Being a coach is without a doubt one of the hardest but potentially also one of the most rewarding jobs. Looking at the pressure the S15 and national coaches has to endure I have often found myself wondering who on earth would want to be a coach. Sort of; “not for all the money in the world would I want to be a coach”.
End of last year I found myself at a point of not having a choice anymore. I had enough with the quality of the coaching my oldest had to endure for the last three seasons and put myself forward to do the coaching.
I had no previous coaching experience but rugby being a passion I went at it with zest. The U/11 enrolments this year for the club just 20 and with it being the first year they play 15 a side our group didn’t pan out to be very strong. In New Zealand the Maori boys have a big growth advantage. They are bigger at the young ages, faster, stronger and better ball players. We ended up with none of these natural talented athletes in our group and I had to mold this bunch of skinny white kids into a team.
Previous years the main problem was lack of rucking skill and no commitment at the rucks. So that had to be sorted and quickly. We (the assistant coaches and me) started creating a number of rucking drills which all worked towards small sided games involving mostly rucking and blow-over ability. I bought some click tellers and had parents keep score of consecutive rucks and turnovers in these games to shift the attention away from trying to score individualistic tries towards teamwork at the rucks.
Week after week (only one session per week though) we went at it first getting them to drive the ball up and protect it. Then drive it up and knuckle it to the ground. Knuckle to the ground essentially meaning pushing the ball away from your body on the ground once you hit the deck. Next step was to get the supporting runners to blow-over. At this stage the small sided games was a bit of a mess with the boys either over committing (every one rushing in with nobody left to pick the ball up) or under committing (everyone waiting for the ball to come back).
Adjustments were made to the drills so that the boys now starting to work in groups of 4 namely first one drive it up, rip it and knuckle it, next one blow over, next one pick up and swing to the runner taking the ball up. Back to the starting line-up with everyone now moving one up in the order. Back to the games. Teams now get points for having a receiving runner in place and for every time they move the ball through three set of hands.
Last week before the first game we began working on line-outs, scrums and backline passing. At this age group the boys still don’t compete in the scrums so we could hide some of the real tiny fellows in the scrum but not all of them because the rucking is extremely competitive. No lifting in the line-outs but jumping and driving-up on attack and defense are on.
Way too soon to our liking the first match arrive and the opponents being one of the stronger clubs with a large number of natural athletes in their team. We are talking rucking or more specifically about body position, blow-over and commitment at the rucks before the game. We had the backline learning to straighten up and with No12 taking the ball up and 13 blowing-over with the next arriving player spinning the ball. So much more we want to do but the game is on us.
It is with much fear that we line-up Saturday morning. We took the boys through the drills. I had a team talk warning them that lack of commitment, aggression and low body positions are going to see them annihilated by the big boys in the other team. The seriousness set in the young faces; we group hug and on we went.
We coaches are almost too fearful to look at each other. They kick off. One of our littlest fellows catch and went straight at the opponents; dip and drive up just as taught protecting the ball as he go in. Under a blanket the pack drive-up and blow over. Phase after phase we string in until the ball went astray. Scrum. Sjoe! All three of us coaches breath-out a sigh of relief. That was not to bad; hope it was not a fluke. Their scrumball; out it comes; our defense are right up and the ball carrier get forced back in the tackle. Under a blanket the pack drives over again. Out comes the ball; thought the hands; 12 straighten up, swing to 13 angling away. In a flash, No.15 whips in between the two centers -just like we practiced- straight through; score under the post.
Suddenly I understood why coaches coach. The pride brings tears to my eyes. Wow! What a feeling!!
Soon afterwards one of the big fellows in the opposing team gets the ball and charged through for a try. I ran up behind the posts. The message don’t allow the big fellows to built-up speed. Hit them went they get the ball.
But the best is still to come. Soon afterwards we string in 13 phases in a row. In almost perfect fashion the players set the ball up as they charge into contact; the supporting players blowing-over at speed and the backline take the ball up at speed, set it up with the loosies blowing-over. On it went phase after phase until we score. What a try! How do you describe the pride?
By the end of first half the boys are starting to run out of puff but we hang in and in spite of another break away try we go into half time leading 12-10. Parents came running up with the click teller scores on breakdowns; 25 for us 9 for them. A comprehensive victory at the breakdowns but I can see the boys are puffed-out and we don’t have enough subs -with 4 players sick or away- to keep it up.
Second half is agony. We just can’t keep it up. The boys are getting slower to the breakdowns but show heart. Conner the smallest in the team make a huge tackle driving right through and over one of the Maori athletes trying to Sonny Bill Williams with an offload. The boys hang in. We get close to scoring on two occasions but the supporting legs are turning to jelly.
McLook junior is tackling like a demon. He makes another big hit on one of the monsters in the opposing team -on the charge- but he stays down. A fathers and coaches agony and pride all in the same mix. He gets up but can’t walk; foot at a funny angle. Out a breath from the run across the field I determine it was a huge knock on the vastus mediales. The knee and ankle still intact; what a relief!
But the game goes on. I get one player to feint injury and while handing out the water bottle talk the team up and re-affirm the need for keeping the ball and slowing the game down. It’s too much info, too soon in the season at this young age.
Another one of our big tacklers stay down and had to leave the field and we hang in but we know it is just a matter of time.
Five minutes left on the clock before our defensive line-up finally break and they score. Soon thereafter another try against us. Oh a coaches agony.
We lost but I felt like I want to burst with pride. The breakdown count 12/9 against us in the second half bringing the final or overall breakdown score to 34/21 in our favor. That’s my message to the team. Boys we were the best team on the field but the lesson of this match is if we don’t hang on to the ball the big boys are going to hurt us.
We now know we’re on the right track and as the fitness improves the score line will soon start to reflect the breakdown score.
A Maori -father of one of the athletes in the other team- wants to talk to me. “You the coach”, he asks? Yes. “This here is my son I want him to play for your team.” I remember seeing him listening in while I was giving my team instructions behind the poles. “Why?” “Why do you want to bring him over”, I ask?
Straight to the point he went like the Maori tend to do. “They play proper rugby”, he says, pointing to my players.
I walk away sad about the loss but feeling mostly pride. What a job being a coach? I’ll do it any day, I thought, free of charge.
The Lions coaching position will be available pretty soon with a huge pay packet.
McLook, If you think it’s difficult to keep back the tears now, wait until end of season “awards evening”.
I know what you’re going through, but my experience was with a senior club that had NEVER won a trophy / competition.
Imagine when we won the U/19 and U/21 competitions in our JHB league as well as topping both logs after the round robin.
Keep it up. As your team plays others, and the style of Rugby gets more known, more of the “big” kids will want to join your team, and you’ll take the team from strength to strength.
mclook
well congrats may then be in order, i think
..
just another thing ….
“McLook junior is tackling like a demon. He makes another big hit on one of the monsters in the opposing team -on the charge-” ….
hmmmm, being a father 1st of all, i’m not quite sure how accurate the above assessment was! 😆
@ Loosehead@1:I think scrumdown (see @2) would be a better candidate.
Well done McLook, i saw the game in my mind as you describe it. Congrats, keep it up. Keep us posted. This makes R-T so special.
Scrumdown@2 wrote:
Not sure if we’ll get that far (in terms of such splendid results as you got) but one sure goes through a lot of emotional turmoil before, during and after the match. I’ve decided to emotionally detach from results and focus entirely on execution and development of players. One still feel the agony when the team loose because no matter what spin you put on it the game is played in the final analysis to be won.
Ashley@3 wrote:
Fair question, mate. My dad always used to say: “Every father thinks his donkey is race horse (thorough bred).”
Fact is the little guy did play his heart out and the opposing team only scored their last two tries after he came of. But hey that is still just anecdotal evidence, at best. My purpose with this article was of course entirely to share the emotional turmoil of being a coach. In the final analysis it doesn’t matter at all what anybody reading this think about my coaching or my son’s rugby playing ability. I did however thought people would enjoy the divergent feelings of pride and agony one experiences as a coach during and after a match.
mclook @ 7
😀 was pulling your leg bru.
was a well written article btw 😀
@ Ashley@8:
I know mate. No hard feelings. You being a father with a boy playing as well (think I saw something about that in previous posts)I knew exactly where you were coming from.
mclook @ 9
yep i’ve got an 8 year old … but he’s not showing any interest in rugby at the moment (maybe its because i act like a lunatic and shout at the tv everytime i watch rugby)
..
(sigh) the boy’s more interested in that sport where everyone wears white and drink tea!! 😀
(sigh)
Ashley@10 wrote:
Hahahaha! You gave my quite a chuckle with that one. My youngest play that sport too. I’ll write something about his season sometime. I’ve joined-up with one of the other dad’s (which was a good cricket player) in his team and we’re doing some additional coaching on wednesday’s with the boys. in the hope that the boys will ahve some advantage when the next season starts. Fascinating sport you’re talking about, very technical but I am enjoying it.
4@ McLook:
I’m no coach. Only ever “helped out” for a few weeks.
The club members asked me to do an administrative role and elected me Chairman.
Basically I taught them to do everything as “professionally” as their abilities allowed, and to play to their strengths, which with a bunch of skinny, undernourished “coloured” kids, was speed of hand and fleet of foot. Don’t wrestle with a pack of forwards who weigh 20kg each more than you do, run around them and pass the ball away from them.
Once the thought process was changed (3 hard years) the results started coming.
I’ve been away from the club for 10 months now and I am disappointed with what’s happened since, but you can’t spoon feed people for ever and a day. (No I don’t mean the Lions!)
@ Ashley:
You’r e lucky. My stepson is 14 years old, 1,84m tall, wears a size 11 shoe, and doesn’t play Rugby.
Wants to start playing Basketball. School is putting him under pressure though, but I have reservations.
Rugby’s not in his blood, and that counts for a lot IMO.
scrumdown @ 13
😯 jeez, what do you feed him?
mclook @ 12
i’ll have to take your word for it (that cricket’s a very technical sport)
(whisper) i dont even understand all the fielding positions, lol
14@ Ashley:
As little as possible until he decides to knuckle down with school work.
Seriously though, he’s just a tall kid. Was tall and skinny but filling out nicely now.
Not sure he’ll aver make a decent lock though. Worries about his hair too much!
scrumdown @ 16
😆
16@ Scrumdown:
And as much ball sense as a Lions flyhalf!
#%^*@#$ hell mate, this was one of the best pieces of writing I have seen in many years.
I had a mountain of memories of my own flooding back in an instant and the emotions, trials and tribulations I went through at the time when I still did what you did.
If I can humbly offer you one piece of advice; NEVER try and justify or find a reason for what you do, it will kill you and the obvious passion you have for what you do. Just know that you do it, and you love doing it.
You are not just coaching mate, you are shaping the futures of young men and your drive and dedication is what will form the base for these youngsters to go out into the world. You are preparing young, impressionable minds, for life, equip them with the best tools possible and from what I read, you sure as hell are.
I am one of those that lost my passion for this, and I simply cannot see myself back in coaching at this stage of my life. You are doing something special here, do whatever it takes to hold onto it and if you look for inspiration, just sit back and look at those young faces you are coaching.
Pretty soon, you will realise they are the ones doing most of the coaching as they will remind you time and time again of the simple joys of life we tend to forget about.
Awesome stuff.
@ Scrumdown:
Lucky they dont wear tutus, maybe Peter will spot them then, he is seriously watching that sport or is it called art?
McLook, I’ve always enjoyed your tour journals but this article really surpasses all of them. Thanks for being brave and commited enough to share these experiences with me. I was captured.
Morne, your resonse here merely confirms what I’ve believed all along – you are an objective analyst by default. 😉
McLook – deja vu!! When I read you arti I could just as well have replayed our own U/11 team’s season – only with lesser success than you guys have had… I too coach my son’s U/11 team here in SAfrica and we have similar challenges – A small (numbers and size) squad, limited talent and a history of poor coaching and big losses in previous years. Your tips on the breakdown drills will help somewhat – but my biggest concern is how to get my guys out of the “loser” mentality. You can see it in their eyes when facing familiar opponents, and the hard-edge positive aggressiveness is just not there!! How do you coach the will to win – or more important, the belief that you can compete?????
@ Minora:
Where are you based?
22@ Minora:
My experience is that it is a gradual process that involves almost minute victories within matches that slowly change attitudes and expectations.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Same philosophy with a squad such as you coach.
There are also a number of very good FREE resources available to junior coaches that can provide you with drills and skills training specifically aimed at Junior players of the ages you’re busy with.
If you’re interested just send the webmaster (Grootblousmile (GBS)) a mail asking him to contact me about it and I’ll gladly send you the link that will enable you to receive the documents in your e-mail.
Good luck. Rugby needs people to be actively involved, not just sitting on the sidelines moaning about everything.
@ Scrumdown:
Spot on and McLook touches on this in his article.
He identified small areas within rugby, in this instance rucks. He instilled the belief in the team that first we win rucks in games, if our ruck count is better than the opponents, then we have achieved victory.
Any victory, no matter how small, gives the youngsters a sense of achievement.
Start there, and move on from there (next area).
Set goals, set timelines for goals, and go out to achieve those goals.
Winning (and confidence) in rugby is a hell of a lot more than what the scoreboard reads at the end of the day.
And never forget, victory is achieved in the mind first before its achieved on the field!
Morné wrote:
@ Minora:
Head over to RuggaWorld quickly, check the SBW article there, and perhaps have a quick chat with a bloke called “Brand”, he is in your area too and getting in touch with him might prove the most important thing you will ever do if you take coaching seriously.
@ Minora@22:I know exactly what you are talking about; I have the exact same challenge. I could see last saturday -before the match- that they didn’t really believed they could win the match. However, there was some pride in the eyes after the match so I am hopeful that we’ll be able to turn it around.
My approach is to 1) shift the attention intially away from winning towards task execusion -little victories. Before you can win a match you have to be efficient in what you do and that is why I bought the click counters and use them during the practice sessions and the matches. We won the breakdown contest on the weekend and that is what we focused on after the match and what I’ll keep on emphazising this week. The second thing is to be brutally honest and to put things in perspective. We lost on the scoreboard because we couldn’t contain the big boys but won the first half because we kept the ball away (mostly) from the big boys. So how do we go from here? They need to understand that fitness and better execusion are crucial for sucess.
In the final analysis I would be happy (not really but will make my peace with it) if we lose our next 5 matches but keep on showing steady improvement with reagrd to core skills. I think kids need to learn to play proper rugby and they don’t need to WIN to learn that. My job is to get them to love rugby; to experience the joy of group cohesiveness; the power of having a shared goal and to develop sound technical skills. I believe if I can suceed with all the above we will win some matches. I can’t even remember how many matches I won and lost in my U/11 year. What I do remember is what I’ve learned about the game in that year namely to stay on the inside of the ball carrier so he can’t pass me on the inside, to tackle the big guys low (on the ankles) and to tackle in on the ball with the backline players. My father taught me to keep my back straight by dipping and driving and by keeping my head higher the my hips went I go into a ruck and a tackle. He also taught me how to keep my head protected behind my shoulder when I drive in on the ball; how to get my impact shoulder above the ball and my feet close before I rip so that can rip from the hip and with my shoulder and not with my hands or arms.
These are the things that became the foundation of my future rugby career and on which my understanding of the game still rests today. I’ve learned it at U/11 level and still remembers it. What was important to me at that age? Not winning. I wanted to learn about the game and winning to be honest didn’t really matter. I wanted to learn to pass, sidestep, dropkick, place kick, scrumhalf pass and all those sort of things and I truelly believe that to much emphasis on winning is negative towards having fun and developing playing skills.
I’ve found that once a kid knows how to tackle and how to enter a ruck the fear dissapears because they are to busy focussing on doing it right that they forget about being scared. What to do if they do things right and lose because there was a couple of Jona Lomu’s in the other team? Well I’ll put that in perpective (that we leaked a couple of tries because of a freakish talent in the other team) and praise them for what they did right and then we’ll talk about how are we going to prevent the Jona Lomu’s messing it up for us next time. Their is growth and learning in that process even if we don’t get it 100% right next time.
@ Morné@25:Good answer. I’ll concur with everything said.
Scrumdown wrote:
I like this remark. In essence for me this means: Have a plan and work your plan. Adjust as you go along but stick with your plan.
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