VoLUme 23, no 2 December 2009 TesTing Times for +kicking Adam simpson Playing as a defensive midfielder coaching young players fostering an environment in which youngsters can thrive COACHING EDGE coachingEdge CONTENTs Putting kicking to 06 the test so you think you could 09 be a recruiter? Adam simpson: Playing as 12 a midfield defender Jason mccartney 13 forward structures Gary Brown: coaching 18 junior players Inside collingwood’s 22 inner sanctum Finding the right 24 head coach coVer: Geelong premiership coach Mark Thompson guided his side to its second premiership in three seasons in 2009, and in Media Watch on page 5 Travis Varcoe pays tribute to the role Thompson played in building his self-belief. rigHT: Recently retired North Melbourne star Adam Simpson explains the role he played as well as anyone in the AFL, the defensive midfield position, on page 12. coaching Edge Give yourself the coaching Edge creDiTs Publisher I hope you enjoyed the rebirth of our coaching Our Canadian import Chris Donahoe continues his Australian Football League magazine, which has attracted positive journey to footy addiction with a humorous reflection GPO Box 1449 Melbourne Vic 3001 feedback. We hope you will continue to find the on his first game of AFL football at Subiaco. There are correspondence to: material interesting, thought-provoking and relevant. also articles from contemporary football personalities, Peter Romaniw Our second issue looks at junior coaching, cutting- including recently retired North Melbourne great Adam Peter.Romaniw @afl.com.au edge football strategy and sports science and how to Simpson outlining how to play as a midfield defender, managing editor find the right head coach. Melbourne assistant coach Josh Mahoney discussing Lawrie Woodman We interview Gary Brown, who has passionately ways coaches can teach players to make structural editor coached at junior level for many years. Obviously, on-field adjustments themselves during games, and Ken Davis Assistant editor junior coaching does not require the elite professional AIS-AFL Academy High Performance Coach Jason Brooke Davis approach espoused by Jeff Gieschen in our previous McCartney explaining modern forward structures. contributors edition, but it still involves the considerable task of It is vital clubs get the process of selecting a head Gary Brown Chris Donahoe helping young players produce top performances, while coach right. Wayne Goldsmith provides detailed Wayne Goldsmith giving each the opportunity to play and enjoy the game – guidelines to assist clubs in finding the coach that best Andrew Hughes a juggling act Gary has managed time and time again. fits their needs. Michael Lovett Josh Mahoney Regular features include ‘From the ivory tower & Many coaches at some stage or another have been Jason McCartney beyond’, which explores sports research emanating daunted by the task of catering for a person with a Peter Ryan from higher learning institutes. In ‘Mind Games’, disability. Andrew Hughes presents some ideas to Adam Simpson the mental challenge of goalkicking is investigated; enhance the inclusiveness of your programs. John Turnbull Design & editorial wouldn’t it be great if your team could put the ball I hope you enjoy the magazine and encourage you to The Slattery Media Group through the sticks as routinely as Tiger Woods sinks send any feedback or suggestions on topics for future Coaching Edge, putts? In this edition we also introduce a new section editions to [email protected]. Vol 23, No 2. Copyright Australian Football League, where articles in the media are examined and any ken Davis ISSN 18369545 underlying lessons for coaches explored. editor 2 COACHING EDGE COACHING EDGE coAcHing coUrse: Newly appointed Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy, pictured here receiving an honorary doctorate from Australian Catholic University (ACU), recently launched the ACU’s undergraduate degree for coaches. University degree for football coaches Coaches at all levels In 2010, coaches at AFL clubs, state league their management skills and technical and tactical now have another clubs and those in the AFL talent pathway will expertise to help them advance their football avenue to fast-track be able to enrol in a university degree established to career, but these skills will also be transferable to their professional enhance their ability to work with elite athletes. other industries. development. The undergraduate degree for coaches was recently Leadership and ethics, talent development, By micHAeL LoVeTT launched by the Vice Chancellor of the Australian organisational management, financial management, Catholic University (ACU) National, Professor Greg sport psychology, strategic planning and performance Craven, together with AFL Coaches’ Association analyses are all covered in the degree. (AFLCA) president Kevin Sheedy and AFL Commission The coach will ‘major’ in areas of management and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick. performance – two key areas for coaching elite athletes. Professor Craven said the degree was innovative and ACU National has developed the course, working he was pleased that ACU National could develop the closely with the AFLCA and the AFL. course in partnership with the AFL and the AFLCA. Danny Frawley and Paul Armstrong from the AFLCA He said the partnership would enhance the AFL’s and Lawrie Woodman from the AFL, four-time AFL and Australia’s leadership role in the national and premiership coach David Parkin, Hawthorn assistant international professional development of coaches. coach Chris Fagan and education consultant Neil The course builds on the AFL Level 3 coaching Barras assisted ACU National School of Exercise course and coaches will progress from a diploma Science staff and former St Kilda players, Paul Callery through an associate degree to a bachelor degree. and Ross Smith, in the development of the course. Most of the course will be completed online over three Professor Pauline Nugent, dean of the school’s or four years. health science faculty, says the School of Exercise Sheedy – the former Essendon coach who was Science has first-class facilities and qualified staff to recently appointed the inaugural coach of the new conduct the course. Greater Western Sydney club – supported the Fitzpatrick, who, as a Rhodes Scholar, is no stranger professional development of coaches and said he to university education, welcomed the ACU National believed the course would become an integral part of a initiative. He said current research on coaching coach’s education program. effectiveness at the AFL level highlighted the need for The AFLCA will financially assist coaches to top-level coaching skills and first-class management undertake the course. Coaches will not only develop skills and competencies. COACHING EDGE 3 COACHING EDGE TeAm TALk: Adelaide Crows coach Neil Craig encourages his players to give on-field feedback to each other, even if the message is critical and delivered forcefully. From the ivory tower & beyond In this regular section, ken Davis looks at relevant (a) a moderate amount of alcohol in juice, or (b) juice alone. Using articles, research and pearls of wisdom in sports science specialist equipment at the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human and coaching. Health, the athletes’ performances were measured 36 hours and 60 hours later. Developing a self-reliant athlete “With the alcohol, the loss of muscle performance was far greater Consider the following scenario painted by Catherine Sellers – nearly twice as much. Normally you would expect to see weakness from the US Olympic Committee Coaching Group: or loss in performance after strenuous exercise but the alcohol really Here you are, at the biggest event of your athlete’s career and you exacerbated that,” Barnes said. can’t even get close enough to talk! You are always right there for “This shows that if you drink even moderate levels of alcohol after your athlete. Every problem the athlete has they look to you for the you use your muscles strenuously, you are impairing your ability correction. Your athlete looks frightened and almost confused. You see to recover, and I would say if you are serious about your sport, you them searching for you and you are yelling out to them, so much that shouldn’t be drinking alcohol in the post-match or recovery period.” everyone that hears you stares… editor’s note: The ‘train hard and play hard’ philosophy that is embedded Sellers then outlines five tips that can be used before competition in our sporting culture suggests that as long as a player prepares well and looks after their body during the week it is OK to let their hair down after a to develop a self-reliant athlete: game. But the message is clear – if they drink alcohol after a game it will ,,Don’t become too analytical – if they can remember three things impede their recovery. If they are serious about their performance, they that you tell them to do, that is amazing. should steer clear of alcohol. ,,Have them describe what happened, instead of you telling them Pearls from some top guns what happened. If they didn’t like what happened, ask them what In a recent speech, former Australian cricket coach John Buchanan they would do differently – don’t accept, “I dunno.” observed, “Great coaches ‘redefine the game’. (Former English ,,Design practices so you don’t repeat the same skill over and over captain Douglas) Jardine did it with Bodyline, (former West Indies again. Make it random. If you are working on three plays, mix it up – captain Clive) Lloyd did by using