Coaches have to remember that every student is different! Players should be grouped in various categories to allow them to be around people who have the same mind set along with similar skills. This will also enable the coach to have the correct mentality as he/she is communicating to the players.
The common mistake of programs and coaches is combining players who have different goals into the same group. Even though the skill level can be similar, seperation of the players is key. For example, a high school boy who is a recreational player is placed in a group of younger players who are tournament players. The high school boy can feel as he is belittled as he is with younger kids but can also feel alienated as he has no ability to socialize with the younger crowd. Adults sometimes forget that children grow extremely quick and the difference between an 11 year old and 13 year old is completetly different than an adult who is 30 and one that is 32. Comperatively the two groups are 2 years apart, but the difference in behaviour and interest can be vastly different with the kids. Let’s play role reversal with the example we used earlier. The high school kid is in a group of high schoolers who are recreational. The boy is loving his environement as players get to play the game they enjoy and talk about the things most high school kids talk about. A 10 year old high performance player is placed into this group because he is at the same level but now his practice sessions are not as intense, more suited for the recreational player, and with no peers to play against. He/she will also feel aliniated as there is no common ground.
The varoius clubs that have been successful at high retention of players do an outstanding job of figuring out the goals of their players and placing them within the correct peer group. These two prerequisites are essential for a player to develop and for a program to advance!
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