Coaching skills developed

Coaching skills and the role coaches play in developing positive cultures in junior football were the focus of a seminar run by the Warragul and District Junior Football League.

Sixty-five coaches, assistants and team officials represented all clubs in the league attended to listen to take part in sessions that reinforced the values of junior sport, integrity of the game through coach education, coach behaviour and the development of strong, positive relationships between clubs and umpires.

The seminar held at Marist Sion College in Warragul was the third year such a program has been conducted by the WDJFL.

President Anthony Hibbs stressed the values and the culture that is being developed with discussion around the importance of the league’s Code of Conduct to the future of our competition.

People will support football when the competition is well administered and coached and has a strong set of values, he said.

The league’s Under 14 interleague coach Rob Reid with more than 30 years of junior coaching experience, including 26 years as a member of the Gippsland Power coaching staff, spoke about coach/umpire relationships and the influence coaches have on team staff and supporters as well as the young players.

He said it was a challenge to recruit and retain enough umpires to adequately cover community football.

“Coaches are leaders and ambassadors for football’s development of the game and set the tone for clubs. If they can improve relationships by developing awareness and empathy for the role of umpires then more umpires will continue”.

A barrier we can control is the culture of abuse and disrespect towards officials, Reid said.

Former Richmond AFL player Nathan Foley led a practical session dedicated to teaching and coaching fundamental skills.

In the various Under 10, 12 and 14 age groups the sessions addressed ways to teach the junior players to kick, mark and gathering the ball from ground level and to incorporate the drills into training programs.