coaches to more easily influence high school players due to a higher level of perceived importance. High school players have more drive to see the group succeed. Once the high school team’s mind- set is created, it is harder to change because players don’t switch teams nearly as often as in club sports. This acts as a positive or a nega- tive depending on the players’ im- pressions of the coach. A talented freshman may be part of a high school team for four years—this is a long time to have a solid impres- sion of a coach. If the impression is positive, you are in great shape. If it’s negative, then winning back that player becomes a challenge. At the club level, because of age restrictions and ease of movement from team to team, the team mindset is more fluid. With the mindset more static at the high school level, it’s critical coaches use all information available to shape the initial culture. There is a high level of discussion (gossip) outside of prac- tice and games among high school players about the program, the coach, the school administration and the suc- cess or failure of the season. Player camaraderie outside of the program is important at the high school level, much more so than at the club level. This extends to the players’ opinions about each other regarding perceived popularity and scholastic achievement. Gather this information from your players before shaping the team culture. High school players also are more prone to share ideas, comments, praise and criticism about the high school program than at the club lev- el. This produces a major group so- ciological mindset that a coach must recognize, observe, understand and manipulate to the team’s advantage.
Understanding Group Dynamics At the high school level, from an administration viewpoint, coaches are expected to create a program that has a distinct and positive team culture, spirit, reputation and code of conduct. The high school coach is the prime
34 March/April 2013
mover to create each of these parts of the program. Coaches are closer to the players and to the overall program and sometimes have a greater influence on players than teachers or administrators. Because of that influence, coaches can create or destroy a culture with a long-lasting effect on the school and program based on an understanding of the group dynamic and conduct with a team. Coaches’ conduct when inter- acting with a team creates the team culture, which in turn creates the team spirit and the reputation of a program. Team culture establishes the team-
work rate during training sessions and during games. Team spirit either en- hances or degrades player happiness, which relates to player performance during training and games. Team and program reputation is created as coaches enforce a chosen code of team conduct. Team reputation also is influ- enced by school administrators, who are not so much focused on developing a winning team as on sportsmanship or adhering to school or district rules. School priorities, for better or
worse, may be different than usual club team priorities. To complicate matters further, in addition to winning a few games along the way, coaches are pressured to ensure players con- clude their high school season with fond memories of the program their coach while increasing their chances to play college athletics.
Creating The Team Culture
The most important element is the
creation of the team culture before the first meeting with your players. Some coaches require a high work rate at training and during games, never giving up, punctuality, unself- ish play and respect for the opponent. Others may establish team culture based on fun during training sessions and individual player enjoyment, a high academic standard and individ- ual player improvement. The components of the team culture are only limited by the imagination of the coach but each component must be an element the coach controls. For example, an element of the team cul-
ture should not be “winning” or “no goals allowed for a season.” The team culture is more like a concept than a goal. Remember, once the team cul- ture is created, all the other elements fall in line like standing dominos to influence team performance. The coach pushes the first domino by cre- ating the team culture. Here are five controllable elements
used to influence the group dynamic when creating a team culture:
Repetitive reminders to the team and to individual players by the coach and the team captains reinforcing the culture.
coach when the team culture is vio- lated; and praise when the team cul- ture is followed.
1 2
team culture and explaining to play- ers how reinforcing it with discipline or praise relates to team performance.
Sticking with the team culture for the entire season whether or not the team is winning games.
3 4
Defining and explaining the team culture to the athletic director and any other administrator who has contact with players before the start of the season. Asking that person to reinforce certain elements of the team culture to the players when appropriate. Understand the differences between
5
the club and high school team dynamic and know you control this by creating a team culture. It does not guarantee a winning season but it starts the team off on the right foot toward success.
Dan Minutillo has coached soccer for more than 20 consecutive years, includ- ing club academy and varsity high school soccer teams. He holds an NSCAA National Diploma, and has been pub- lished several times in various nationally distributed periodicals including articles about soccer speed of play, player moti- vation, plyometrics, and the use of time, space and third man runs. Minutillo is the author of the bestselling book, “Formation Based Soccer Training.” Reach him at
minu@flash.net.
coachad.com
Relentlessly explaining the purpose of each element of the
Continual and consistent play- er or team discipline by the
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