OVER IRRITATED PEOPLE THAT DO NOT REALLY ENJOY THE GAME. PLAYERS COACHES, AND PARENTS.

I SEE THIS AS A PROBLEM. TOO OFTEN, COACHES (AND PARENTS) FEEL AN UNDUE PRESSURE TO WIN GAMES AND THEREFORE OVERCOACH THE PLAYERS. AS A RESULT, AT GAME TIME, AND DURING PRACTICE, THERE IS A CONSTANT BARRAGE OF COMMENTS DIRECTED AT THE PLAYER, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PLAYERS TO ENJOY THEMSELVES AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES ON THE FIELD.

-What are the effects on players and coaches of overcoaching, both long and short term?

MOSTLY, THE PLAYERS END UP QUITTING. THEY DO NOT WANT TO SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO THIS "HOSTILE" ENVIRONMENT. THEY REBEL AGAINST THE PRESSURES AND HYPER

SUPERVISION OF THE ADULTS. IF THEY DO HANG ON, AS THEY GET OLDER, THEY LACK CREATIVITY IN THEIR PLAY, OR THE ABILITY TO SOLVE THE GAMES PROBLEMS BY THEMSELVES. THUS, THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS RETARDED AND THEY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE GAME AT THE NEXT LEVEL.

USUALLY, THE PLAYERS GIVE BIG TIME SIGNALS THAT THEY ARE NOT ENJOYING

THEMSELVES. THEIR BODY POSTURE SPEAKS LOUDLY TOWARDS THIS END. THEY WILL ALSO BE VERY NERVOUS WHILE PLAYING, AND, PERHAPS MORE TELLING, WHEN FACED WITH A DIFFICULT GAME SITUATION, THEY ARE UNABLE TO MET THE DEMANDS OF THE GAME. ALSO, THEY RARELY WILL ASK QUESTIONS TO THE COACH IN FEAR THAT THEY WILL AGAIN BE TOLD WHAT TO DO. THEY MIGHT STOP COMING TO PRACTICE AND GAMES, OR, NEED TO BE FORCED TO PARTICIPATE.

IT IS PREVALENT AT ALL AGES, BUT, I FIND IT MOSTLY IN THE 10-14 AGE GROUP. HERE

, THEY ARE JUST STARTING TO BECOME PLAYERS, AND, THE COACH'S EXPECTATIONS BECOME A BIT MORE DEMANDING. TOO MANY EGOS GET INVOLVED.

PRESSURE TO WIN, OR AN EGO THAT IS TIED IN WITH THE SUCCESS OF THEIR TEAM

CLUBS AND LEAGUES NEED TO MONITOR THE SITUATION CAREFULLY AND REMOVE THE COACH FROM THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IF NECESSARY. THE PLAYERS NEED TO COME FIRST.  WE MUST ALL REMEMBER THAT THE GAME BELONGS TO THE PLAYERS, AND THAT THE GAME IS THE BEST TEACHER.

THE STATE OF COACHING HAS DRASTICALLY IMPROVED OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS THAT I

HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN COACHING EDUCATION. WE NOW HAVE SOME FORMER PLAYERS BECOMING COACHES... THIS IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF COACHES OUT THERE WHO SHOULD NOT BE COACHING, WE ALL HAVE HORROR STORIES ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.

AND, THE TRUE GEM, THAT HAS IT ALL: A KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPORT, A FORMER PLAYER,

AN ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, IS IN TUNE WITH THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS

OF HIS OR HER PLAYERS, AND, HAS THE ETHICS TO KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE... THIS

PERSON IS RARE TO FIND. BUT, THERE ARE MORE AND MORE AROUND... MUCH MORE THAN

THERE WERE 10 YEARS AGO.

-Can you give me a concise example of a scenario when overcoaching could happen, and how that particular situation could be fixed?

DURING THE GAME: COACHES SUB A PLAYER WHENEVER HE OR SHE MAKES A MISTAKE AND LECTURES HIM OR HER ON THE SIDELINES HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE PLAYER WORK THROUGH SOME OF HIS/HER MISTAKES ON THE FIELD, LEARNING AS THEY GO.

THE COACH CONSTANTLY YELLS OUT TO THE PLAYERS WHAT TO DO DURING THE GAME, BEFORE THEY DO IT. SUCH AS "SHOOT!", "HIT IT TO THE CORNER", "TAKE HER ON". INSTEAD OF COACHING "AFTER THE FACT" SUCH AS, "HEY, DO YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THAT YOU HAD THE BALL IN THE BOX, AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE DEFENDER BETWEEN YOU AND THE GOAL?... WELL, NEXT TIME YOU SEE THAT, TRY BEATING THAT DEFENDER AND GETTING A SHOT ON GOAL" SOMETIMES, COMMENTS ARE VERY APPROPRIATE, BUT, IF THE COACH FINDS HIMSELF CHATTING CONSTANTLY, THEY SHOULD FORCE THEMSELVES TO SIT BACK AND RELAX. I KNOW A CLUB DOWN IN MD, THAT MAKE THEIR COACHES BRING A LAWN CHAIR TO THE GAME AND SIT IN IT. THEY ALLOW THEIR COACHES TO GET UP ONLY TWICE PER HALF... NOT A BAD IDEA.