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POST-SEASON AWARDS: HOW TO AVOID
THE "PITFALLS"!
-By Dave Cross
Our high school seasons are wrapping up across the nation. With this, comes
a time that many coaches seem to dread: Giving out Post-Season Awards. Why?
Countless times I've been told horror stories concerning
the negative reactions that follow this positive, congratulatory event. Players
and parents become upset with the coach's
decisions and many times angrily react-leaving everyone involved with a bad
taste in their mouths.
I, myself, have had to deal with this numerous times over the years-and quite
frankly, it's something I put right up there with toothaches and speeding
tickets on my list of things to "avoid at all costs."
Although it simply is not feasible for coaches to expect to find some "magic
formula" to make this unpleasant time disappear forever, I do feel it is
possible to significantly limit the times we must endure this ugliness. Coaches, give the following philosophy some serious thought-it
just may help you avoid some unpleasantness in the days ahead:
-Give a lot of awards: Hey, your players have
worked hard-they feel they deserve recognition. I give 7-8 awards each season-and
if I have a deserving player that doesn't fit any of the established categories,
I invent one that does.
I'm sure some of you are thinking, "but doesn't that take away from the
significance of getting a special award? If everybody gets one...." First
of all, we all usually carry between 10-15 players on our varsity. And I've
found that
the more players I carry, the more have made a significant contribution to
the team in some manner. If you carry 10 players, then maybe you give 5-6
awards-or maybe even more.
The key point to remember here is that a player (and
her parents) only care about one thing: The award that player gets-sure
they will sit there and pay attention and clap as the other awards are given
out-but internally, they are
focused on one thing: their own recognition. Everyone wants to feel
appreciated-especially when they have put their heart and soul into something-and
we all know that receiving recognition for our efforts gives us that very
feeling we all secretly desire.
And three-five-ten years down the road they will remember only one thing:
the award they did (or didn't receive), and the feelings they have attached
to that event in their minds.
Reward as many of your players as you can logically explain-they deserve
it, and will appreciate it. And for many, it will help their self-esteem
grow!! What's more important, risking that some may feel their award is less
significant because many were given, or aiding one of your players in feeling
better about themselves and their efforts? Seems
like an easy choice to me. Rewarding an underclassman also presents another
bonus: "Coach saw how hard I worked-it feels good to be appreciated like
that". Sounds like someone that is going to be motivated to work even harder
next season!
-Give everyone something: Now I'm not talking about every player getting
a special award-unless that's what you want to do. But I do believe in giving
everyone a gift of some sort as a reward for their time and hard work.
A season highlight video or team sweatshirt are a couple of ideas I've used
in the past. In doing this you insure that everyone walks away with something
they feel they earned-after all, the only people in the whole school to receive
this gift are your players-and that has significance, and again, it shows
your players (and their parents) you appreciate them.
-Dave Cross
National Director
Yes I Can Volleyball
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