TiffToff88 Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Firstly, i apologise in advance for the long, boring post you're about to read... I coach a team of kids with all kinds of physical and mental disabilites (the fact that they are disabled shouldn't really affect the kind of advice that i need, but its worth keeping in mind, just incase), and have done for nearly 10 years now, and generally everything is going great. But there's just 1 problem i'm having with one of the players. He is extremely competative and doesn't seem to understand that, in training, at least, he doesn't have to treat everything we do like a world cup final. He's partially sighted and one of the older lads in the team, so when he flies into tackles against a lot of the younger kids with, in some cases, quite noticeable physical disabilities, it understandably terrifies some of them and affects their enjoyment. Obviously i don't have a problem with him displaying this kind of competitiveness during our matches and tournaments we play on a regular basis, but during training it should be a more relaxed enjoyable experience for everyone involved. So, getting to the point of this post, does anyone have any advice on how i can deal with his overly competitive nature in training?
Bettsj2 Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Dont pussy foot around. Tell him to chill out and save the aggression for matchdays. If it continues, speak to the parents and tell them to withdraw him for a couple of weeks.
AyewJoking Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 whats the age range of your team? I'm guessing its not a typical u/13's because there arent that many kids with mental/physical disabilities to have lots of seperate teams? maybe just cut the actual "versus content" in training or maybe play 1/2 touch games instead. would he benefit from playing for another team where there are more boys his age and build or would his disabilities be a problem?
Thracian Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Take him to one side, praise his contribution and explain to him that, in training, any football played should be non contact because, really, all the players are really his friends and team-mates and it is partly his responsibility to see that they are safe. Explain that future games will be conditioned and any tackle that is so aggressive it would be penalised by the referee will be punished with a penalty to the other team. The idea helps players stay on their feet when they tackle, become more thoughtful about their tackling and can also be used to help teach them to shepherd opponents into negative areas where they don't pose so much threat. Conditioned football can be used to improve many aspects of football performance. Keep up the good work. It's great to see how sport can so dramatically improve the skills of youngsters whatever problems they might have.
TiffToff88 Posted 22 February 2016 Author Posted 22 February 2016 Thanks guys, their ages currently range from 8-18. We tend to split the up into ability levels when we have enough players turn up (attendance's vary on a weekly basis, ranging from 5-22 players) which also makes planning ahead very difficult. I have already spoken to the player in question and it doesn't seem to have any effect. I've come up with a possible training exercise that may work quite well, which I will try out tonight. The idea is a sort of "Netball variation" on the rules. Where tackling is not allowed, but you can't move with the ball. Hopefully it will encourage the players, particularly the problem player, to think more about their positioning on the pitch rather than just flying into tackles...
TiffToff88 Posted 22 February 2016 Author Posted 22 February 2016 Give him a kick in the bollox. Harsh but fair. Believe me, I've considered that!
kyleolly Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Play in the training game against him and every time he gets the ball fly in with a two footed challenge see how he likes it, he won't see it coming!
Foxhateram Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Definitely a word with the parents is important. Even just to keep them in the loop about this type of behaviour, it could affect other aspects of his life. At my training sessions with mixed age groups I reduce game time and incoperate more games like activities. I.e. Dr dr- children have a ball and dribble around rectangle a catcher is released (make this someone who can tackle but not visciously) when a player is tackled they pick up the ball and call for the Dr. The player who is the Dr saves those who have been caught by tapping the ball. A little like stuck in the mud. The above type game allows players to practice skills, but through a more structured and controlled environments. The above focuses on dribbling and finding space. I basically take a drill then build a game like the above around it. It might be more apt for your younger audience obviously. But I have also found they work with teen teams and sometimes even adults. It just makes the emphasis on the game and skill rather than the fact it's football. It'd worked for me with similar children to what you describe.
Drew Peacock Posted 22 February 2016 Posted 22 February 2016 Give him a kick in the bollox. Harsh but fair.Webbo, I've not been on FT for long but I get the impression that you're not one for the softly, softly approach. Would that be a fair assumption?
Rincewind Posted 23 February 2016 Posted 23 February 2016 Webbo, I've not been on FT for long but I get the impression that you're not one for the softly, softly approach. Would that be a fair assumption? Yes
TiffToff88 Posted 23 February 2016 Author Posted 23 February 2016 My new idea did actually work, for a while, until he got bored. Time to start threatening him with bans i guess. i hoped it wouldnt come to this
Rincewind Posted 23 February 2016 Posted 23 February 2016 Can you not give him individual training that does not involve practice games. Running up and down or between cones. Then use him as a sub. Or just give him a short time on the training pitch. Sub him if too vicious. He may learn from that. Ease him in slowly.
AyewJoking Posted 23 February 2016 Posted 23 February 2016 how did training go? i hope you were influenced more by my advice than all these wannabe's
TiffToff88 Posted 24 February 2016 Author Posted 24 February 2016 We're arranging a meeting with him and his parents, along with a couple of the older lads in the team, hopefully we can come to an arrangement and find some kind of solution. While we're on the subject, the team are always looking for more players, so if anyone here has a physical or mental disability of any kind and is under 18, or you have and brothers/sister/kids/cousins or just know someone with a disability who wants to play football regularly, let me know!
Rincewind Posted 24 February 2016 Posted 24 February 2016 Where is it based? The place I go to on Thursdays run activities for disabled people. The west End Centre on Andrewes Street. (off Hinckley Road) Do you want to mention it or pass on details? I think they have a Facebook page. WECIL I think it is. A person that runs media activities is John Coster. He would help.
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