To Win or To Develop? The dilemma faced by many underage coaches is simple – should they focus on winning the championship in their own division, or on preparing their players for senior rugby/ football/ cricket? It can seem as though there is a stark difference between the two, given that many tactics that yield results at younger age groupings will not necessarily have the same effect at the top levels of the game. So which should you focus on? In reality, the split between winning and developing might not be as simple as you first think, and it may be possible to combine the two. Winning is naturally important to every player – it is often their primary motivation for playing, and the ultimate goal for every team is obviously to win their competition. Of course, this is not always realistic – in this case, your strategy must naturally move to player development and getting the most out of the team you can. Even for consistently successful junior teams, it is possible to marry the two goals of developing and success. The fundamentals of the game remain the same across age groups. In other words, fitness, physicality, game sense and skill will always benefit players, from younger groupings right up to senior elite level.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 07:53:55 +0000