The%20Incredible%20Years

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7 Point Programme For Effective Coaching of
Children Dr. Seamus
Morrissey October 2012
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Background

• Cashel, Co. Tipperary Hurled with Club and
  County
• Degree in WIT - Got into the area of Youth Work
• Work with Galway City Partnership
• NUI Galway - Education/Youth
• Kept Studying and did PhD
• Working and living in Galway City and member of
  Liam Mellows GAA Club

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Rationale

• We become experts in coaching sports and can
  forget to become experts in coaching children
• We often fear children
• We have all learned from parents, teachers,
  coaches, people we looked up Unfortunately not
  all of these approaches are effective
• We can achieve more and retain children with more
  effective approaches

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Rationale

• Adapted content from books/ programme and
  includes some of my ideas Evidence Based
  Programme
• Have developed a Seven Step Plan
• NB - TWO KEY PRINCIPLES FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN
  
• Modelling Model the behaviour you want
• Attention Give attention to the behaviour you
  want

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Seven Steps

• Rules/ Boundaries
• Relationship Building
• Clear Commands
• Descriptive Praise
• Incentives to motivate
• Limit Setting and Ignoring
• Understanding Consequences
• All things we want from children involved in GAA
• Insight through workshops, individual/ club
• Implementation require longer term planning and
  work

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Point 1 Rules/ Boundaries

• Why is this important To set out boundaries
• Children need boundaries rules
• Agreed Understanding benefits for children and
  adults
• Important to have routine children seek this
• Rules needs to be positively phrased
• Do you have rules? Can we agree common rules for
  children?

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Point 1 - Rules Boundaries

• Why is this important To set out boundaries
• Example of Rules in
• Respect adults and others
• Try your best
• Listen to coaches (Show me Five Next Slide)
• Need to put strategies in place to support these
  rules

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Show Me Five
Open Your Ears
Two hands on your Hurley
Stand in position
Eyes on Coach
Close your mouth

• When using it wait for the first child to does it
• Praise that child
• Praise the child beside the one not doing it
• After a few sessions it will be normal behaviour

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Other Non Verbal Cues

• Positive Ones
• Thumbs
• Smile
• Shake Hands
• Any Others
• Negative Ones
• Shake of the head
• The Stare
• Any others????

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Point 2 Building Relationships
Why To develop trust and increase likelihood of
children following your direction

• Spend time getting to know all the children
  (Important to include all children)
• Things to find out - What school they are in,
  teams they support, where they live Any things
  else?
• You need to tell them about you/ your background
  needs to be mutual information sharing
• Have fun, needs to be enjoyable
• Consistently use childrens names

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Point 3 Clear Commands

• Why To ensure children can do want you want
  them to do
• Reduce the number of commands
• One command at a time
• Give realistic commands
• Give clear commands
• Avoid Dont (NB) and question commands
• Use children's names
• HANDOUT

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Point 4 Descriptive Praise

• Why to build confidence, encourage positive
  behaviour and motivate
• Be specific
• Show enthusiasm
• Praise and encourage the childs efforts and
  progress What could we praise?
• Avoid combining Praise with Put Downs
• Proximal and non verbal Praise
• Encourage children to Praise themselves and
  others

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Point 5 Incentives to Motivate

• Why to build confidence, encourage positive
  behaviour and motivate
• Be specific about appropriate behaviour (skills)
• Make small steps
• Pace steps correctly
• Chose the number of behaviours (skills) carefully
• Focus on positive (Behaviours, Skills)
• Any ideas on types of rewards?

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Point 6 Limit Setting Ignoring

• Why Children need limits linked to rules
• Implement and be consistent with rules
• Choosing Behaviours to Ignore
• Use Consistent Ignoring
• Ignore and distract
• Ignoring teaches self-control
• Certain behaviour should not be ignored
• Give attention back as soon as possible

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Point 7 - Consequences

• Natural and Logical Consequences
• Natural - If you dont wear a helmet you will
  get hit in the head at some stage Consequence
  without
• Logical If you dont wear a helmet you wont
  be allowed to play
• Any other issue that might require consequences?

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Intended Outcomes

• Positive relationships with children will
  encourage and motivate children.
• Coaches will be in a position to get their
  messages across and ultimately children will
  learn skills quicker.
• The club/ sport will develop children, and
  potentially parents, who enjoy being part of club
• Club/ sport is stronger and hopefully more
  successful

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Implementation
THANKS Seamus Morrissey E-mail seamusmorrissey_at_gm
ail.com Twitter _at_edstartcoaching