A Resource for Coaches
The Junior Jets, like nearly all other
junior AFL clubs, relies heavily on the voluntary nature of parents
and supporters. This generosity, while laden with good intent, is not
always abundant with experience of Australian Football let alone coaching
or indeed, coaching of any team at any level of any sport.
The information for coaches contained
in this particular section is intended to provide a mechanism for our
volunteer coaches to appreciate the enormity towards undertaking the
difficult but highly rewarding task ahead but also be supported with
examples, advice and guidelines to make the journey more pleasurable.
The Coaches Box is not only directed towards new coaches or those wishing
to get a feel for coaching, but also for current junior coaches. Overall,
the Junior Jets would hope that the information contained assists coaches
to add some quality to their coaching programs. It is by no means a
mandatory requirement of the Junior Jets for coaches to apply everything
here.
A lot of the items and text contained
within this section has been derived from various resources much more
detailed, theoretical or academic and professionally better presented
than we could hope to achieve. Certainly, the AFL has a wealth of teaching
resources to start off with should you wish to pursue coaching techniques
more rigorously. We would strongly encourage you to do so and will provide
links to sites or information where we can.
Disclaimer:
The Junior Jets seeks to summarise AF coaching through key points, to
complement already available resources and possibly supplement certain
junior coaching aspects with the pragmatism uncovered through the evolvement
of this club. It is therefore important to understand the context of
what we are providing is the Junior Jets summary of information and
should not be read under any assumption of academic or theoretical authority
associated with child or child sports psychology.
For anyone using
the information about coaching, the Junior Jets hope it is useful. Your
comments either way are welcome.
For those interested, why the term "The
Coaches Box"?
It's derived from the "Coach's Box", that venerable iron bastion
of command and control used by coaches from whereupon the sideline they
would orchestrate proceedings during the course of a game. The coach's
box is etched in the minds of many, for those fortunate enough to have
seen these dotted about in country footy fields, due to its place in
football culture where from the dark depths of this box would emanate
the unmistakable sounds of the coach in full war-cry barking out instructions
at machine-gun rate to the runner or his players, while without pausing
give a serve to the umpires or the opposition. Should an umpiring mistake
occur there would erupt the booming crash of sound made by the fist
banging on the roof . All with the strength in decibels of a jet engine
as sound would be magnified like a purpose built loudspeaker. Then,
out of this nerve centre would emerge the Coach at the intervals, striding
out to the huddle with an air of confidence and dominance, to instruct
his players with the typical fire and brimstone. Well that's what it
seemed like to us of an impressionable age.
The Coach's Box represents a symbol of coaching and all its manifestation,
as tucked away in its is the coach and everything the coach knows is
at some point bound within that box.
Then again, a more simple and less romantic
view is that it might just refer to the coach's box of tricks.....?
Junior AFC
