This question comes from a very dedicated YSC reader but they did ask that it remain anonymous. This reader is wondering how to keep the enthusiasm on a team going as the team gets older and the season wears on…check out her question below:
“We are having kind of a down year right now. Enthusiasm is waning, the older core of our team is getting old and sore, and the younger girls are only coming to practice sporadically…things are waning a bit in terms of enthusiasm. What do other clubs do when this happens? How do you bounce back when you’ve had a big wave of retirement or you just can’t seem to get it in gear? We’re actually considering withdrawing from a tournament since our attendance has gotten so low. .
I’d love to hear what other teams have done and ways they build team commitment, team enthusiasm, longevity for the club.
What does everyone think? Leave your thoughts or suggestions in the comments!
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Believe it or not, this is an opportunity. Through the hardest times is when you get to really solidify the core of your team. Some people will come and go and there isn't much you can do about it, but even if you only have a few dedicated core players, you can have a great team. My advice is to go to the tournament, with whatever numbers you can muster. Pick up some whores, hold court, wear funny hats during games if its that kind of tournament, use the fishbowl selection method for a game; have as much fun as you possibly can. I have never managed to get paid for playing rugby, so my entire career was fueled by the amount of fun that I could glean from it. Winning trophies and hoisting man of the match beers is fun, but sometimes I have had to look elsewhere. If you are on a team having a down year and your only focus is on the games that you are not winning, you aren't going to have a very fulfilling experience and neither are those satellite players that come and go and always seem to disappear when times are bad. Work on your team skills and make your club as fun as possible; you will attract new athletes and without even knowing how it was done, your team will start beating people. Winning is great, but playing rugby is an end unto itself; live it up!
Obviously the future of your team is in the younger group.
So, recognizing this why not search out a worthwhile, non-rugby, adventurous task- raise funds for Breast cancer, mothers against drunk driving, support v11s for the Olympics etc etc. Then allocate two/three younger players to each of your older more experienced players, give them achievement targets and monitor success rates.
This might well bring them together as a complete group , raise funds for a worthy cause and re-introduce enthusiasm within the club. The enthusiasm for our great game will re-emerge -believe me.
Barry Carter
Similar to Barry, get away from the field. Have a team get together / adventure. Throw a bbq, go play paintball, or do an adventure course. Throw a party. It depends on your players. Some teams need motiviation, some need in your "faceness." Some just need to get away, especially after a long season.
Also, you have to embed determination into practice. This was my first year of coaching and for many of the high school boys, their first experience with rugby.
However, we ended every practice with a group share – everyone linking arms, in a circle, saying what they thought about practice & thinking / recognizing a player for effort / skills. We then sang our team song. This brought the boys closer and laid foundation for the bond of determination to continue on, even after the 88-0 losses.
Sometimes the players just need to share & the coach needs listen.
A lot of positive and good things have been said by the previous posters. I totally agree that some time off of the pitch to get some adventure in there might be fun.
As well as this, I will have to agree that the future of the team is in the younger players. The rookies are frequently the more dangerous players because the opposition won't really know what to expect. Youth might be able to bring a new energy to the team as well.
If the problem is their sporadic attendance, share that it is important for them to make an appearance. If it's a small team, they need to know that their participation is very important. If the team becomes tighter by spending time off the pitch, it will give more of an incentive for them to meet up with their friends during practice.
In my opinion, a closer team will also produce a more powerful team on the pitch. In my experience, teams that know each other very well can communicate very efficiently with just eye contact and body movement. You know what you're teammate wants on the pitch if you hang out with them off of the pitch as well.
Valley #1, you show up to practice after work/school/family and there are only 4 or 2 others there.
Valley #2, you actually have 15 at a practice but, since you do not have a coach, one player steps up to lead practice (good on him/her), and everyone follows their lead, except 1 or 3 of the "experienced" players, and some of the rookies start to follow.
Valley #3, never mind, that is enough negativity for an entire union.
Peak #1, when you get a new player out to practice and they realize what they have been missing and that rugby is the most awesome sport/culture/life there is.
Peak #2 TOURING!!!!!!!! doesn't matter if it is your club hosting another, or your club traveling, its what makes rugby special!
Peak #3, all the hours, blood, sweat and tears that you put in on the practice paddock, finally pay off, and you give your opponent a right puuuuuuumping!
Peak #4 you out drink said opponent at their pub!