Martin mcGettrick

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“As many as possible, as long as possible, as good as possible”

Really great piece here from child psychotherapist Colman Noctor in today's @irishexaminer Coaches/Clubs please have a read! "Some of the most effective sports clubs are not those with the most trophies but those with the highest retention rates" "As coaches, the only thing we should take seriously is protecting the fun"

I don't know how many times we need to repeat this message as it still isn't getting through.. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

The goal of youth sports is to produce great adults, not just great athletes.

Things that annoy me in coaching… - Coaches getting photos to be the centre of attention - People who tell me their coaching qualification within 30 seconds - People who work in fake “elite Academies” thinking they’re more important than they are

Dennis Bergkamp, one of the most technically gifted players the game has ever produced, and someone who spent years developing young players at Ajax said "The only team that needs to win trophies is the first team. The youth teams don’t need to win, they just need to make their players better." Read all five points, then ask yourself where does the balance actually sit in your coaching right now? 👇 1️⃣ Bergkamp isn't anti-winning, nobody who played at the level he did and worked within the Ajax system could be. What he's doing is being precise about purpose, the first team's job is to win. That's clear, and nobody disputes it and the youth team's job is to produce players capable of doing that, winning technically, tactically, physically, and mentally, ready for the demands of the level above them. When those two purposes stay in their right place, everything works. The problems start when the result on a youth team's matchday becomes the only measure of whether the coaching is good, the player's success or level of potential. 2️⃣ It's also worth understanding that this doesn't mean youth football should be consequence-free. Competition matters, learning to win and lose with the right attitude also matters. The pressure of a tight game, the experience of coming from behind, the discipline of performing when it's difficult, these are all part of what development looks like. Bergkamp isn't saying to remove the competition. He's saying don't let the trophy become the point, there's a significant difference between using competitive situations to develop players and restructuring everything around winning them. 3️⃣ The balance also shifts as players get older, at the foundational phase, development has to be the overwhelming priority. The research, the governing body guidelines, and the experience of coaches at every level all point in the same direction. Children at this age need fun, participation, technical development, and the freedom to make mistakes. By the time players reach the youth development phase and beyond, the relationship between development and results becomes more nuanced. Winning starts to matter more as players approach the pathway to senior football. The skill is knowing where you are on that journey and adjusting accordingly. 4️⃣ What Bergkamp's quote really challenges is the coaching ego that attaches itself to results regardless of age group. The under 9 coach who plays their strongest players all game because losing feels like a personal failure. The under 11 coach who abandons the development philosophy the moment a cup run becomes possible. The academy coach who selects for the fixture rather than the individual because the result matters for their reputation. None of these decisions are always wrong, context always matters but when they become habits rather than considered choices, that's where development gets quietly sacrificed for something that benefits the adult more than the child. 5️⃣ Ajax built one of the most admired development systems in world football not by ignoring results but by being absolutely clear about what youth football was for. Players developed within a consistent philosophy, a coherent style, and an environment where making them better was the daily measure of success. Some of those players won things along the way but that was a by-product of good development, not the purpose of it. The question Bergkamp's quote leaves every youth coach with isn't whether winning matters, it does. It's whether the decisions you make on a Tuesday evening in training and on a Saturday morning in a game are genuinely driven by what makes the player better, or whether something else has quietly crept in?

Stop asking your kid "Did you win?" Start asking "Did you compete?" and "Did you have fun?" You're shaping their definition of success.

Rick Pitino said it best. Love without discipline spoils. Discipline without love hardens. You need both.

If you’re involved in coaching young kids in sport, the greatest measure of your success in a season isn’t winning a title or a trophy 🏆, it should be about finishing the year with the same number of kids as you started with. Enjoyment and improvement 📈 are what keeps children involved in sport long-term. @GaelicSense @PlayerGaelic @YouthSportTrust @The_CoachingLab #youthsports #sportsparents #coaching

Most coaching problems aren’t skill problems. They’re decision-making problems. If players can’t read space, teammates, or pressure in training, no drill will save you on game day. Design games that force decisions then step back.

Coaching isn’t about control. It’s about creating environments where young people can think, try, fail and grow. The best sessions feel messy. Because learning is.

13–16 year olds don’t drop out because they hate sport. They drop out because they stop feeling competent or connected. The coach shapes both.

Sean McVay nailed the job description. Be an elevator. Lift people to their highest potential. That's it. That's leadership. 🔥

Youth basketball coaching isn’t just about winning games. It’s about helping players: • develop • make decisions • understand the game • enjoy playing 🏀 👉 Build a love for the game that lasts

The dominant language in coach education focuses on "how do I teach this skill?" rather than creating environments where players can learn independently. This coach-centric approach limits player development. @markstkhlm #Coaching #PlayerDevelopment

“Put work in OUTSIDE of team practices.” “Play 1 on 1… play pick up.” “More unstructured play” Just go HOOP!

“The job is to educate and mentor. If you put winning at all costs ahead of that, your not a real coach” - Shea Ralph

6 Rules for Sports Parents: 1. It’s not about you 2. Struggle is part of the deal 3. Don’t ruin the car ride home 4. Your kid is watching you 5. Cheer for the team 6. Enjoy every moment One day, the games will end. Make sure the memories don’t.

Remembering Red Óg Murphy who sadly passed away four years ago today. Red left a special legacy that will live on forever. Take the time to check in on a friend, a family member or someone you know and tell them you love them.

I just saw this on Facebook, and thought that it's worth a #SundayShare. Are we in danger of making everything so professional that we forget about fun? For me enjoyment is always the top priority, if it isn't enjoyable, why would kids play football.