Can she kick? Depends - Who's asking?

Can she kick? Depends - Who's asking?

I, like many of you who coach women and girls, or, indeed, who just love the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition, thoroughly enjoyed Julia Hay’s recent opinion piece on LinkedIn, called, “The Importance of Women Contributing to Australia’s National Sport Australian Rules”. It is an inspiring tale of Julia’s recent decision to take up Aussie Rules coaching and implores other women to strongly consider volunteering to coach the nation’s game. Indeed, she rightly points that, “Women need to realise their experience with other invasion games such as basketball, netball, soccer and hockey, can easily be applied to football.”
However, I’ve since reached out to Julia, the great PE teacher, plus others, with some reservations about this rallying call. For example, I posted her amazing thoughts on the Brisbane Lions AFLW Facebook fan group which stimulated much discussion. Maybe things are different in Melbourne but up here, much of the commentary was from supportive men and women who sadly at times had some doubts about the ‘can do’ attitude. No need to go into it, but, I also gained my first ‘intelligent’ troll, who goaded me over email about my feminist agenda!!!
I may be facing further hate mail for saying this, but, Aussie Rules ‘clubland’ to me seems dominated by a ‘macho’ culture that does not like ‘change’. This is saying something from a bloke who was reared on playing and loving rugby league, the most beautifully simple game in the world. However, I stress now that it will take more than women putting their hand up to break the gender sterotypes Mrs Hay spoke about… I reckon it’s us stuck in cement blokes who need to change. Let me explain…
I have coached and educated in all sports and levels for a couple of decades. I swore that I’d never coach my own daughters and have happily sat back and enjoyed their triumphs or failures under many good and some not so good coaches. My girls knew that they were always there to work and have fun with their mates and I only complained once about coaches, after half a season of two blokes screaming constantly at the teenage umpires!!! I cringe every time I hear the ‘roar’ of ‘BAAAALLLLLL’ by the crowd at our young officials but that’s something for another day…
However, when it was my time to take my youngest daughters U/11 gals team, when there was no other option, the shoe was on the other foot. You see I was different!!! I hadn’t ever played AFL before and was actually formally complained about for allegedly not teaching the girls basic skills. This was not true, because as Julia pointed out there is research out there suggesting that there are far more effective ways of training than drills, like her referenced Game Sense. And, I was the lecturer of PE and Sports Coaching at a local university teaching Game Sense, along with, Teaching Games for Understanding, The Sport Education Model, and, the Constraints led Approach among others.
Thus, whilst my methods were completely backed by, modern motor learning theory and coaching ‘101’; plus, despite the fact that my players were five times more active than any teams around, comments would be made to club hierarchy by former players that I was doing it all wrong because I wasn’t using ‘drills’… But this was just the tip of the iceberg and you can read more of this journey if you Google a paper written by me and ably led by the wonderful Aussie Rules and Game Sense ‘Guru’, Dr. Shane Pill from Flinder’s University, presented at a Australian Council of Health Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) international conference in 2017. POINT BLANK: You see, I wasn’t the right cultural fit for people used to the way things were usually done. BUT…it got worse!
One afternoon I was sick and my wonderful, surf lifesaving, mother of three daughters, plus, dynamic, role modelling, assistant coach was charged to take the session. She worked in a girls’ boarding school, had a thirst for my coaching style, because as she said we “Didn’t ‘Lord’ over the kids”, and, had a true passion to serve the kids. Yet, I was worried about the folded armed male brigade in close proximity, which proved sadly correct. To support, I sent my wife, an experienced educator with illustrious levels of EQ to assist. However, the males soon moved in and made comments about what was going on to the coaching coordinator who had chipped me about this ‘games stuff’ before. By halfway through the session, the males mounted their mutiny and took over… My amazing assistant coach whom I was grooming to take over, resigned and took her girls away… Forever!!!
I have many, many sad tales of ignorance among my ‘national game’ male peers to add if you want to contact me. But needless to say, I, and a few of the key females driving the program have progressed to supportive climates. I though, am still coaching, senior men, women and girls from U/11-17, and happily assist with coaching the Queensland U15s girls, through what they affectionately call ‘Gunny Madness’. It’s actually just game centred learning, that to be honest, they are just not that used to.
Once again, Julia is right about the research saying Game Sense is effective but the research also suggests that Aussie Rules coaches generally don’t use it even if they say they do!!! Walk past any senior, ‘sub elite’ team and you will see line ups, waiting behind cones and static learning environments, because, CHANGE is HARD!!! Don’t believe me??? Consider that Game Sense was launched in Australia in 1995. It was taught in my rugby union Level II course in 2000, yet when I get to present anything on Game Sense in Aussie Rules circles, coaches constantly refer to Game Sense ‘drills’ which would be rather counter-intuitive to its earlier promoters like Rod Thorpe and Ric Charlesworth. Yep, CHANGE is HARD because CULTURES are STRONG! Which also means, some of us fit in and some don’t…
This is the bones of my present research: coaching behavioural change. But what have I done to help the change? Well, I have started and run a diverse sports coaches’ group called, “Grassroots Coaching and Consultancy”, where worldwide sports coaching experts like Shane Pill offer their help for all members FREE. Look us up and join 330 members from all around the world who are questioning the cultural, learning ‘norms’ and supporting each other to “BE THE CHANGE!!!” And, finally to support ‘change’, I have been on social media to call on any female coach inspired to improve learning outcomes, to connect with me virtually or face-to-face in Brisbane for FREE support. I am very experienced and know that coaching this game has challenges for humans who don’t kick as long as others… This is odd, because you see, we are the ones who can be the best of coaches because we have remained curious about how “things get done ‘round ‘ere’!”
As for Mrs Hay, I applaud you as a true WARRIOR in the movement and look forward to aligning myself with you in further initiatives. Indeed, I applaud the AFL for inviting you to a ‘think tank’ on attracting more female coaches. This is a MUST for my daughters and their male peers. However, a ‘caveat’, I believe much education is needed around cultural change in ‘clubland’ to ensure this gets going properly. We need ‘true’ support for a ‘hands up’ policy, because, some clubs DO CHANGE and others DON’T.
In fact, I’d reckon the rise of the AFLW has probably saved many clubs but has taken us all ‘off guard’. It was only last year that my girls’ club got change rooms, which was far better than previous years’ changing on the field. However, as an educator, I wonder how much of this current growth has been properly thought through. Indeed it reminds me of Susan Kahn (2017) citing Peeler (2009) on what led to the collapse of Enron, “There is a strange thing goes on inside a bubble. It’s hard to describe. People who are in it can’t see outside of it, don’t believe there is an outside”.
Thus please volunteer leading female coaches because many of you reside outside the ‘bubble’. In fact, you will probably be better teachers as a result of this. But, seek support early and often in preparation for those can’t see outside…

Yours in learning,


Coach Gunny – www.coachgunny@craiggunn.org

FUN in Youth Sport - How Different are Girls and Boys in Their Perceptions?

G’Day ‘learners’.

Today’s blog will help sports coaches (and all caring adult stakeholders) to:

Consider reflection on ‘FUN in Youth Sports’ to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…
It’s been a while but Gunny’s back…

Watch the vision below of Gunny ‘practicing routines’ with other coaches at Rugby Football League (RFL) 2020 England Talent Pathway Conference. Consider: what could make this fun?

I wonder what you think… Feel free to subscribe or give me feedback anytime, but, to provide some scaffolding I thought I best re-visit one of the most under-rated action-researchers of our time, Dr. Amanda Visek!

Amazing teacher, Amanda Visek, who investigated how young people conceived ‘fun’.

Amazing teacher, Amanda Visek, who investigated how young people conceived ‘fun’.

Key Question for me as PE teacher and Coach of Multiple Sports:

Why do ex learners of mine say how much ‘fun’ they had in performance sports sessions I ran, like middle distance running?

Well, it turns out that a good cross-section of young people found that there at least 81 ‘fun’ determinants (Visek, 2015). When I read this in 2016, for me it was the next best thing I found past Deci and Ryan’s (1985, 2002) ‘Self Determination Theory’, in understanding my coaching, pastoral care leadership or Physical Education teaching.

The Who and What:

Dr Amanda Visek is a seasoned sporting psychologist and sports science academic. In 2015 her Fun Integration Theory (FIT) explored 9-19-year-old sports’ participants’ experiences and socio-cultural practices, around young people’s conception of ‘fun’.  And as mentioned, for me, was ground-breaking!!! 

With some scaffolding, the learners described and classified the 81 determinants into 11 sub-categories (see below) that motivated plus supported young people to continue playing.  However, on the converse, the lack of these developmental factors and practices were also a barrier to continued participation.  AND, of course, anyone, who’s been a PE teacher or experienced sports coach of youth knows that today’s ‘drop-out’ phenomenon starts around 12.

For more on the original study Find here:

Read the article for more, but here are the determimants, in graphical form as #funmaps

Read the article for more, but here are the determimants, in graphical form as #funmaps

Visek and team used ‘action research’ where the young people defined, rated, and categorized what fun meant, let alone put it into their ‘own words’.  This alone should give us great faith in the breadth of what's included as ‘fun’.  Intuitively, I guess I knew and would even voice that ‘hard work’ could be fun (I mean the runners kept turning up in greater numbers) but here it was clear in the research.

Importantly, the young people decided that the ‘top 3’ categories were: 1) Trying Hard; 2) Positive Team Dynamics; and, 3) Positive Coaching. Thus, coaches and PE teachers could frame their lessons in this regard and be hitting targets? Well, the story continues… But, just as I suggest below that we need to be like kids, the young people spoke through the research!

Great advice Gunny, but what did Visek’s research next say about adults and coaches?
In 2018, Visek and team sought to understand differences between players, parents and coaches in a paper you can find here. Whilst coaches and parents elevated things like “Game Time Support”, the parents were pretty close in rankings with young people. For example from study:

Interestingly, though, Game Time Support, defined by determinants such as parent(s) watching your games, people cheering, and being congratulated by parents for playing well, was ranked third by parents and only ninth overall by all players

Coaches Perecptions vs Players

Again, the coaches of younger players weren’t too far away from the younger players. However, the problem as Visek and team say:

It is well established that youth sport dropout rates accelerate as children age. In fact, fun is the primary determinant of why children continue to play, and its absence, comparatively, is also the main reason children give for dropping out. Presumably then, young athletes experience more fun at earlier ages and less fun at older ages. The findings of this study, however, are unique in that they are the first to identify precise factors and thus determinants for which discordance between players and coaches exist with regard to fun.

Gunny working with older players here (u/19), reckon they’re having fun?

Well are they having fun? This brings us to the newest chapter and the answer to the title question in this post…

Visek’s team found no difference between genders click here. Not only that, but there was also no real difference in age groups, nor ‘travel’ and ‘rec’ teams either. Thus refer back to: trying and positive teaming and coaching!

In sum, if we are to be successful in promoting the fun ethos for all young athletes regardless of the binary ways in which sport categorizes its players by sex, age, and level of play, it will likely require de-essentializing (mis)perceived differences.

Thus great teacher (Visek), can you please find out if it’s any different with ‘elite’ and ‘sub-elite’ players?

How about I try and help? Many of the women in this team are semi-professional and won the Queensland state flag. Below here, they’re working on their defence from memory with me. What do you reckon it shows?

BUT… Surely, it’s just an American and Australian thing this fun ‘stuff’? Well let’s answer that with the help of much lauded New Zealand Rugby types…

Coaches need to be open-minded and kids need to have fun. They are young and need to enjoy playing.
— Piri Weepu – New Zealand All Black, Blues rugby union player and world cup medal winner

Fair enough, just kids’ coaches… Let’s look at a successful Super Rugby team called the Canterbury Crusaders.

We just get the players to embrace it and just say go out and play.... Have fun, play, run, show us your skills, off load, skip, jump
— Scott Robertson - Head Coach

Reflection Coaches:

How do you create a learning environment where players: Try Hard, Enjoy Positive Teaming and Positive Coaching? Yes, Gunny’s favourite question HOW. Like Dr. Visek it’s most under-rated in sports coaching.
The below may help!

BUT, it’s important to remember, whilst we have locked away peers, NOW is the time to start afresh. Coaching it seems is an important enabler and barrier to your numbers. Start planning to improve kids’ experiences NOW!

You've been handed your child's team's coaching job....What now??!! I want to know the "HOW" as well as the "WHAT". Coach Gunny is here to get you started on...

Yours in learning,

Gunny

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PS. Join ‘Grassroots Coaching and Consulting’ Facebook group if you want to join a group of over 800 critical peers

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #26 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - WANT A MENTOR OR A COACH???

G’Day ‘learners’.

Today’s blog will help sports coaches (and all caring adult stakeholders) to:

Consider reflection on ‘MENTORING VS COACHING’ to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

It’s been a while but Gunny’s back…

Watch the vision below of Gunny ‘mentoring’ other coaches with 2018 Queensland U/15 AFL ‘Wolfpack’. This was the first session and I wanted to make sure that the coaches who invited me had ownership. What are you ‘noticing’ that supports this ‘ownership’ ideal?

Head coach and assistants just wanted me to get gals moving the ball whilst they observed. All they told the players was to get ready for something called, ‘Gunny Madness’…

You know, I am a weird one… Having suffered more than most through my life, I have actively sought out mentors and indeed am known to say that they saved my life! Yet, I’m not always sure that ‘mentors’ are a great way to get better as a coach. Especially when you’re already pretty ‘flamin’ good like the coaches above filming or heard in the video…

However, earlier today, I am considering being a formalised ‘mentor’ for an amazing teacher. You see, it seems that some Australian sports are following what I’ve found in the UK where ‘mentorship’ is a thing. Yet, my dialogue with the teacher suggests that I’ve learnt a bit over my recent times, especially after working more closely with female players and coaches: “G'Day mate, It would be an honour to 'mentor' you but I'd prefer the word 'coach'...” From here I express my admiration to further explain my thoughts, “I have watched you work from afar this year and you have greatly inspired me. My point of difference is that I believe the answers are within YOU and I help draw them out rather than me saying this is what I would ‘do’, or have ‘done’...”

G’Day mate, It would be an honour to ‘mentor’ you but I’d prefer the word ‘coach’...
— Gunny to today's potential 'mentee'

As a lifelong learner, who thrives under direct teaching (please tell me what to do), I wondered why I have been recently perplexed around the idea of me as ‘mentor’. AND then, like an epiphany, the poignant moment arose... I recalled: The venom in a university teaching peer’s voice, where he’d audibly in front of a crowd said more than once say, “I’m not sure why they keep talking to you Gunny (outside sporting groups)… You’re no expert!”

I will unravel the ignorance of this statement by suggesting that I have NEVER claimed to be an ‘expert’… Indeed, my arrogant former peers are delusional if they think (just like the above antagonist) that a PHD makes you an ‘expert’. This ain’t the middle ages ‘old son’…

However, have no fear dear reader, my nearly 10 years of teaching at universities (including four times where I created and ran four whole subjects) ended that day and I doubled my efforts to support the GRASSROOTS. In any case, it prompted me to reconsider my own roles ‘mentoring’ others. For example, in pastoral and ministry type leadership positions, I always considered myself as the ultimate ‘servant’ leader but was I kidding myself? AND, where did this ‘mentor’ idea come from?

Well, if you believe any of the businesses selling their ‘mentoring’ wares over the Internet, the word has its origins in Homer’s The Odyssey. I’m not gonna bore you know but the character Mentor was supposed to be full of wisdom. Even when things got most treacherous, the Goddess Athena took the shapeshifting form of Mentor to save the day! It’s all very patriarchal for the time it’d seem and certainly these actions appear mirrored by some businesses and ‘all knowing’ types. However, as a former English teacher schooled in critical literacy, how else can we see ‘mentor’?

Well, I for one would like to say thanks be to GOD for the Marxist Feminist perspective!!! Colley’s (2000) reading of Mentor sees Homer positioning him as a ‘laughing-stock’ and far from a wise counsel. In fact, Athena is equally disdainful of ‘mentor’ as me it’d seem. As such, the re-writing of history by the dominant discourses is again at play suggests Colley, who not only says that we’ve confused the ‘mentoring’ process, she in fact deconstructs its “mythical representations and its celebratory bias”. WOW!!!

But get on with it hey Gunny… What does all this mean?

Well, it’s a bit like the above video suggesting we need to think like kids. You see, ‘perspective’ and ‘context’ is everything and needs to be considered well. Indeed, anyone who’s learnt with me since my university faculty-driven metanoia knows that I often say that my perspective means little. I detail how I’ve gotta get down side by side on the grass or court to get to know you well (impossible in ‘one-off’ workshops) OR these ideas of mine are just that: IDEAS… Thus, now I prefer to ‘coach’ coaches, which is vastly different to the all-knowing, omnipresent Athena type, OR… The self-inflated university academic peering from behind doors down lonely corridors but fooling themselves that the frame PHD makes an ‘expert’… TF Gunny…

Coaching’ is different to mentoring as shown in this exchange with a coach of the future in the UK. He asked me to give feedback on his program and like a ‘coach’ I asked a question to help him find answers from within:

Gunny: I have some feedback for you and the program like you asked me a month and a half ago. Curiously I used the research (including my own peer-reviewed with Shane Pill) to put it back onto your teachers about what they ‘noticed’ (their observations). I asked three times from you ____ at different times and in different ways... Still hearing nothing but crickets... There within THAT action lies some pretty good feedback mate. Have a great weekend ‘chilling’. One of the many jobs of a coach or TEACHER is to remain ‘curious’…

Coaching peer: Hey mate, sorry mate, was on holiday from the ________ and since then I have been up to my eyes in it getting the season at _______ up and running, dealing with the fallout from me being away for 3 weeks and also coaching on a couple of camps. Would it be ok to send some feedback over next week?

My response perhaps again shows ‘coaching’…

Gunny: What do you really reckon on the last question? Something for you and ______ (official UK sport mentor) to reflect on ____ perhaps but I as a COACH remain ‘curious’. As mentioned, the feedback for you lies in actions which are the only things we (as coaches/teachers) can control. I contributed through my actions too on the night and after... In any case, this is where mentors like ____ and me as Coach are different. You probably need someone like him or others to TELL you WHAT to DO! I have needed many MENTORS in my life and they are the reason why I am alive!!! Yet, look up where ‘mentor’ comes from. A character in a Greek … (explained above). Mate, my experience means nothing to you or anyone in England... The answers lie within you mate!!! Anyway, well done on prioritising these amazing solutions to amazing problems you have!!! Remain ‘curious’ great TEACHER and see you in December! LOVE Gunny

Now I’m not saying ditch your MENTOR and sign up with Coach Gunny (who has an internationally recognised Executive Coaching certification from the ICF)… What I’m suggesting is for you all to look deeper at what’s within YOU for answers first. Indeed, any teacher will tell you how great structured reflection is BUT most forget to give their time to it. Thus DO IT! But also, ask when am I: ‘mentoring’, ‘coaching’ OR being a ‘critical friend’ in our dealings with peers. It’s my opinion only that the middle option is the one most neglected by most.

Yours in learning,

Gunny

PS. Gunny returns to UK 27 November and working/holidaying through to 18 January where I will excitedly be working with Grassroots through to the PROs. Contact me if you want to know more.

PPS. Join ‘Grassroots Coaching and Consulting’ Facebook group if you want to join a group of over 600 critical peers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/147501649318126/about/

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #24 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - VYGOTZKY, ZPD AND SCAFFOLDING

G’Day ‘learners’.

Today’s blog will help sports coaches (and all caring adult stakeholders) to:

Consider the idea of using ‘scaffolding’ to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Watch the vision below. What’s going on? It depends on the learning intentions… Are the WARRIORS having any success? It depends on the quality of the experience you don’t see… Is that bloke a madman? It depends whom you ask…

Psst… I’m aware that I am bombarding you with ‘please subscribe’ to GUNN ENGAGEMENT YouTube channel messages. THUS please DO NOT subscribe. Indeed NEVER EVER contact me or try and learn from any of my years of free helpful experience!

Dear readers,

Some peers have recently gone all Vygotzky on us through a focus on the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) for learners. Find respective work of Jonny McMurtry and Coach Reed Maltbie below:

https://www.coachingthecoaches.net/blog/2019/5/20/getting-our-athletes-into-and-through-the-zone-looking-at-vygotskys-zpd

http://coachingcode.libsyn.com/are-you-down-with-zpd

Psst… Please contact them BUT never EVER learn from me!

ZPD is, “the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help” (Source: https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/pluginfile.php/5904/mod_resource/content/1/Vygotskian_principles_on_the_ZPD_and_scaffolding.pdf - accessed TODAY).

Those that spruik, “the game is ‘the’ teacher”, I’d guess need to rethink. Uncle Gunny or Uncle Lev Vygotzky say: the game is but ‘a’ teacher NOT ‘the teacher, AND, don’t worry, I’ve had ‘elite’ or professional ‘on TV’ type coaches say stuff like the former. Take this for example…

Pro COACH: Gunny we (his very large squad of players) don’t work on (that skill).

Gunny: Why?

Pro: That comes implicitly.

Gunny: (walking away in mild disbelief mumbling) But… but… that’s not teaching.

I am on a mission to support the work of people like Robyn Jones ( 2009) to remind coaches that they are ‘teachers’. Check my previous post including a bloke called Wooden who thought the same thing. Indeed I reckon Coach Reed who is a fellow ‘chalk launcher’ is doing the same thing.

Please don’t get me wrong, coaching is not easy! However, we and our future as a nation let alone the WORLD need coaches because teachers aren’t coaching like they once did. As well, amazing generalist primary school teachers teaching PE/Sports like they once did. Thus it’s up to you now pedagogical peers to help support our youth and volunteer coaches.
The great Coach Reed from 11:11 in of above presented podcast episode gives examples of scaffolding (stepped support), that allows coaches to support our young people through problem solving that Vygotzky or Socrates would be proud of. Sport Australia is also full of support like this: https://sportingschools.gov.au/resources-and-pd/schools/playing-for-life-resources/change-it Yes, we are still leading the World on paper. Have a look around yourselves.
In any case, here are some examples of ‘teaching’ using various scaffolds rather than verbal instructions and repetitive isolated drilling:

1) Instead of saying or visually and statically demonstrating “toes up” in sprinting, get this happening ‘implicitly’ from a skipping rope

2) Instead of asking and showing rugby players to wrap and squeeze in tackling, get them to practice tackling with two tennis balls in their hands

3) (Will stop using the ‘traditional’ former now) use analogies for shape and body height in rugby union clean out preparation via “gorillas”

4) Use the ‘count down’ like the first MAD bloke to put players under cognitive, temporal and physiological pressure

5) Get players to listen for sounds and feel ‘contact’ with implements

6) Get the smart phones out and get pairs coaching each other etc etc

7-25,000,000 plus just teach!!!

However, just like the bloke below says, drills are ok BUT we overuse them in this country. However, the game is BUT ‘a’ teacher only.

Yours in learning (don’t contact me hahaaa…),

Gunny

Coach Gunny analyses the over-use of lines and drills!