I promised to help
Paul with the coaching because he said he wanted to try to reach a
higher level as a player himself. So I prepared the coaching sessions
(got Paul to approve them) and lead the sessions (I tried to involve
Paul as a coach when doing warming up, showing the exercised and so
on). I believe that it worked fairly well, even if some of them obviously
were not used to group coaching and some did not have the right motivation/ambition/time.
I might say it was a kind of strange to notice that the oldest players
in the squad often were the ones working hardest!
The senior squad worked fairly well
up to the QLD seniors. But I must say I was surprised to have
a squad with players mostly from 50 to 70 years old - that would
not have happened in Norway! Is a huge lack of players in the
age-group 17-30 years, and that seems to go Australia-wide.
I can understand very well why players in that age-group are
missing - there is nothing to motivate them! Take Henry Daveson
(or Nina). He was the best junior for several years - but what
would motivate him to continue practising hard? Not possible
to make money from his playing (and small chances to get to
the Olympics). No social environment where he had his friends
and felt that he belonged. Only practising with a private coach
is NOT enough - it is NOT the way to go! In many countries the
players stick to table tennis because it is in the clubs/association
they have their friends!
It was quite fun to coach these veterans - they practised hard
every time - even if it of course is almost is impossible to
make them to better players technically - what you can improve
is the tactics and speed, and to keep them fit and able to reach
and hold their best level through a long period. Not a surprise
that many of them stopped practising after the Qlds!
All of the players improved their level - and had results better
than before.
That David left the squad was a major disappointment. He still
has a lot to learn - and I am sure I could/can give him the
opportunity to become an international player - feel he has
lost this chase if he does not turn around. He also took away
Paul's chance to reach his goal this season - because without
David it is so that Paul does not have a good enough practising
partner (Paul is also suffering that we have no players of his
standard with good enough loop). That David also withdrew from
the junior fixtures was also a disappointment - there will always
be somebody that is best but you still will have to show solidarity
with the other juniors! That also Carl (who told me that he
wanted to become number one junior inn Queensland), Luke and
Sean withdrew from our squad is pure foolishness; it is harming
themselves, the other players and the whole association to large
extent - they should not be allowed to behave like that! In
most countries or other sports they would have been told to
behave or leave the association. Yes, what if they behaved like
that in school?? This foolishness MUST stop!
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Academy
2008 -
the academy was never approved/started.
Newsletter
2009 -
start of the season/year.
Coaching
Comittee - 2009 - established and later cancelled.
Development
Committee 2009 - established and later cancelled.
Coaching
plan, period 1 - 2009
Coaching
plan, period 2 - 2009
Coaching plan, period 3 -
2009
The
Turbo Table
Coaching
Clinic - 2009 - Easter Holiday week-end coaching.
All Ages Tournament
Recuitment - 2009 - drives
to get new members.
"Time for a change" - letter concerning coaching.
Junior Invitation Series - an attempt to get the juniors back.
Coaches Workshop - 2010
- cancelled same
day.
Supporting
letter for Terry -
from Paul Jones
Who is Terry Dahl? Information about
me.
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