UP TO THE CHALLENGE
SIMPSON GROWN INTO HIS ROLE
ONE of the significant challenges in football at AFL level is developing young players under the shining spotlight of the game.
Over the years it has been by far the most rewarding of my coaching experiences.
Seeing opportunities arise and watching young people, feeling doubt and apprehension, seize them has always made me smile.
It may be how hard they attack the contest, or it’s possibly a flash of brilliance. Sometimes it’s a skilful goal or a crunching tackle, perhaps a well-weighted handball.
It triggers enthusiastic acknowledgment from teammates and animated comments from those watching the game.
For that player it reminds them they are good enough, they belong, and they can play at the level.
Sam Simpson grasped his opportunity two weeks ago.
He put himself in the game, the team embraced him and the game rewarded him.
Questions are suddenly asked as to why he hasn’t been playing in this team already.
The answers are rarely a mystery.
Out injured, Simpson’s body wasn’t ready for football at AFL level.
The talent was there; however, the fluency and polish were inconsistent due to an undeveloped body.
Over the journey, the constant in player development is building confidence.
Confidence is a derivative of mindset and mental well being.
Coaching, mentoring and watching young players for many years has taught me that once they are physically developed, their minds are more equipped to deal with the stresses, challenges and anxieties football at this level presents.
Simpson is now strong enough to handle the combative contact, running fit to cover the ground and conditioned to compete for four quarters.
He has not emerged out of the blue.
He is a product of great recruiting and fantastic development and nurturing from coaches, conditioning and wellbeing staff.
His family and friends have witnessed at close range the ups and downs of sport at a high level.
Over the four years, empathy, patience, honesty and support would have been at the forefront.
Simpson’s progression has been similar to most young AFL players.
It takes time and patience. For every young Matt Rowell, Joel Selwood, Chris Judd and Buddy Franklin who burst on to our screens, hundreds take time to make their impression. It can be an especially tricky arena for a young player on an AFL ground.
An immature body matched against seasoned men, unimaginable public scrutiny, demanding physical and mental strains inevitably take a toll.
Very few can navigate this without enormous support from their clubs and families.
Looking back through the drafts, we have seen many talented juniors struggle to build careers while others, less decorated and talked about, became great players.
Key attributes emerge as to why players become successful, produce long and fruitful careers and help deliver a team both respected and loved.
They are:
THE ability to listen;
ACUTE self-awareness; STRONG work ethic;
LOVE of the game; and CAPACITY to cope with stress and anxiety.
Dealing with pressure and intensity is a constant challenge for all players, best achieved when they are secure in the first four components.
They are good learners, recognise where they are at and work on their craft with a positive mindset.
All clubs have talent on their playing lists and well-credentialed people in their football departments.
The great clubs are high on players with character and competitiveness.
Character creates a platform to deal with winning, losing and everything in between. Competitiveness drives an environment to build strengths and confront weaknesses.
When there are high levels of these two ingredients, the last piece can flourish, TEAMWORK.
Good people who are competitive seem to find it easier to belong to a team and take great enjoyment from creating opportunities for others.
They know they cannot do it on their own.