AFL coaching: Have we moved beyond the practice of the legendary Ron Barassi yet?

Dear coaching and learning peers, Are we still stuck in the black and white era when it comes to coaching in this country?  I think so...

Ron Barassi - a legend of Australian football!

Funny how my coach development sharing is far more popular in UK and Ireland rugby coaching communities than in Australian football?  No, not really, as they are prepared to try things a little differently!  Move into the colour television era... Whilst we in Australian football, coaching remains in the throes of the past... As I will explain.

I have the 1981 version of this cracker!!!

'The Coach' by John Powers (1978) is a wonderful read regarding the amazing character of Ron Barassi.  I am from Queensland, so most of the coaches I grew up knowing as legends weren't named Barassi, Hafey, Sheedy, Matthews, Cahill and the like, but as a lover of coaching and new to the 'national game', these legends allow me to understand the unique coaching styles that don't make sense to somebody like me from a 'rugger' coaching background.

Exhibit 'A' below...

This photo has special significance in my Australian football coaching journey!

Mentioned previously in posts by me, was how three years ago, some brave leaders of Australian football approached me and asked if I could present something to their staff on Game Sense.  I remember saying at the time that if you want coaching improvement you might need to look at some cultural change strategy!  In any case, I knew that the coaches would be used to and probably over-relied on 'closed' drills, as are most coaches in this country, in any sport.  Hence, I 'googled' "AFL drills", and, the above picture caught my eye. 

My first question to myself was, "Isn't AFL a 360 degree game?"  Thus, later when I was invited at a Level One (where I too was getting my certificate) to present on 'Game Sense', the first thing I asked them was, "How come you coaches are getting your players ready for rugby league?"  I thrust my two arms in front of me and said, "Two lines, facing each other... Makes no sense to me!"  I haven't been invited back to present 'Game Sense' again obviously...

Exhibit B below:

The line-up and wait: source - 'Coach Assist'

After I made my rugby league comments to the Level 1 group mentioned above, I told them the following anecdotes that happened within 16 hours of each other:

1) After my u/11 girls finished their 45 minutes of games centred learning on Friday night, I then had to wait 45 minutes for my other daughter to finish her 90 minute U/13 session.  The second last activity had the experienced coach holding one solitary tackle bag and had the 15 girls lined up waiting for their turn whilst he followed the AFL promotes SPIR method well on tackling 'technique'.   In other words, 20 seconds of 'I' for instruction, whilst the waiting young women got better at cartwheels and the like.

So that I had some anecdotal information for the presentation I was about to give at AFLQ, I asked the three parents I was standing with: "What are they learning here?"

The librarian and saxophone player who gigs regularly (must know a little about feel and rhythm) said: "They are learning that bags are soft and do not move."

The engineer (very animated) said: "They are learning how to make a straight line - that's pretty straight!"

The plumber who spent 20 years in the army with his trade said: "They are learning discipline." 

"You were rightI" I nodded to the plumber when his answer was indeed confirmed when the girls finished the session with two laps...

2) The next morning I coached rugby union and had a boy from Normanton (remote Queensland)in my team.  The boys in his team and against him, had never seen footwork like his before, let alone his decision making. 

At one point, he was confronted by four defenders in front of him at the tryline and due to his skills and speed, he had run away from his trailing (long way back) support.  

Now, most high school kids or adults when faced with this situation, would engage the defence and try to fight and keep on their feet, until the support arrived, or, throw a wildly long pass back and across.  Not him though - he took the smart decision and ran backwards and across to his support and we scored in two phases.  This is rarely seen ever at an U/15 schoolboy level...  

I asked him about it after, and, he could clearly explain his decision. 

What perceptual awareness!  What skill!  

When do we learn this in ordered columns waiting for a turn?

That awareness develops usually by being allowed to play and create... No lines!!!  This was my message to the Level One coaches from these two vastly contrasting learning moments!  

Exhibit C below - AFL 'line' coaching:

One of my 'favourites' for strange is 'line' coaching...

To explain this, we best get another Gunny anecdote:

Last year whilst finishing my Level II AFL course, I was given the honour of coaching a Brisbane north AFL team for the state championships.  At training, the 'Top Dog' (great coach too) would say, "You know what your 'go' is Gunny?  Congestion!!!  The boys have got to get better at getting the ball out of congestion...".  No worries here!!!

There were lots of coaches and then I realised why!  "Gunny because you're from a rugby league background, you are going to be our 'defence' coach ok?"  I laughed inwardly thinking about just HOW different the two codes' defensive pressures were, but, sure... I could teach a few things about 'contact'...

Then!!!  "Here are your defenders mate.  Away you go and work with them..."

"Ok...???"  Aren't we all defenders and attackers (midfielders in particular)? I thought to myself.

Before games, the 'line' coach takes their group for a special talk.  Against Papua New Guinea (PNG), I noticed in the 'pre-match' section, they were playing 'backyard' type games for an hour and a quarter, whilst our boys got read, massaged or 'strapped'.  Thus, for the PNG game, I took my men to the fence and asked a simple question: "Do you see any strapping on those blokes?"  No...  "Be ready!!!"  And, ready they were!

During the game, to me it seemed that all the midfield 'line' wanted to do was attack!  My 'line' got plenty of practice defending and were doing their job.  Thus, when it was time (quarters and halfs for me to work with the boys on their own as a group before the final 'talk' by the head coach), I'd just say, "What do you reckon I'm going to say?"  That we're doing our job???  "Absolutely!!!  Thus, talk amongst yourselves now men about who you're marking and what they do, and, if somebody is better defending them..."

Now, come forward to this this year (2018), where I've also had the opportunity of coaching wonderful, experienced PE teachers and coaches in the state league, men (QAFL) and women's (QWAFL) competition.  One great learner (a Head Coach) just said, "Gunny, can you just watch what the coaches say and let me know your thoughts?"

Absolutely!  "Well, what happened mate, is that the 'lines' of players were together talking and problem solving about particular opponents.  Importantly, the senior men were really showing great leadership!  But... Then, the 'line coaches' arrived, and, all they talked about was what they saw and everybody shut up and listened.  Mate, wouldn't it be better if we let the players' perspectives have a bigger 'say'?"

But now, back to where all of this comes from... The 'black and white' days!!!

Powers (1978) observes Barassi's coaching: "Each group of thirty players divided into fifteen to an end, 30 metres apart.  Practice began with one player from each end sprinting towards the other, one carrying the ball while the other yelled for a handpass... After dispatching the ball the players went to the end of the waiting que until their next turn to sprint and receive a pass..." (p. 50).

Of course, Ron Barassi in the book had many, many tricks to get them a medal.  But... This, in my opinion, ain't one of them...

AND, with 'Kick to Kick' and 'Lanework' culture, it's still happening now.  BUT... There is hope: ME!!!  Plus, many others like Shane Pill, Dave Reynolds, Greg Forrest, Mark Upton and others!  In fact go to any university PE department!!!

Yet it will require cultural change...

By the way, did I ever tell you how I can't do a Level III because I'm not High Performance???

Yours in learning,

Gunny

PD at the PUB with Kelvin Giles

Dear Brisbane friends,

Date Claimer PD at the PUB with KELVIN GILES

PUTTING THE ‘KID’ BACK INTO KID’S SPORT - Thursday September 13, 6pm-7:30pm, Sandgate Queensland

Why aren't we treating kids' sport as though their lives depend on it?

Legendary international coach @Kelvin Giles, Gert-Jan Pepping and I team-up on improving the quality of experience for children & youth in sports.

PUB - Mr Henderson’s Sandgate, Brighton Rd

KG's wisdom:
Passion for youth sport
Long-term athletic development
"War stories” from his time with some of Australian sport’s biggest names

Kelvin Giles gold:

“Australia has only about 300,000 nine-year-olds. The nation can't afford to lose any.”

“Once we know how people learn things - that should be the way we coach them.”

Experience:
Head Coach of both English and Australian Track and Field teams
Director of Performance at the Brisbane Broncos
Director of Strength and Conditioning at the QAS
Head of Australian Rugby Union’s Elite Player Development.

For whom:
Coaches
PE teachers
Trainers
Parents
Learners

Plus, Dr Gert-Jan Pepping, Deputy Head of Exercise Science at Australian Catholic University, Brisbane - known educator & researcher in youth sport development space & successful coach

Cost $20 (includes large drink and nibbles)
All money raised will be donated to 'Heart of Australia'

RSVP & sponsorship inquiry:
Craig 0431311070; Email: coachgunny@craiggunn.org
#education #learning #coaching #engagement

The Game Sense Approach - Where to now Australian Sports Commission... I mean (sorry) Sport Australia???

Uploaded by Coach Gunny Grassroots Consulting on 2018-06-03.

The recent rebranding of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) to Sport Australia has got me thinking about the complexities of 'grassroots' sports in this country...

Last year I was given the honour - although an ultimately unworkable one - to be the 'Game Sense' coach (no proper references but look up Rod Thorpe, ASC, Ric Charlesworth or any recent Australian coaching manuals), at my local junior Australian football club (AFL). Although in reality I was probably pushing a 'Constraints led Approach' (Keith Davids and friends), mixed with small sided games (chat to any PE teacher), it was indeed a huge eye-opener around the challenges of any alternative pedagogy (the art and the science of teaching) to assist unique learners.

To add more context, the previous year (2016), I was coached by the wonderfully giving South Australian academic, Shane Pill (Flinders University) to design an intervention where I could assist local AFL coaches through mentoring around the Game Sense Approach (GSA). It was here that I discovered that there were many pedagogical issues of even more experienced volunteer coaches. In fact, despite AFL coach development measures that sometimes even I was involved in, coaches were studied defaulted wide-scale acceptance of the use of closed drills through activities like the AFL's S.P.I.R approach (AFL coaching manuals including 2017). In AFL culture, the common drills are called names like 'Kick to Kick, and 'Lane-Work' and are undertaken for the majority of the session before the final 'scratch match' at the end. (Google 2017 ACHPER International Conference Proceedings to find the study or join 'Grassroots Coaching and Consulting' Facebook group and find the original in 'files' section, or, look up many papers by AFL inspired academics like Pill).

Having taught PE at school and university, as well as lecturing in sports coaching, I knew that this had been the case in PE teaching for eternity it would seem so it's no surprise that the pedagogical cousins in sports coaching laboured over closed drills as well despite all the previous development and education (Moy, Edwards or Sue-See in Queensland). Also Mitch Hewitt pointed out that tennis coaches (professionals) do the same but in my experience in teaching and lecturing most PE teachers and Tennis coaches at least enable more balls between participants in their closed drills, whilst sports like AFL use columned line-ups in the majority and multi-balls sparingly, as a way of keeping athletes 'in line'...

For a solution, I consulted my favourite PE pragmatist and academic, America's Judith Rink. Focussing on small sided games, Rink reminded me of two very important points:

1) For Rink, like in some of my YouTube videos (above is an example but feel free to go to YouTube from my website routines are essential. For example, so foreign are my academically, and, 'teaching 101' supported methods to my AFL peers that my craft is noted as: "Gunny Madness", "Ugly Footy", or, "Gunny Chaos"... Which they are anything but!

2) Rink's wisdom also forced me to abandon any thoughts of changing mentees' coaching methods to something like GSA altogether. Instead I favoured Rink's four stages (1993) ideas, that basically focused on making 'drills' messier before a modified game. Wow! With this I felt, I and mentees were making progress on player learning. (See above options mentioned to gain access to stages)

Let me give you an example. I presented at the obligatory coaches' 'in-service' - where three years before only five turned up - but this time there was much excitement. In fact, I was contacted a few days later by a coach (U/8) who I considered the best in the club. Enthusiastically, he asked if I could come along and watch his GSA session. So I did!

Now, I arrived early as always and I was told that he would do four GSA Australian football activities. Of course, due to past experiences, I was a 'tad' sceptical that he could pull this off. However, as he was from New Zealand and a different sporting background, I figured he might be a chance of success having not been beaten down with closed Australian football drills.

He started with aplomb had the kids eating out of the palm of his hand. They absolutely loved him and his planning was well above the nine previous Gunn and Pill participants I worked with. Thus I thought, Let's see how long it lasts! Second game of four... Absolute uncontrollable mayhem that was getting out of hand. He turned to me for help... I blew a whistle long and hard and got down on one knee without looking up for a few seconds and made some open armed 'calm-down' type hand gestures. By the time I did look up most of the kids mirrored my actions and the great coach helped the others to do the same.

From here, I helped him with the rest of the planned games but this awesomely reflective coach's biggest insight was, "That was amazing Gunny!" What? "When you hopped down on one knee everyone else did too..."

Now, despite having done all of this for many, many years in differeing contexts over many sports, I can tell you all that it takes me at least 45 minutes to get youth and adult players used to the routine and tempo of an ecological approach like GSA. Now for 8 year olds, I start with 'Tiggy' and ramp it up slowly and it probaly takes an hour and a half.

As such, with, Sport Australia and most of our National Sporting Organisations in full knowledge that youth sport numbers are falling like 'Drop Bears' from a gum tree, when are we going to get back to teaching coaches how to teach??? Don't worry by the way, about the kids under the previous coach's care mentioned above. They loved him and him they!!! He provided a safe, warm environment of trust just like Maslow would have approved of. And, I reckon he could do closed drills and the kids would come back happy each year.

But... For the rest of coaches in Australia...??? Over to you well paid stakeholders... But I'd say we are in deep trouble...

Meanwhile, I'll keep to my bit at the 'grassroots' in coach and parent development. For example, September, 13, 2018, Mr. Henderson's, Sandgate, Queensland (6-8pm) sees the doyen Kelving Giles, plus head of ACU Brisbane Exercise Science Gert-Jan Pepping with me trying to 'brainstorm' on LOVE in sports coaching all for $20 which includes drink and nibbles. Would be nice to see some of the 'elite' there...

But in the end, the ASC to Sport Australia, or AFL going online with 'CoachAFL' rather than manuals has me scratching my head saying: Same old s$&t… Just a different name!

Bit just like (and nothing against AFL as it's probably most sports) a few weeks ago when I was told by 'top brass' that I couldn't do a Level III course because I wasn't from 'High Performance'... Well: firstly, that's insulting to kids at the bottom who need the best coaches! Secondly, I find it bizzare that my experience or coaching 'rep' youth boys, state girls and senior men and women at state league level, plus coaching their coaches, wouldn't be considered worthy!

Some reasonable issues I'd suggest that need more than wording changes to affect declining participant numbers? But I've made this point before in an earlier article: Do the main sports want viewers or players???

Invite me to your organisation or session if you'd like me to share my answer...

Yours in learning,

Gunny

www.coachgunny@craiggunn.org

Photo of girls playing: owned by Gunny but taken by 'Kwickpix'

Vist www.craiggunn.org for more!

Dear Aussie Sports Lovers, Do we want players or viewers???

Craig Gunn

Engaging unique learners through individual centred problem solving

I THINK it's time to TALK more about 'Grassroots' footy!!! It's time to talk about all sport in Australia's development zone...

Renowned Australian football journalist, Martin Flannagan just days ago reminded us of the dichotomy that exists between the Australian Football League (AFL) corporation and the game of Australian football (Aussie Rules in slang).

As reprinted in 'The Footy Almanac' he gives a Norm Smith Oration toast, where he wisely explains these contrasting narratives:

a) "...the game has evolved into two very different cultures. Those at the top talk in terms of branding and product and market share, the language of corporate culture";

b) from here, when talking about the GAME Australian football the situation in his home state is described to him, as "...the ecosystem of Tasmanian football is sick";

c) and then, "If football is an industry, it is at the most basic level a primary industry, but everywhere I go in Australia, I hear the same – that industry is struggling";

d) until finally he provides a warning, "...to those who are responsible for its [the game, Australian football's] future – Ignore Grassroots Football At Your Peril".

Now, from the outset, let me state that Roy Masters could have written the same about Rugby League, or, Peter Fitzsimons on Rugby Union. Indeed, again I suggest SPORT in general in this country is struggling! However, Flannagan feels perhaps that the artistry of HIS game of Australian football is being contemptuously treated though his subtle suggestions about the power that is 'industry'.

It is a pretty thought provoking piece. Thus, I thought we could delve deeper here. Indeed, if Flannagan's 'intel' in Tasmania is correct, I now wonder, are we just at the 'tip' of the iceberg?

Before I start, with some information on stuff I consider as 'problematic', please know, that I will provide some possible 'solutions' on this very 'complex' issue facing Aussie sports in coming weeks...

The PROBLEMATIC:

1) The ‘Australian Government’s first round of the ‘AusPlay’ survey, released in December 2016 (Australian Sports Commission) - covers the period September 2015 to October 2016 -lists the AFL (not Australian football) as the third most popular club sport for Australian child-adult combined participants. Soccer is miles ahead and indeed looking at trends it seems that Basketball will soon take over Australian football for third place.

2) This neutral government data suggests that Australian football is hardly the ‘national game’ (which Gillon McLaughlin happily declared in 2016...). However, is this patriotic rhetoric just endemic of all sports as corporate systems within systems? This will be explained.

3) In any case, one would suggest that the rise of the AFLW (AFL Women) and massive growth in the girls' game has provided a good 'smoke screen' for what is truly happening. Would Flannaga say that the girls have helped support the corporation's 'market share' and 'branding'...? It certainly HAS helped but I would like to suggest that as Flannagan suggests there are market forces in overdrive! One thing that I can say is that previous participant figures posted by the AFL corporation and indeed, all sporting corporations, were often misleading when compared to the Ausplay data...

4) Again, is this just endemic of a system (the AFL corporation), within a system (Australian public funding for sport and recreation)? In any case, the old 'PE' teacher in me has suspicions when even Roy Morgan research (2015) was flagging what was going on...

5) Roy Morgan's Michelle Levine:

"“While more Australian children are playing sports such as soccer, basketball, netball and tennis at school than they were in 2010, the same cannot be said of cricket and footy, which seem to be slowly falling out favour in local school sports programs. Of course, participation rates vary among different ages, with 10-11 year-olds the most likely to have played cricket (26%) and Australian Rules football (18%) at school in 2014. Outside of school hours (and away from the obligations of Phys. Ed classes), participation has slipped across several sports, with football and cricket being among the casualties."

6) Then, we can take a look at the 2016 AFL Tasmanian Annual Report (2016) which provides some support for Flannagan's dire expression of the game's sickness. For example, 'Auskick' numbers were down by 17%!!!

7) As well, my own analysis of the Ausplay data (you find it yourself too) found that of the ‘top 10’ kids’ Australian ball sports, 'AFL' (as well as Cricket, Football and Tennis), had lost many participants who began as 5-8 year olds. This was especially the case when measured against the 12-14 year old's who remained. In fact, only tennis faced a larger attrition rate than AFL’s 43.9% reduction. In contrast, other sports show increases, with some like Netball, Basketball and Touch Football increasing by well over 50%!!!

8) At the time it seemed plausible to me that the AFL mirrors Rochelle Eime et al’s (2015) findings that amongst many things, modified sports programs, like 'Auskick' for children aged 4-12: were not developmentally appropriate for boys or girls, had little positive impact on children actually progressing to the club version of the ‘real’ sport, and, that perhaps an intermediate program was also needed as a stepping stone to better engage youth.

9) Yet, the 'Grassroots' remain very important!!! Indeed, a La Trobe University/AFL Victoria report, “Value of a Community Football Club” (2014), suggested that for every dollar spent on 'Grassroots' there is at least a $4.40 social return on investment for community benefits. Could this could explain the generous expenditure given by the AFL when it funds each AusKick participant’s backpack and welcoming merchandise? They are presently valued at $45 for each child a year and in total cost the AFL and its partner National Australia Bank $8.9 million in 2016. However, with data showing that 36% of Australian young people aged 5-17 not participating in at least weekly organized sport or physical activity (Active Healthy Kids Australia, 2016), one would consider that all organizations like the AFL could be better structured and better placed to engage their wider participants (including fans, parents, staff and the like). It appears that like others big sports, the AFL is struggling in retention of players. Certainly 'Ausplay' and Rochelle Eime and crew show this to be the case...

10) It is proposed that if societies encouraged young people to participate in two organized sports per year, we could see a 26% reduction in obesity (Drake et al., 2012). as a nation we are at times doing our part here, with Vella SA et al, (2015) presenting Australia and New Zealand as among the best in the world in attracting young people to organized sport. However, at the same time the authors stress that the serious health issue of the prevention of sports dropout amongst young people remains an important research focus. And again we don't need to look far to find helpful South Australia research...

11) South Australian football (SANFL) featured in research on young people, by Agnew, Pill and Drummond (2016). The findings suggested that, amongst other things, the coach is a most important determinant in whether or not children or youth continue involvement in sport. In particular, the authors noted that coaches were pivotal for South Australian junior Australian football in not only the participants’ retention, but also their enjoyment and feelings of inclusion. Indeed they have also called for more research on player retention in Australian football and amongst many suggestions said that coaches need better education around player inclusion, fun, enjoyment and enabling children opportunities to better engage with time on the ball. Education brings opportunity hey? I can't tell you how many times I have been castigated up here for mentioning that our juniors and youth need smaller fields and 9v9 or 12v12 opportunities... EDUCATION and SCIENCE may help Aussie sports CULTURAL ignorance???

12) In any case perhaps Drummond, Pill and Agnew (2016) put it best when speaking about the concerns of retention and dropout in Australian football: “It is clear from this research that there are some significant issues facing Australian Football in terms of retention rates of its junior participants.” Indeed, Cripps (2016) suggests that information on AFL player withdrawal is also scarce in the ‘talent pathway’ sector. Thus one would of course best consider potential solutions to the clear problem of player attrition numbers within the AFL. This will come next week... Yes EDUCATION is important (sorry but I am a humble teacher which I hope to continue through life).

HOWEVER:

I am a coach with a HEART and I care about young people. I don't just sit around whinging about systemic problems facing the beauty that is sport. And you know what, I'm not alone! As such, one of my first LinkedIn videos with the QLD U15s Australian football WOLFPACK was viewed by 5000 people including a Head Coach of a Dutch TOP tier football club, FC Utrecht called Jan van Loon. Jan humbly reached out to me with his Finnish legendary player/coach mate called Joonas Kolkka, to talk about Youth development and retention.

I met Jan on Friday night for a few ales but he too was very concerned with youth drop-out in The Netherlands, who once led all of us with their ability to retain through grassroots communities. However, to make sure that I shared the love, I got Jan to also meet David Rath (AFL's coach innovation guru). I am told by Jan that the Hawthorn coach called Alistair also came... "Our best coach!" I told him. Those at the top of the coaching game it appears are always learning!

On the topic of learning, myself and some great former peers at Australian Catholic University (ACU) Brisbane, like Gert-Jan Pepping and Matt Sweeney, are hosting some of the key stakeholders within Netball, Australian football, Soccer, Gymnastics and Rugby to share a coaches' roundtable with Joonas and Jan this week. We hope to share and learn from each other on 'true' youth ENGAGEMENT. It's being held this Thursday as a 'think-tank', June 28 for and the wonderful Shane Pill (Flinders University) and Rochelle Eime (Federation and Victoria Universities) are skyping in with their research on 'grassroots' coaches and sports clubs' importance. Not a bad start...

Now, if the true meaning of 'compete' is to 'strive together' then I at least hope that we can keep our eye on the prize: KIDS as PLAYERS not just VIEWERS... All sports leaders can work together on this. Mine and ACU's vision here is to at least start the conversation.

It is time for us to learn much more about this like Jan's amazing example. I will share some thoughts on our summit next week as a step forward.

Yours in learning,

Coach Gunny - BEd (PE), MEd (Sports Coaching)

www.craiggunn.org

References (this is not an academic piece):

http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/martin-flanagan-in-defence-of-grass-roots-footy/

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6148-fewer-kids-playing-cricket-football-201503252342

Gunny on 'Talent Equation Podcast'

November 2017, I had the honour of being invited by Head of Coaching at Sports England, Stuart Armstrong to learn and share together. I was nervous but he is a cracking human!!!

Wonderful to share ideas on little used pedagogy...

CLICK HERE