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The match is a highlight for young people. The competition, the excitement, the intensity and the emotion of a match appeal to most handball players and coaches. For many coaches the match is the greatest challenge, and most coaches will naturally want to win.
For some, however, an obsession with winning can lead the coach to forget about their usual leadership style (philosophy), have heightened emotions, and subsequently create unhelpful stress and anxiousness for the players. In their search for victory, coaches can also have a tendency to stamp too much authority during the match: ‘joystick’ their players to a goal scoring opportunity, making a brilliant tactical change, or a decisive goalkeeper substitution at the right time so that they can take credit for the success or victory. These coaches will have a tendency to control their players like pawns in their own game (of chess). None of these behaviours are particularly appropriate in the development of young players.
My philosophy is fairly simple - In junior Handball, full focus should be on the process and performance (within our control) rather than the result (out of our control), and such we as coaches must provide ample responsibility to the players to make key decisions during the game.”
Heres the process as i see it;
Before the match
I think its important to discuss with the team what needs to be focused on, provide short and simple instructions, and not overload the players with too much information. Process and performance objectives should be SMART, and be the focus of the pre-match discussion.
If we succeed with this process, it can help to create a positive outcome. The result, as previously mentioned, is outside of our control because it is impossible to know how the other team might perform. Remember to focus on the process and the performance before, during, and after the match. It is our duty to guide the players and draw attention to what you have agreed to be the focus points as a team. Keeping players focussed on the task in hand can help maintain and increase motivation if they constantly have something (in their control) to fight for. It is also easier to relate to things we already know, rather than having to remember a lot of information about opponents.
In general i believe the coach is required to know how much information their team are capable of dealing with before the match, and able to take onto the court with them; too little information and they may not be motivated, too much information and you may flood them, causing unnecessary stress or anxiety.
During the game
My first priority is to embrace my role as ‘substitution leader’. My behaviour and my actions can have a enormous affect on the players’ performance. As the coach we are a part of the process, and it requires constant support and communication throughout the match – not just verbal communication, but through our body language and gestures. Recent studies conclude that a coach who says little communicates just as much as a coach who says a lot..
KISS; Keep It Simple, Stupid - an American analogy, which recommends that the coach should not deliberately make things extra complicated. Instead just get them to function successfully in the most simplest ways possible.
No matter which type of coach we are on the bench, i believe it is good to be aware of how we communicate and transmit signals. For some coaches it may be a challenge having to simultaneously sit on the bench and communicate with players on the court. It is important to find the setup that works for you and is the most effective for the players. By asking the players how they might prefer being communicated with might help find the most efficient answer. Some may require constant direction, others might like shorter feedback every so often. By taking this approach though you may satisfy some individuals, it might become very difficult to accommodate everyone. Whatever the process, a discussion between coach and team regarding effective communication during the game is a good starting point.
After the game
When the match is finished, our team will have either taken 0,1,or 2 points. Whatever the outcome be it a win, draw, or unfortunate loss, the first measurement should be one of process and performance. Did the team succeed in meeting any of the objectives you set before the match? To what extent were they met and what objectives can you take forward to the next match?
There is always something to learn about the performance, so i tend not to be afraid to talk about what did not work as well as what was successful. The most powerful learning can often take place in times of hardship, after a poor performance or a loss. I try to also ask myself why something succeeded or not. Was there something in particular that helped to achieve the particular objective? Again, this goes back to the type of objectives I set – very often successful process and performance objectives can still lead to defeat.
Together with the players, we can create a positive experience about the match. The season is an ongoing process, and if we are able to focus on ensuring that there is always potential for learning, the potential for future success is greater and will help the players develop into an effective team later on.
Hope it helps! Scott
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