Ladies Gaelic Football

50 // Ladies Gaelic Football Association COACHING ARTICLE PEIL Spring | Issue No 1 | Volume 14 he world of coaching and team sports has changed dramatically in recent times. The concept of leadership groups within teams has become commonplace, but what does this concept mean in reality? Let's start with a basic practical example. Ask yourself this simple question: as a coach, do you agree that players should be making decisions about team training i.e. should they be taking ownership of their training schedule? The theory that coaches were there to coach, managers to manage, supporters to cheer on the team and players should just play has been altered. There is now more emphasis on empowerment and engagement. As a coach of Ladies Gaelic Football – what do these mean, what would the existence of a leadership group within your team mean, and why had there been a move towards this type of coaching environment? A number of reasons can be suggested to explain the move towards empowering player driven leadership. • Society has changed. There is momentuum in Ireland for society to move to a more open, transparent and accountable culture. Previous authoritarian models are becoming less frequent – the way we parent and the way educators teach is becoming more child or student centered as opposed to strict authoritative models. This shift is also evident in the sporting world. Players want to be included in and consulted in relation to the environment and expectations of their team. They want to take ownership for their team and consider themselves a significant factor in creating a successful environment. • It makes sense. Players have to solve problems and make decisions on the field that determine the outcome of the game. Coaches can coach o— the Leadership by Empowerment… What does that Mean? pitch and at training but they have limited impact on the field in the heat of battle. If coaches can develop better problem solving and decision making in their players then they will be more accountable for their performance. • Players have more knowledge. One impact of the internet and more television coverage is that players have access to ideas, techniques and skills that were once hidden away in coaching journals and books. Players are comfortable using video analysis to evaluate their own performances. Players have views and opinions about their own performances that can add real value to the coaching schedule and content for the team. Players are also developing more awareness of what works for them and at the end of the day, they know themselves better than we do. • Leadership is better understood. Leadership has been the subject of thousands of studies over the past number of years from every possible angle: business leadership, financial leadership, corporate T "as a coach, do you agree that players should be making decisions about team training i.e. should they be taking ownership of their training schedule? " leadership, political leadership, leadership biographies, sports leadership – lots of people are thinking about, talking about and writing about what leadership is and how to develop it. With this in mind coaches now value the role of leadership and the impact these skills can bring to their team. WHAT ARE THE TEN KEY ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL SPORTS LEADERSHIP TEAM? 1. Learn to lead. You cannot just appoint or elect a group of players to a leadership role and expect them to do it well. As coach you need to ensure those players understand their role by providing coaching, education,

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