Koaching Tip # 6 - The Winning Mindset

In the newsletter preview to the school holiday Coaching Clinic, Sylvia Hill (our editor) wrote "the clinic provides a more relaxed atmosphere in which players learn new skills . . ." The significance of this perceptive comment has only dawned on me in the last few days. At the risk of being controversial, it has always seemed to me that most of us adults find it difficult to measure a child’s or a team’s success except in terms of winning. Consequently, our coaching and support methods are aimed with winning in mind. To give a simple but common example of this . . . hands up those who have never shouted ‘BIG KICK’ when the ball bobs around in front of our goal. If you didn’t put your hand up, you’re either comatose or a saint! I would prefer it if the players were encouraged to remain calm, control the ball and pass accurately to a team mate. This, of course, requires a different mindset. A mindset that is willing to see the player lose the ball and concede a goal. A mindset that allows players to develop experience by trial and error. A mindset that is not overly concerned with winning.

This then was Sylvia’s perception. The Clinic was not about winning matches but about learning new skills through trial and error. Winning will be a consequence of this approach in the years ahead.

Happy coaching. Keith