VOLUME 23, No 1 May 2009 How AFL Coaches Learn Jeff Gieschen’s Coaching Lessons Celebrating Culture Getting the best out of Indigenous players COACHING EDGE CoachingEdge CONTENTS Jeff Gieschen: coaching 0 5 lessons I have learned Coaching your 10 own child Nutrition for 12 football How AFL 1 4 coaches learn Coaching Indigenous 19 players 28 The key to tackling best in the business: Geelong coach Mark Thompson has transformed the Cats into one of the most dominant sides of the modern era; after round six this year they had won 45 of their past 48 matches. INtrODUCtION A resource for coaches at all levels Welcome to Coaching Edge. the Australian Football Coaches conducted junior development As part of the changes to Association (AFCA) Vic Branch in programs until the VFL assumed CoachingEdge CrEdITS the Australian Football Coaches 1987. There was also a predecessor, responsibility for state development Publisher Association (AFCA) structure in Australian Football Coach, published in 1988), was the editor and Australian Football 2008, in which membership is now by SANFL from 1972 until 1975. designer of the magazine throughout League automatically a part of the process of The inaugural AFCA Vic branch its life. GPO Box 1449 Melbourne Vic 3001 AFL coach accreditation, the president was Allan Jeans, who Coaching Edge is edited by Ken Correspondence to: AFL is now providing services provided the initial editorials. Davis. Ken has a long history of Peter romaniw nationally to complement those Allan was supported by an involvement in sport, physical Peter.romaniw provided by state and regional active committee, including VFL education and coaching. @afl.com.au Managing Editor branches of the Association. Development Manager Kevin Each Coaching Edge edition will Lawrie Woodman This includes improvements to the Sheehan, now AFL National Talent contain interviews with significant Editor coaching section of the AFL website, Manager, who put the early editions coaches, skills, drills, information Ken Davis monthly electronic newsletters that of Coaching Update together. from the AFL High Performance Contributors Jeff Gieschen are sent to all currently accredited Other managing editors over program, research-based information Brooke Davis coaches whose email addresses have the 20 years it has been published and a range of views about football Michelle Cort been provided to the AFL coaches’ were successive State Directors of and coaching. Peter ryan database, and now the Coaching Coaching Rod Austin (now AFL Please give us your feedback Jason Mifsud Edge, which will be published three Football Administration Manager), about the magazine and the Ben Dixon Andrew Hayman times a year. Peter Hanlon and, from 1998-2007, information you would like to see. Chris Donahoe Coaching Edge is a continuation, Anton Grbac (now AFL Victoria Best wishes with your coaching for Sean Wellman in a new electronic format, of High Performance Manager). Until the remainder of the season. design & Editorial the respected magazine Coaching his retirement at the end of 2007, the Slattery Media Group Update, which was first published Ray Allsopp, AFL Victoria Research Lawrie Woodman Coaching Edge, Vol in April 1988 after the VFL and Resources Officer (and for many Manager Coaching, 23, No 1. Copyright assumed responsibility for football years also the executive officer of Umpiring & Volunteers Australian Football development in Victoria and formed the Junior Football Council, which Australian Football League League, ISSN 18369545 2 COACHING EDGE COACHING EDGE Welcome to Coaching Edge This publication aims to to coaching is explored in this terms we use that are confusing provide information for section. In addition, the wisdom to newcomers? These and coaches of Australian Football. of coaches’ experience will be many other issues confronting Coaching can be a lonely explored in an endeavour to a neophyte to football will be business and it is hoped that go beyond the ivory tower and articulated by Chris Donahoe, Coaching Edge can become provide some lessons acquired at a Canadian who became an a valuable resource for all the coal face. Australian resident in September. practicing and budding coaches. The mind is such a powerful He presents his first article from We hope you are extended in influence on our behaviour and the shores of Nova Scotia, having your thinking, and can modify can impact on performance in heard a little about the game but your behaviour to improve so many ways. In ‘Mind Games’ having never seen a live game. your coaching. the mental skills that can be It should be interesting to study The format for the magazine developed by a coach will be his involvement in our ‘religion’, will evolve and will benefit from examined. Not only should that is football. feedback provided by you, the these skills enhance one’s own In each issue, a report from reader. You are encouraged to coaching performance, but the AIS Football program will write or email the editor about they will also enable players to be presented. It is important any issues you’d like to be optimise their potential. This that we are all aware of A brief profile discussed in future publications. segment will commence in the developments that are We want you to influence the next edition of the magazine. occurring in this program. of dr Ken davis Taught in secondary schools content so the material can be The role of women in AFL State of the art techniques for five years considered relevant to coaches in football is increasing as a logical for managing players will be Lectured in Human the field. consequence of their interest presented so that we all are Movement & Physical No doubt there are differences and enthusiasm for the sport. exposed to new developments Education at Deakin in approaches needed to coach Women are covering football that may be of assistance at all University – 20 years at an elite level compared to in the media; they are engaged levels of coaching. We will also Sport psychology consultant coaching a junior team, however at board level in many clubs; present some drills that are to Geelong & Richmond FC – some core principles govern they feature on talkback radio; worthy of consideration in your seven years both. It is possible for coaches and have even infiltrated the program. The charter then for Fitness advisor – Geelong FC at both levels to learn from each umpiring ranks. So, any coach this rebirth of our professional – three years other. will need to understand, and coaching magazine is indeed Sport psychology In this issue, several features indeed welcome, the input that very broad. It will provide consultant to AFL umpires – are presented and it is hoped women can offer AFL football. both serious and light-hearted last four seasons that you find each interesting. It is timely then, that our material, but will always have Coached at premier cricket In the featured interview professional writing consultant, as its focus the improvement level in Victoria & WA for section, former Richmond coach Brooke Davis, will present in her of coaching performance, more than 20 years and current AFL Director of own inimitable and engaging either directly or indirectly. It Coach of Victorian Spirit Umpiring Jeff Gieschen outlines style insights into football from will hopefully be written in an women’s cricket team five his philosophies and challenges a female’s perspective. Her first interesting and practical style. years – won two National in an extensive coaching journey, article addresses the delicate role We are delighted to be able to titles and was awarded which began with Maffra in of coaching your own child – present this first publication of Coach of the Year from the Latrobe Valley League and from a child’s perspective. the ‘Coaching Edge’. We hope VicSport awards in 2005 continues to this day with the Ever wondered what it is that you can gain an edge over Australian Youth Women’s pressure cooker role in the AFL like to be suddenly thrust into your opponents by implementing Coach – 2003 – 5 Umpires Department. the Aussie football culture? some of the thoughts expressed Lectured in Coach education ‘From the ivory tower and Every day someone new to this in this magazine. courses (Levels 1, 2, & 3) in beyond’ will try to bridge the country experiences this cultural As expressed above, feedback a range of sports including gap between theory and practice. phenomenon. If we could get is most welcome. Also it would cricket, football, tennis, So much research doesn’t inside the head of a football help if any aspects of coaching polocrosse, rifle shooting, filter down to coaches because novice perhaps we could gain you would like addressed in hockey & golf often coaches don’t seek this some insights into how best to future issues are brought to our Published a host of papers valuable information, and often progress with our education attention. In this instance, please in Applied sport science it is written in a way that is on the game. What things are email Ken Davis at kdxlsports@ and coaching areas and difficult for those in the field to difficult to understand about the bigpond.com. presented papers at understand. A brief summary of game? How can we help develop Enjoy! National and International research or theoretical articles this understanding and passion Conferences are presented and their relevance for the sport? Are there any Ken Davis COACHING EDGE 3 COACHING EDGE the AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) The AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) was established in 2002 with the aim of representing the interests of AFL coaches throughout the AFL. The current CEO of the AFLCA is Danny Frawley and the president is Kevin Sheedy. The seven member AFLCA Executive includes Mark Thompson, Paul Roos, Mark Williams, Neil Craig, Alastair Clarkson, Guy McKenna and Chris Fagan.