Being able to find that little bit of extra space in the heat of championship is what sets the good players apart.
It’s generally an instinctive thing that is difficult to coach.
What you can do as a coach is replicate these scenarios as often as possible and try to guide the players into helping them make the right decisions. Look at how many of these shots that are falling short or are blocked could have been passed off to a man in a better position. Shooting under pressure is an easy scenario to replicate. Just keep them at it, stopping and guiding them but it’s not much good just telling them to create space, you need to be able to demonstrate it yourself (or even show them video clips of what better players do).
There is a place for drills along with games, but try to ensure the drills aren’t just single, repetitive actions. Make the players think, introduce a defender/spoiler into the middle of the drill, make the players think about how they can take him out of the game. The successful completions will suffer at the start, but as it goes on it should improve the overall quality and benefit of the drill.
as much as anything, the fact that shots are dropping short may mean its a confidence/pressure issue and they arent striking the ball as well as they can do as a result. Replicating pressure of championship is very hard to do on the training field, but if the players are well prepped, then the confidence to strike better comes easier.
For what it’s worth, I’m not up with the lingo, and I use the word drill to describe any individual part of a training session.
There’s some good advice there, though nothing too dissimilar from what is actually in place. I suppose perseverance is key to a point, the more you get players used to shooting under pressure the more likely they are to succeed in Championship.
Even a tiny bit of improvement, one or two points more than otherwise scored could make a huge difference.
Its not hard to replicate at all. You just have to manipulate time and numbers.
Confidence may have something to do with shots dropling short but in my experience its not knowing your own skillset at that point in time and trying things you have not been training to do.
Training must match what you want to do in matches. Anything else is a waste of time. Why do it? So if you are having intensity or decisiin making issues then address them. Drills do nothing for either.
Thats why i was asking what specifically are the issues. Until you identify that then you are going nowhere.
In fact it happening once can be the catalyst for complete player buy-in. It can be quite remarkable.
You didn’t answer what the issues are though.
Are they being given ball they shouldn’t be?
Are they told to shoot every chance they get?
Is there a lack of support so only option is shooting?
Is their too much of a gap between half forwards and inside forwards for instance?
Are the half forwards too slow/unfit to support?
Is the plan fit for purpose at all?
All questions have to be asked to actually improve. Otherwise its metaphorically hit and hope with training.
That’s all very well to say but for the vast majority of clubs across the country, the underage section will have “failed” to some extent. Even at clubs who have produced a lot of top players, there are going to be players with poorer skillsets.
Even some of the best hurlers in the country have massive deficiencies- you’ve got the likes of Shanagher who is big, strong, quick, decent in the air, good goalscorer but he cannot hit the ball of one side. You’ve got Kilkenny hurlers who can’t hit the ball properly.
And at club level, this is more extreme. You’re not going to fix all the flaws, but there are certain adult players who we’ve noticed have improved their skillset a lot in the past few years. It is possible. It’s not ideal, but you can only work with what you have.
There is nothing that you say there that I disagree with. My point on pressure is that it’s one thing to do all these things in training, bringing to to the championship is a different story. Some players may react differently to the “big stage”. You cant replicate hitting a free from the 21 as to hitting it from the 21 in front of a load of people and the game on the line. Just ask Dessie Dolan. hence my point about being well prepped so that the “pressure” of playing is easier to replicate once you are confident enough in yourself that you are able to do what you have been doing in training. If you make that shot every time in training, then it should come automatically to you in the game without the pressure factor or the mindset of it being a issue.
I was only also furthering a point of shots dropping and pointed that it “may” be an issue. I dont know, only the people involved know that. If they are banging them over in a similar situation in training, then what makes them drop them short in championship games? Its just a discussion on it.
Ball into the forwards can always be worked upon, but I don’t think that’s the issue in this instance; I’m more talking about where the right option probably is to take a shot.
A lack of support is potentially an issue, the movement of the forwards off the ball to open themselves as an option is something which could alleviate the problem.
Don’t think fitness/pace is really an issue.
.
The scenarios where this is really a problem is where the forward has been given reasonably decent service, he’s got the ball in his hand and is on the run faced with one marker. Has a little bit of space and a top player will just be simply popping the ball over the bar.
But at all levels, there are players who will struggle in that scenario. Whether it’s taking the wrong option and opening themselves for the hook & block, or just connecting really badly or else a lack of confidence in taking the shot and looking for a pass that isn’t on and turning over possession.
Ya but you don’t fix them with drills like striking drills or drills that take out a decision making aspect.
I still see teams standing 10m apart pucking the ball to each other as part of a “warm up”. Shit you do in the car park.
The bar is so low in GAA training and coaching in some places its unvelievable. Every time i get a bit of light i read stuff like this which shows its not finding its way down to grassroots.
There is a need for some drills, but they have to have a purpose in the overall context of what you are trying to achieve and they HAVE TO lead to more dynamic learning.
The typical GAA team goes like this
Jan-Mar - get “fit”, lose some players from the slog
Mar-May - play some games and get better by simply getting up to speed
May-Aug - who knows??? Fractured time at vest with games and training and exams etc. Nobody really goes anywhere though.
Aug onwards - if you get into september/october then you have a chance of improving year on year. But if you don’t you just go straight back to the previous january and start again either at same level or below.
Players blame the coaches (rightfully sometimes) and the cycle continues with no real purpose.
The issue you are trying to improve is a difficult one to sort from a drill perspective alright.
You can do drills to improve first touch which will buy most player a fraction more time alright but we all know that most players only a half arse do drills.
As regards trying to improve the issue in game format. I’d agree with Kev & runt in that a backs & forwards style game with extra defenders will speed up striking and awareness of support & space.
In saying all that, plenty of challenge matches will only tell if said players are improving from all of the above.
But you are seperating the mental preperation from the physical. For the absolute majority they can be tackled on the field together. Does it take some cajolling and the right words at the right time? Yip. 100%
Now i appreciate some player need external help to get them to ficus on essentially being the same all the time. However this focus and oractice still has to happen on the field. Like i always say to players, mental preperation is the same as practising your weak side. It takes work. Its a skill, it can be learned. Being mentally tough is a skill. Nobody is born with it. All skill acquisition works somewhat along these lines.
Unconscience incompetence
Conscience incompetence
Conscience competence
Unconscience competence
Now environment growing up or whatever can help form that faster for some people. Parents or teachers or situations or good/bad support etc.
But it can be developed.
So if a guy is taking shots when over loaded with defenders in games, then overload him with them in training. But offer some alternatives , men out on the 65 to strike out to. See what hapoens. Even watch how the defenders react. Stop the game, explain whats working and not. Go again. But don’t give him the solutions. This is fitness, skills, tactical, cognitive training all wrapped into one.
Thats just expanding one example of whats going on in artisotles example.
But creating a striking drill that hopefully will increase his distance or putting a small bit of pressure on will not work. He will need to make decisions but will also have to see that there are other options.
yeah I’m not really sure how any of that relates to anything I said. although you mention at the end that drills wont work, so I’m not sure if you are reading something that I never said and going off on some mad tangent.
I’m not disagreeing with your points, but you seem to be discussing something that wasnt said. or maybe your comment is just an overall thought you had or something or maybe just expanding further on what I said of being fully prepared with your training so that the mental impact of a championship game is negligible.
The drills is a general point yes, and they just dumb down the cognitive abilities of players. That leads to loss of confidence then when they play and down a spiral then.
We all got a perfect example last year if you compare the Cork Camogie team. Game based 2015, drill based 2016. Once anything new was thrown at them they were a mess. They really struggled to veat an average Wexford side, and a well coached KK blew them away. The year before the coaching teams were exactly the opposite. It showed.
And you don’t even have to talk about it, you don’t have to explain to players these changes will happen if we ditch the drills. Prepare them for a different approach, blend it in slowly if needed (i made the mistake once of making the change too quick) but they will learn and figure it out. I think thats what freaks out alot of coaches, they think tgey are going to have to explain everything and get confused. They don’t. Do and learn themselves. Even the best coaches are bluffing as they go.
I see it all the time, you spend a year with a team who are drilled based and they will then find their real level. Then you may have to get creative after a year or 2. But simply introducing a more or less all games approach has a huge effect.
I didnt, if you read back. All I said was being fully prepped. Being fully prepped means that you cover the “confidence” aspect of things in training, the mental side to the game if you like.
nothing really to add to the above or to push any other points.
This is seperating. My point is pressure can and should be built in training. Its a clichè at this stage, but training should be harder than games. You seperate championship/big stage etc
“My point on pressure is that it’s one thing to do all these things in training, bringing to to the championship is a different story. Some players may react differently to the “big stage”. You cant replicate hitting a free from the 21 as to hitting it from the 21 in front of a load of people and the game on the line. Just ask Dessie Dolan. hence my point about being well prepped so that the “pressure” of playing is easier to replicate once you are confident enough in yourself that you are able to do what you have been doing in training. If you make that shot every time in training, then it should come automatically to you in the game without the pressure factor or the mindset of it being a issue.”
seriously, just read whats in black and white. I now you have thoughts and opinions, but you are debating something that I am not even saying. I dont have the patience like our northern buddy on here to keep replying
I’m not even sure what you are debating with me at this stage. Just to be clear, again, I am not separating mental and physical preparation in training. if you want to read it like that, do. yes, I separate training to big games. I’m not sure how that is anything unusual. training’s are not the same as championship games, no matter what way you want to replicate the training to match them. All you can do with your training is create scenarios and game day decisions to replicate it as best you can.
again, I’m not disagreeing with your general point of setting things up in training to bring onto the field and that it should be games and situational based training rather than drills. if you ever had time, you should look up some Bill Belichick and his situational training for American Football. he’s a good speaker, makes the players think for themselves.
