GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #18 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - BORED IN YOUR COACHING? DELVING INTO THE GUNNY ARCHIVE...

G’Day ‘learners’.

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

Consider the idea of REVISITING THE ARCHIVES to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Watch, share and subscribe to ‘Gunn Engagement’ YouTube OR Facebook Pages for more!!!

I was talking today with a coaching leader, Murray Harley (pictured third from the left AT the very bottom of post), in Army Rugby attire with other famous Aussies, Ben Roberts Smith VC, George Gregan and Jim Williams. We swapped yarns about the intricacies of coaching and the need to be constantly innovative but balancing it with the ‘basics’ (which aren’t that basic, the HOW and the WHY).

As an army officer, no stone is left unturned under Murray’s watch. He has played close to the highest level below the Wallabies possible in rugby but more importantly has an uncanny knack to get the absolute best out his players as coach whether that be schoolboys or army rugby women. Aussies, if you are after an ‘expert’ in the ‘dark arts’ of scrummaging Murray is a ‘go to’ man but his tale of the New Zealand ‘scrum doctor’ Mike Cron got me thinking once again about the little things that are forgotten in coaching.

Below is some of the story about Mike Cron’s pursuit of learning innovation inspired by the World’s greatest athletes in any PE teacher’s opinion (when teaching ‘components of fitness’, Male Ballet performers!

““Every year you have to be better than last year otherwise you shouldn’t be here, so that’s the first thing.””

— https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2017/05/mike-cron-the-all-blacks-scrum-doctor-the-ballet-and-the-endless-pursuit-of-forward-perfection.html

Murray’s story about Cron again reminds me about coaches wanting to learn and those that don’t. How 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.

Thus, I swapped with Murray how I got Jan to also meet David Rath (AFL's coach innovation guru). and was 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!

THUS, in the spirit of innovation here is something from the Archives called ‘Gunny’s Crazy Town’ from a few years’ ago when helping Australian Football:

Game Principles:

1. Maintaining possession

2. Creating space in attack

3. Create passing options

4. Good decision making in passing

General considerations in all of these games:

1) Normal AFL rules but the objective is attacking team to make as much ground up field as

possible – for example in one game there will have 45-60 seconds (each team takes turns with

rotations depending on numbers)

2) Team A starts from end line and attempts task, and Team B defends (unlimited touches)

3) Toucher often has to do a task, like, make their way around a sideline marker

4) Swap over when the ball is dropped or intercepted and Team B starts from the same position

5) There is always a winner = eg it could be the team which makes most ground wins

6) Play six on six etc but if odd number one player always attacks and swaps (number superiority)

7) However, on the above point, sometimes the game favour the attack depending on age

Field set=up below:

60m*30-40m

Now, if you’ve read this far, it means you are an innovator like Murray and the above coaches mentioned. Thus you’re probably asking: “What did it look like?” OR “How did it go?”

To ANSWER that you’re gonna have to do two things: 1) SUBSCRIBE to ‘Gunn Engagement’ YouTube; 2) SEND me something from your archives that was innovative. Doesn’t matter if it didn’t work… AT least you were having a crack!!!

If presently in Melbourne or Brisbane, invite me to your organisation or session if you'd like me to share my answer... UK and Ireland coming in September!!!

Yours in learning,

Gunny

www.craiggunn.org

Ben Roberts Smith VC, George Gregan , Murray Harley and Jim Williams

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #17 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - SPORTS COACHES, DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A BETTER PRACTIONER? WATCH A PE TEACHER!!!

G’Day ‘learners’.

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

Consider the idea of pedagogical sharing to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Watch, share and subscribe!!!

A recent Twitter conversation got me a little rattled. I ain’t gonna lie…

It featured some UK and Irish sports coaching university academics whose work I respected. It was Saturday morning Australian time so I guessed that they had enjoyed a little too much of vino/amber fluid or the like.

At present there is a debate going on between Education Psychology and Ecological Dynamics. It’s worthwhile, and I like to know that the passion on display of the exponents on both sides is helping our learners.

However, I’m not sure who benefits from this kind of discussion…

(Some stimulus got the ‘It Depends’ movement on edge) Academic One: Can somebody show me where this fun approach is supported in research?

Academics One to Five: HaHaa… (much disparaging mirth at expense of others)

Academic Two or other: Maybe we should all be handing out business cards with baloons on them!

Academics One to Five: HaHaa… (much disparaging mirth at expense of others including the use of words like ‘gimmick’ and ‘props’)

Gunny: Teachers this is disappointing. I respect much of your research but I just presented at the Australian Council of Health Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER, 2019) International Conference and I used baloons.

Academics One to Five: HaHaa… (much disparaging mirth at expense of others including the use of words like ‘gimmick’ and ‘props’)

Gunny: I suggest you teachers have had too much to drink? (four of five tweeters removed their ‘banter’ within 24 hours)

In any case the sole representative left who works for one of the biggest sports organisations in the world in coach development remained. I thank that person for that!!!

Remaining Academic: Craig can you please tell me the research that supports this… Blah Blahhh?

Gunny: Google the Australian Early Years Learning Framework…

I mean really, do I have to do much more?

These are some observations I have noted and speak with some authority having taught/lectured/tutored in H.Ed. for a decade:

1) Public funding is provided to academics from tax-payer dollars YET research is written out in a way that most practitioners can’t understand

2) Most practitioners don’t even know where to find research even when on places like ‘Research Gate’

3) Most interventions are aimed at ‘elite’ sports’ coaches NOT those at the ‘grassroots’

4) MANY interventions don’t work anyhow when the ‘rubber’ hits the road due to socio-political constraints that really can’t be reproduced in a LAB etc…

In truth, the problem is that none of us, the stakeholders are stepping out of our own silos. But in any case, academics, where is your ‘grassroots’ evidence? Show me how YOU teach and coach!!!

Show ME the evidence I require to ‘rate’ your worth…

You see, I am only drinking tea but the missing link in all of your interventions is the HOW not WHAT. Indeed, why the emphasis on NEW research when we ain’t even doing the OLD?

Whenever I am asked to name my favourite coaching authors, I start naming PE teachers of old like: Rink, Launder, Seidentop, Mosston etc etc… AND whilst on a roll, if you really want to get better coaches go and watch a PRIMARY school PE teacher NOT the All Blacks. A bit like Sir Ken Robinson, the book ‘Legacy’ ain’t that special to most of the teachers I know. We know that we survive by living and breathing in as best a supportive environment that we can for unique learners.

Nothing against everybody’s work but we are all unique learners in a most dynamic world!!!

Finally, whilst at it continue sharing and remain curious. There are many ways to learn nowadays outside the hallowed halls of the higher institutions… Thus, how about we work together as curious learners and teachers?

Here is an example but the way: https://energetic.education/88-grassroots-coaching-with-craig-gunn/ Thanks fellow PE teacher Dale Sidebottom!

Yours in learning,

Gunny

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #16 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - COACHES WILL THIS ALWAYS BE LEGAL?

G’Day ‘learners’.

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

Consider the idea of coaching ‘head awareness’ to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Please watch the fully within the rules impact below which is considered ‘good hard footy’.

I am a Level II AFL Coaches' Association coach, experienced educator of all contexts and well qualified in Rugby Union & League. I shared this vision to a coaching/learning group called, ‘Grassroots Coaching and Consulting’ (Facebook group NOT the page with all welcome to join https://www.facebook.com/groups/147501649318126/ ) This in the rules ‘hip and shoulder’ was met with some curiousity. We are an eclectic group numbering almost 550 from all around the sporting globe.

As it was widely shared and championed by the AFL I just want to ask: “Will this always be legal?” I have a feeling NO… However, we are just starting to learn a little more about the brain so everything is up for grabs! Yet I know that research including my own suggests that coaches in AFL are very slow at changing their practice, especially at the Grassroots… I try my own bit.  

I've been accused of #AFL bashing when I ask questions...

Love to hear from some brain experts about how wrong I am in my concern either way. However, I remain player first in my reflections here as the teacher that i am.

As for the young BUMPER (and I know it’s in the rules), he could have: tackled with right shoulder, pinned his right ear behind ball carrier's back, locked on left 'lever' (elbow) cut opponent's COG in half, driven him to the ground with leg drive keeping himself safer and opponent too.  

Teachers, what am I missing here w/o 'hate' please?  This is a blindsided shoulder charge for mine. 

AND again, please choose your 're-education' thoughts about me wisely because I have seen many AFL coaches teach & #contact is not highly ranked it seems. Grassroots???

Finally, one more time, can any brain experts please also tell me that this looks OK?

Yours in learning - Gunny

0431311070 in Melbourne from May 1st if anybody wants help in sessions with CONTACT.

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #15 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - THE GAME SENSE APPROACH: WHERE TO NOW AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COACHES?

G’Day ‘learners’.

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

Consider the idea of coaching interventions to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Yeah I know… My keenly awaited reportings on the Queensland Sports Collective Forum are coming!!! Just a tiny bit more context from this piece written in August 2018? It must be noted that I sat and waited with baited breath for the launch of Australia’s ‘National Sports Plan’ a day or two earlier by Senator McKenzie… Watched it live on the ABC. This is indeed my passion.

The ‘blog’ starts now:

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; and current ‘Coach AFL’ website). 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 https://www.achper.org.au/documents/item/583 (page 87) or join 'Grassroots Coaching and Consulting' Facebook group (not the page) and find the original in 'files' section, or, look up many papers by AFL inspired academics like Pill at https://www.facebook.com/groups/147501649318126/about/ )

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.craiggunn.org

GUNN TIPS FOR COACHES #14 - 365 DAY PROJECT 2019/20 - SPORT AUSTRALIA DO WE WANT VIEWERS OR PLAYERS?

G’Day ‘learners’.

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

Consider the idea of dominant cultural discourses to better inform the practice and future of your own and peers’ efforts with learners…

Today’s piece is a lead-in reflection toward a soon report on the Queensland Sports Collective Forum run by Netball Queensland (NQ) and mentioned in piece#2 of the ‘365 Day project’. As mentioned in the earlier piece, I was looking at the collective’s presenters’ line-up with a bit of angst.  Indeed, I wear my heart on my sleeve for the grassroots and thus the schedule was full of ‘Big Dogs’…  Anyway the great Richard McInnes from NQ, allowed me to see past the massive chips on my shoulders through his great humility. He also had the ability to articulate that the Forum’s process was indeed part of an overall strategy to help navigate through the grassroots maze.

However, in order to see and make sense of my own thoughts regarding the need for ‘CHANGE NOW’, I thought it best to revisit a blog I wrote nearly 12 months ago below…

Gunny (June 2018): 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 Flannagan 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)

PS… Please subscribe to YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7DAC5b2rZHlt8bxXHVgAHg?view_as=subscriber