Paul Trinder
0423 413 567
Welcome
On behalf of the Sherwood Australian Football Club and the management committee I would like to welcome all new and returning players and their families for another season of Under 14's football at the Sherwood Junior Australian Football Club.
Our Club has continued to grow, and our junior footballers have met with many successes for more than 40 years, thanks mostly to the involvement and commitment of parents supporting these young athletes. I hope that your continued support will be as rewarding for you as it has been for me.
Participation
Youth football is an exciting brand of the game for children aged 12 to 16 years. They are encouraged to build upon the skill sets they have developed as individuals during thier formative junior years and utilise those skills within a premiership based team context. This emphasis, within a full competition context provides every opportunity for young athletes to develop balance, stamina, strength, coordination, and self control. The Youth Football program is about understanding how best to contribute to the overall fortunes of a side through performance. It is about developing and improving skills as an individual, understanding fitness as an important aspect of performance, and also really understanding what it is to be a contributing member of a team.
I ask from every player who plays in a side I coach for a number of things, the first of which is:-
Commitment - and this simply means to be commited to one self in attempting to improve each and every time the boots are laced. Commitment to the players around you in supporting each other both on and off the field, commitment to the team as whole with the focus on the whole rather than on the individual, and finally commitment to the coaching staff in accepting decisions made both on the training track, and during games.
Respect - I ask every person involved, which includes players, parents, coaches, and volunteers to respect one another. This goes much further however, it is important that we respect players from oppostion sides, their supporters, and their volunteers. Also we must always, always respect the decisions of officials regardless of our perception or opinion.
Dedication - Players must be dedicated to achieving the goals they set themselves, the goals that are set for them, and the goals of the team. That means being on time, being at training, being at games, being at team building.
Attitude - Be positive about your football, act with positive attitiude and energy.
As a coach, mentor, and male role model I can assure every person involved with the Under 14's side over which I preside that I will be endeavouring to develop these traits in these players with football as the context. I understand that there may be conflict between players, parents, coaches, opposition, and officials but with commitment, respect, dedication, and the right attitude there is nothing that can not be overcome.
What I offer as a coach in return for the aforementioned points is firstly to apply those things in my dealings with my players, thier parents, and so on but my role obviously goes further than that and I make the following commitment.
Regardless of what division the team is placed I will ensure that fairness, and flexibility are applied to each and every player selected in the side. Each player has the right to participate equally on the field, regardless of level of skill, or ability and it encumbent upon every other player to support this initiative. Every player will start on the field during the season proper, and equally every player will start from the bench, my commitment as a coach must be to the playing group as a whole, and to make each and every individual within it feel valued.
I consider it my responsibility to offer the appropriate level of comminucation to players and parents alike, and in that vain I will endeavour to ensure both groups have access to me for any concerns that they may have regarding decisions made. With that said I will always offer a rationale for a decision and that does not mean the decision will be changed but again I have an ability to be flexible where the need is apparent. If you want any advice or assistance please feel free to contact me at your convieneince rather than undermine or distablise the culture I am attempting to build. Despite the perception some people within the club have of me I am very approachable, come and talk to me and you will find that out quite quickly.
I have been involved in Australian Football as a player, coach or administrator for over 30 years now and in that time I have seen incredible change in the game. I have tried to keep pace with these changes overtime and I hope that I can bring a brand of football that is both entertaining and successful. With that in mind I will be offering game strategy and structure as part of the 14's coaching program and I intend to spend a bit of time on this. In my view just concentrating on skills and drills alone is not enough to develop understanding, players must have context and structure, and framework to unable them to put the skills and drills to effective use. If a player develops understanding of strategy and structure the flow on from that is an ability to read the play, and that is the holy grail of coaching youth football in my opinion.
In closing I am not offering premierships or best and fairest accolades, but what I am offering is an opportuntiy for players to learn commitment, respect, and dedication to a team and a club. With those things comes success, all that is required is patience and support. I am commited to teaching your boys how to win, how to be gracious in defeat, and how enjoy thier footy regardless of the outcome.
Coach