Coaching report 2009


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!

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.