be gone from the club the following day and I may be looking who to complain to about the coaches. Besides the fact I totally disagree with this method of discipline what if one of them reacted badly to it and had a fit or breathing difficulties and you opened the door to a passed out child or if they hurt themselves with the equipment? Coaches could be looking at jail time.

I coach kids all the time and if I have an issue with discipline, I would sit them out (usually when we are doping the most fun things) or as you have done send them off on laps. I always explain to them why I've sat them out with a little ego boost - 'I wouldn't mind Sean but you've so much talent that if you behaved you could be one of the best players in the club'. If it continues I would tell them I'll speak to their parents, if that doesn't work I'll follow through on that and if necessary tell their parents that I'm suspending them from training for a week due to their behaviour. 

[The Bearded One]

AZ, what we do in our club at that age is to give the worst 2 children on any given night boxing gloves and let them cut lumps out of one another until someone can't fight anymore. Works a treat. Sometimes the Dad's or Mum's will get involved as well.

[AZOffaly]

Interesting. Do ye do this every week, or just on a certain date?

[Keyser soze]

I would give them a good oul whack with the hurl, though only across the back of the legs. Well unless they were really messing. This oul mamby pamby naughty step sh**e is ruining hurlin.

[DennistheMenace]

I'd just check to make sure they have enough oxygen in there for 10 minutes and if they do then sounds like a great idea.

[AZOffaly]

I'm planning on putting a small dog in there for a full day, and if he's ok then I think that's fine. Obviously I don't want a child passing out.

[theskull1]

Surely theres bound to be a cupboard under a staircase somewhere AZ 

[Zulu]

Close this thread now and delete all evidence it ever existed, Mod, Mod?

[AZOffaly]

Thanks for the ideas lads, but the more I think about it the less sure I am. I'm sure tomorrow the idea will be gone out of my head completely.

[Keyser soze]

Hi AZ, I'm afraid I'd strongly disagree with this suggestion. If my child came home and told me their coaches locked them into a small room they'd be gone from the club the following day and I may be looking who to complain to about the coaches. Besides the fact I totally disagree with this method of discipline what if one of them reacted badly to it and had a fit or breathing difficulties and you opened the door to a passed out child or if they hurt themselves with the equipment? Coaches could be looking at jail time.

I coach kids all the time and if I have an issue with discipline, I would sit them out (usually when we are doping the most fun things) or as you have done send them off on laps. I always explain to them why I've sat them out with a little ego boost - 'I wouldn't mind Sean but you've so much talent that if you behaved you could be one of the best players in the club'. If it continues I would tell them I'll speak to their parents, if that doesn't work I'll follow through on that and if necessary tell their parents that I'm suspending them from training for a week due to their behaviour.

Typical Dub!!!

[Lar Naparka]

Interesting. Do ye do this every week, or just on a certain date?

Fair play, Az I think you got the right idea but I also think this approach wouldn't work, except on certain dates maybe .

[twohands!!!]

Close this thread now and delete all evidence it ever existed, Mod, Mod?

Hook, line ans sinker......

[AZOffaly]

Maybe so Lar. I got the idea looking up discpline in Children's Coaching by Joe King. It made sense at the time though.

[screenexile]

I enjoyed that AZ fair play!!!