LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “ the fight is won and lost far away from witnesses… behind the lines , in the gym and out on the road , long before I dance under those lights “ Muhammad Ali PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AT THE CORE COACHING THE WHOLE PERSON Player development ; Is about accelerating growth and learning on many levels Growth as a person and as a player Both should not operate in conflict Any compromise in personal development will compromise player development Good coaches will recognise that long term football success begins and ends with strong fully developed people If player development is to be effective it must address the needs of the complete person

                                 Long term player development “ perhaps the single most important element in mastering the techniques and tactics of racing is experience. But once you have the fundamentals , acquiring the experience is a matter of time “ Greg Le Mond – World Cycling champion LTPD is best considered in terms of CAPACITIES Growth expands capacity Capacity for Football and Capacity for life Capacities are Hierarchical and Multi-Dimensional The objective in high-level development squad training is to expand the capacities at all levels of the performance pyramid Achieved by properly balancing periods of stress and recovery in each phase Training concept is simple – No Stress = No Growth ; No Recovery = No Growth Stress and Recovery must be applied by the coach in all phases of player development

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT HIGH PERFORMANCE PYRAMID

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT EXPANDING PHYSICAL CAPACITY At the base of the pyramid and of player development Coaches spend hours honing these capacities I.e. cardio-respiratory fitness, flexibility, strength and physical recovery skills Training stress applied by the coach prepares the player to execute game skills under pressure Equally important is the recovery period built in Important are ; diet ; sleep ; rest and hydration Stress exposure is applied by the coach but recovery should be jointly managed by he coach/player and parents Breakdown in this area can have an effect up and down the pyramid

Emphasis on general physical conditioning                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “ to give yourself the best possible chance of playing to your potential you must prepare for every eventuality. That means practice” Seve Ballesteros Key Principles of expanding physical capacity Emphasis on general physical conditioning Special window of opportunity on developing strength and speed Increased technical work on game skills and good practice techniques Introduce individual training programme dependent on specific needs associated with roles within team and stage of growth and development Monitored flexibility programme Provision of mental skills and mental toughness programme Remedial programme support i.e. help with technical skills or other areas of skill deficiency

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Key Principles cont’d Reinforce positive attitudes and behaviours on and off the pitch Teaching of performance lifestyle skills i.e nutrition, diet, hydration, drug education, balance of study/work/rest/play and time management Continued participation in complementary sports although towards the end of the phase moving towards specialisation Develop autonomy, independence and responsibility Gaelic Games specific technical and tactical work in competitive situations creating opportunities to make key decisions ; decide on best methods ; make judgements ; assess risks ; learn from mistakes ; create pressure ; recognise key match moments Use senior players to mentor and guide

                                 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “ people who enjoy what they are doing usually do it well” Joe Gibbs – US Superbowl Coach of Washington Redskins Expanding Emotional Capacity Able to summon right emotional response in match time – just as important as right physical response Coach needs to develop players emotional self-control and regulation Pressure of match situation can summon negative responses i.e fear, anger, frustration, disappointment etc Controlling these emotional responses just as important as controlling physical responses One of the GREATEST challenges facing a coach Players must be trained to respond to challenges not from fear but self-growth and discovery – meet the challenge head on with confidence

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT WHAT TO DO TO DEVELOP EMOTIONAL CAPACITY ? Establish routines in emotional goal setting, accountability, anger and fear management, confidence building Have pre-match routines , between point rituals and post match briefings – focus on effective self-regulation and control As in physical training the greater the emotional force applied i.e. competitive pressure – the greater the need for emotional recovery Making training FUN can help lift players emotionally Activities and a life away from gaelic Games is good Coaches must work closely with parents to eliminate problems occuring Insufficient rest, sleep, low blood sugar etc can cause the wrong emotional response from a player during critical phase of game time e.g. free in last minute Breakdown in this area can have an effect up and down pyramid

                                 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “Enjoy the journey…. Enjoy every moment and quit worrying about winning and losing “ Matt Biondi – Olympic Swimming champion Expanding Mental Capacity To help players concentrate fully during competition Key areas – positive thinking ; visualisation ; mental preparation and time management Applies on and off field – up and down pyramid Sloppy approach in this can affect players ability to perform under pressure Negative self-talk can lead to loss of control emotionally (anger) = poor performance Low blood sugar can lead to –irritable player = lack concentration = poor performance Coaches help by getting players to think and talk positively about themselves – use positive images and role models pre/during/post games – on and off field Important to build in mental recovery – non stop thinking of games = staleness/burnout Need to build in break from training/competition to keep players stimulated Coach must work with players/parents to ensure hobbies/friends/work exists

                                 LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT “ Coach John Wooden enjoyed winning but he never put it before everything. He was more concerned that we became successful as human beings… his philosophies have been instilled for a lifetime “ Karem Abdul Jabbar – American Basketball Star on Coach John Wooden – who was one of the most successful college basketball coaches in collegiate history Expanding Spiritual Capacity Every person is made up of Body, Mind and Spirit – Human Spirit is endless How do you as a Coach harness this? Is winning trophies, titles, hero worship more important to you as a coach/person than Honesty/Integrity/Respect/Truth and Bravery of Character? If you as a Coach can develop this aspect of a player you have a most powerful weapon If a player can develop this aspect they can use it to overcome , fatigue, frustration and discomfort and deal with failure /disappointment more positively – stronger player/person Coaches help by getting players to develop their capacity for handling pressure , personal ethics, discipline, passion, courage and self-control Linking core values with football development needs co-operation coach/parents Poor sportsmanship/cheating/disrespect will flourish where core values do not exist

LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT                                  LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY Focus on refinement and precision of skills – include technical mastery and tactical understanding Recognise growth spurt and hormonal changes Understand peer group influences Increase intensity and develop mental aspects of preparation Allow players to have an input into training Develop players to analyse on-field situations and problem-solving skills Expect questioning/challenges from players Communicate with parents regularly Add strength, nutrition and stretching – develop core Refer to your own medical back up for regular assistance with physical exams and checkups Monitor for over training