Table Tennis England The Winning Edge Issue 7 | Page 17

UNITED THROUGH SPORT
17
If they do, Sandberg sees it as part of her role as a
coach to support them in finding the right league for
them. Formal competition isn’t compulsory, though.
She recalls a team whose skills had progressed hugely
but who were adamant that they did not want to
play competitively, and wanted to continue with their
fun training sessions.
‘They’d built up these social lives,’ she says, ‘and it
was really nice, it was like a little family. They just
wanted to stay in their team and they were really
comfortable with that.’
The same thing applies to children as well. Nick Davis
coaches in schools and in a variety of junior teams,
but perhaps the most interesting session is the
league he runs on a Saturday for children with a range
of abilities.
‘We keep them with children of roughly their own
ability so they can progress together,’ Davis says,
emphasising that understanding the dynamics of
the individuals in the group is important. ‘You know
which ones are capable of what, and what kind of
personality you’ve got to work with, so you pair them
up with partners that are going to help each other.
‘For the little ones, a lot of it is motor skills, getting
them coordinated with a ball, playing little games
where they’re learning but they don’t realise they’re
learning,’ he says. ‘I’ll send a session plan to all the
coaches, and for the first hour they’ll stick to the
plan, then they’ll do a bit of coaching, and for the
second hour they’ll play a form of match where
they get the chance to put what they’ve done in
the coaching into practice.’
Davis says it is key to employ staff who understand
how to work with these groups, promoting the right
kind of welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Each new
coach is given a short trial, pairing them up with a
more experienced member of staff.
‘We want to see how they relate to the children,’
Davis points out. ‘We want it to be very fun-based,
we don’t want it to be like school lessons, where
it’s strict. We want someone with a personality
who can have fun and a laugh and a joke with the
children, as well as delivering what they want. We
look for someone who’s not afraid to make a wally
of themselves.’
This feature was previously published in
TIPS FOR COACHING
SPORT FOR FUN
Gemma Sandberg:
• Take the sessions to your audience, don’t
sit and wait.
• Don’t forget they’re probably there
primarily for fitness and a social life.
• Make it what the participants want it
to be.
• Don’t be put off if they don’t want to
play competitively. Not everyone likes
the idea of leagues and tournaments!
Nick Davis:
• Try and keep players of a similar ability
together.
• Understand their personalities and
change the sessions to suit.
• Limit parents to positive praise – no
information or instructions!
• Keep the sessions fun and use coaches
with a personality to match.
‘
We keep them with children of
roughly their own ability so
they can progress together.
magazine. Edited for publication in The Winning Edge by Ian Slattery.
‘
Woody’s Soccer League was founded to offer a place
to play for children who were struggling to find a
club, as well as for those with less football talent than
some of their peers, who felt left out on a Monday
morning when their more gifted classmates regaled
them with tales of their weekend matches. The
league is open to boys and girls aged 6-16, with each
child playing with and against children of similar age
and ability. Davis and his colleagues have established
a league with an ethos of inclusion, welcoming boys
and girls of all abilities, and encouraging the more
able to help others too.