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Using a Pre-Season Survey-A
Detailed Example
-By Dave Cross
Here's a tip for you that can help to make sure you develop the right plan
for leading your team to a successful, rewarding experience
this club season.
There is a website called surveymonkey that allows you to create a free account
and then create a survey you
can have your players go on-line and complete. The site tabulates and
saves their responses for you, allowing you to collect
your player's thoughts on their coming club season before you actually get
started.
This can be a very valuable idea because it can help
you get everyone on the same page in terms of expectations, commitment and
points of emphasis for the entire group-parents included.
I did this with my team last season, and here is a detailed explanation for
you:
The following are the questions I surveyed my team on-with an explanation
of why I asked each question: (Nine of the ten questions had five answer
choices, ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree".)
1. I will put the commitment and responsibility
necessary for our team to be as successful as possible above
everything except my family and school sport commitments.
-Explanation:I did give further
explanation on this one in the email I sent them with the link to the survey.
Religion falls under "family commitment" to me. So does "academics". But
I also explained that in terms of academics, the only times it should come
ahead of the team are if a player becomes ill for an extended period of time
and falls way behind on their school work, is invited to something special
because of their academic success, or is struggling in a class and needs
extra help that is only offered during our practice time. It does not include
getting homework done, finishing a paper or studying for a test-simply because
athletes need to learn to plan their time and get this done outside of practice
time. (In otherwords, don't be missing practice because you forgot to meet
an academic requirement on your own time.)
-Explanation: I want to know just how committed
this group is going to be. Five of them went to Nationals with our
14's team last year, and there is alot of talk about qualifying again. But,
five is only a little over half of the team-three of them have never played
at the National level before.
2. I feel that in order for our team to be as
successful as posssible, each of us need to be excellent teammates.
3. I feel I know how to be an excellent teammate,
no matter the situation.
4. I feel I am an excellent teammate all the
time, no matter the situation.
-Explanation: All three of these questions are
obviously related. Do they feel being an excellent teammate is very
important? Do they understand what being an excellent teammate is? How good
do they feel they are at doing this?
Sure, they are probably all going to "strongly agree" on how important it
is-that's pretty much a "no-brainer"-but
I wanted them to say it-to commit to it. The last two questions will give
me an idea going in how much time I am
going to have to commit to teaching this concept.
5. The most important thing to me this season
is:
a. How much playing time I earn
b. How much our team wins
c. How much I learn and improve
d. Not sure
-Explanation: This, to me, is the "biggie".
This team is very talented, and for the most part, very experienced for
their age. They are all used to playing all the time, at the position they
want to play at. And, of course, that's what
their parents are used to also. A kid can't be a "team player/excellent teammate"
if their main focus is on "how
much playing time they earn". And notice how it's worded" "earn" is used,
not "get". There is no way they can all
play as much as they want to-or their parents want them to-LOL. I am going
to have to guide them to "how much I
learn and improve". That is where their focus needs to be-and the winning
will take care of itself. It also will
help with the playing time issue-although this will be my biggest challenge.
6. I feel it is very important to give 100% effort and focus all the
time at every practice.
-Explanation: Yep, another "no-brainer" answer.
But again, I want them to actually say they "strongly agree" with
this-which I am sure they all will. Then, when it's not there....:)
7. I am willing to use the "Yes, I Can!" techniques
to help improve as a player.
-Explanation: This is obviously a large part of my coaching approach.
Sometimes, young, naturally gifted athletes don't see the need for learning
the techniques-because things have been pretty easy for them early on in
their careers. Yes, we as coaches know that will catch up to them, but young
players normally don't see that far down the road-and how what they do know
will effect them later on. So, I wanted to see how they feel about this now.
Also, again, I want them to say they "are willing". I want that commitment
on paper, for those times I will need to remind them.
8. I feel I can learn and improve the most during practice.
-Explanation: This one is related to numbers 5 and 6 above. Many players
and parents truly believe that this is what
match play is for-even though there is a great deal more practice time during
a season than actual match play. Also,
the amount of "touches" isn't even close between the two. The more I can
get them to accept this concept the better
our practices will be, and the more they will be able to accept their "sideline
time" during matches.
9. I feel that eating correctly during a tournament
(including when to eat) is very important in how well I will play
all day.
10. I feel I know how to eat correctly (including
when to eat) at a tournament.
-Explanation: I feel the answers to these two questions are huge.
Again, young, naturally talented players can get by on their "gift" many
times. But, not when the opponents are just as "gifted". To me, there is
nothing worse than
giving away a match because of a lack of energy, and I will need to get them
all on board with this idea. And, of
course, if I get the girls on board, I'll get the moms right there with them.
This is the real key-because the moms
are always in charge of the food. :) But, you have to get the girls to agree
first!
Hopefully you can see how taking the time to do this with your own team can
reap huge benefits, and avoid problems
before they happen, during the season. Sure, you are going to want to adjust
this to fit your own teams situation-but
the bottom line is that this can help you build a committed, together team
a great deal.
A couple words of caution, coaches:
1. You better make dag gone sure that you stay
with the "focus points" this creates for your team. Nothing will
"lose a team", and create more griping, than when the coach doesn't focus
on and consistently stress the concepts
the girls have told you they believe in and want to
follow!
2. If a "red flag" to your season's success shows up in their responses,
make sure you get on top of it immediately-no matter how much time and effort
it may take from you. Ignoring it, or simply hoping
"it'll work out", is a recipe for disaster. "Red flags" never just go away
by themselves! And, the longer you
wait to address it, the harder it will be to change. You can either put the
work into avoiding the problem, or fixing
it after it starts to negatively effect your team. Trust me, you want to be "proactive" here, not "reactive".
Good luck with your season!!
-Dave Cross
National Director
Yes I Can Volleyball
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