MODERN BOYS SCHOOLS:Education Institutions

or Sporting Academies

Mary Ann DoveIBSC Conference8th July 2015

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the 

power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

(Nelson Mandela)

Consider these FactsOnly 0.05% of kids 

playing sport become professional athletes 

in the USA28% of 5 year olds in Wales overweight

SA has the 3rdhighest obesity 

levels 

Only 7% of 7 year olds are getting 

recommended level of physical activity

Only 24,1% of U13 provincial rugby players in 2005 went on to play in the U18 Craven Week tournament in 2010

70% of kids quit formal sport 

between ages 13 and 18

Early success a weak predictor of adult elite performanceEarly specialisation

increases burnout and injuries and decreases 

enjoyment 

Current Challenges in Youth Sport

PARADIGM SHIFTSProfessionalism

Increased competitionScientific research

Medical AdvancementsMedia & 

CommunicationsInstant gratification

Declining PANature vs Nurture

The Mind

CHALLENGESSpectator behaviour

Inappropriate aggressionTeam selection

Talent identificationPerformance enhancing 

substancesIncreased injuriesEarly specialisationIncreased drop outCoach development

Current Challenges in Youth Sport

PARADIGM SHIFTSProfessionalism

Increased competitionScientific research

Medical AdvancementsMedia & 

CommunicationsInstant gratification

Declining PANature vs Nurture

The Mind

CHALLENGESSpectator behaviour

Inappropriate aggressionTeam selection

Talent identificationPerformance enhancing 

substancesIncreased injuriesEarly specialisationIncreased drop outCoach development

“Win‐at‐all‐costs” Culture• 1,015 kids (8‐16)• 87,5% ‐ feel under pressure to win• 50% ‐ pressure from other kids and team mates• 20% ‐ pressure on selves• 33% ‐ affected by what see in professional sport• 64.3% ‐ team mates fouling, diving or time‐wasting• 54% ‐ witnessed cheating in games• 37% ‐ team mates didn’t care if won by cheating• 5% ‐ happy to “win‐at‐all‐costs”

Source: Chance to Shine and MCC – March 2013

Current Challenges in Youth Sport

PARADIGM SHIFTSProfessionalism

Increased competitionScientific research

Medical AdvancementsMedia & 

CommunicationsInstant gratification

Declining PANature vs Nurture

The Mind

CHALLENGESSpectator behaviour

Inappropriate aggressionTeam selection

Talent identificationPerformance enhancing 

substancesIncreased injuriesEarly specialisationIncreased drop outCoach development

Nature vs Nurture

Given prominence by popular literatureWhat’s the scientific evidence?

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2012/03/10000‐hours‐vs‐training‐debate‐no.html

Current Challenges in Youth Sport

PARADIGM SHIFTSProfessionalism

Increased competitionScientific research

Medical AdvancementsMedia & 

CommunicationsInstant gratification

Declining PANature vs Nurture

The Mind

CHALLENGESSpectator behaviour

Inappropriate aggressionTeam selection

Talent identificationPerformance enhancing 

substancesIncreased injuriesEarly specialisationIncreased drop outCoach development

Goals of sport participation

• Participation• Performance• Personal development

How do we achieve this?

Source: Cote & Hancock, 2014

Player‐Centric Developmental Sporting Environment 

Emotional Intelligence

Institution: School, Club, Federation, State

Team

ATHLETE

Parent/Guardian

Coach

Effective Communications

Coaching for Performance

Understand Player Development

Engaging with Parents

Positive Sport Parent

Terms of Engagement Framework

Leadership

Building Teams

Developing Emotional Intelligence

What is Emotional Intelligence?

SELFAWARENESS

SOCIALAWARENESS

SELFMANAGEMENT

RELATIONSHIPMANAGEMENT

Fun for kids?

Source: Aspen Institute ‐ Project Play Report

“The deepest longing  in every human being is to be 

appreciated”(William James)

Effective Communications

Effective Communications

• Listen • Verbal communications• Non‐verbal communications • Feedback – positive and constructive criticism• Develop relationships with all stakeholders

Understanding Player Development

Long Term Athlete Development

Source: Canadian Sport for Life

Foundation Talent Elite Mastery Framework

Source: AIS

Development Model of Sport Participation

Source: Cote, J et al

AGE

Probable Outcomes:Recreational participationEnhanced healthIncreased enjoyment

Probable Outcomes:Elite performanceEnhanced health Increased enjoyment of the sport

Probable Outcomes:Elite performanceReduced health Decreased enjoyment 

18 RecreationalHigh deliberate play

Low deliberate practiceFocus on fitness and health

InvestmentHigh deliberate practiceLow deliberate play

Only 1 sport Early Specialisation and InvestmentHigh deliberate 

practiceLow deliberate play

Only 1 sport

DROPOUT

17

16

15Specialisation

Deliberate play and practice balanced

Reduced involvement in several sports

14

13

12

11

SamplingHigh deliberate play

Low deliberate practiceInvolved in variety of sports

10

9

8

7

6 Entry into Sport

Youth Physical Development Model

Source: Rhodri S. Lloyd, and Jon L. Oliver

Developmental Transitions

(Source: Adapted from Wylleman and Lavalle, 2004)SportDevelopment

Discovery/Initiation

Development Mastery Discontinuation

Age

PsychologicalDevelopment

Childhood PubertyAdolescence

Adulthood

Relationships/Psycho‐social

ParentsSiblingsPeers

PeersCoachParents

PartnerCoach

Family(Coach)Peers

EducationalDevelopment

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Higher Education Ongoing education: vocational training, professional occupation

LTPD Fundamentals

LearnToTrain

Train To Train

Train to Compete Train to Win Active forLife

Age

10             15                    20                  25                  30           35    

10            15                      20                  25                   30        35    Source: Adapted from Wylleman and Lavalle, 2004

Player Development Process

Individual Characteristics:physical, technical, tactical, mental

Macro and Micro Environmental influences:culture, socio‐economic, coaching, support networks, opportunities, team climate, education, structures, luck 

Discovery Development Mastery10                 15                  20

Source: Dove et al, Unpublished

Specialisation“Participating in a variety of sports will help a child develop other athletic skills that they would not develop if they specialised in one sport too early. Athletic skills such as speed, balance, mental focus, jumping and reacting are all stressed 

differently in different sports. These skills will later transfer to the child’s primary activity, so 

everything a child does to become a better all‐round athlete will make the child a better soccer 

player, for instance.”(Jennifer VanSickle, assistant professor of Sport Management, University of Indianapolis)

Sport Participation

Talent• Is ID desirable and possible• At what age? Relative age effect• Over valuing innate ability may decrease work ethic

• Response to training• Early selection issues: inclusion error, exclusion error, wrong environment (for wrongly excluded)

• Possible solution: Early exposure, delayed specialisation. Select at 13, but keep excluded involved until 16 and dip back in

“To treat players fairly is to treat them differently but with equal attention and opportunity”

(Adapted from Prof. M. Sutherland, GIBS)

Recent Research• 31,5% of players who played in U13interprovincial rugby tournament in 2005played at U16 tournament in 2008

• Only 24,1% played in the U18 Craven Weektournament in 2010

• 76% had “dropped out”Talented young players do not necessarily 

become talent older players

(Source: Durandt, J. et al. Rugby playing  history at the national U13 level and subsequent participation at the national U16 and U18 rugby tournaments. S Afr J Sports Med 2011:23:103‐105)

“Talent under 12 years of age is not talent – it is growth and 

development”(Wayne Goldsmith, Australian high performance coach)

Coaching for Performance

Process Orientation Scoreboard OrientationEffort focus Results focus

Learning & continuous improvement

Comparison with others

Mistakes tolerated Mistakes avoided

Decreased anxiety Increased anxiety

Increased self esteem Decreased self esteem

Increased resilience Decreased moral reasoningResearch at the 2000 Sydney Olympics indicated that athletes with a Mastery orientation won more medals than athletes coached purely with a scoreboard orientation. 

Process vs Outcome Orientation

Source: Dr Joan Duda, Chair of Sports Psychology at the University of Birmingham (UK)

“If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes 

mistakes.”“Results will be what they should be, not necessarily what you 

would like them to be” (John Wooden, US Basketball player and coach)

Driven to win, compares self to others, lacks confidence, no risks, external causes 

for success

Desires to win, compares self to others, wants to improve, can take risks, usually confident, high 

achiever

Not goal orientated, no risks, doesn’t care about comparisons to 

others

Self motivated, persistent learner, desire to improve, internal causes for success 

(effort), takes risks, consistent confidence

Orientation to CompetitionEGOHigh

Low

High   

MASTERYLow

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my 

career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to 

take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I 

succeed.”(Michael Jordan)

“Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, and months and years 

they spend preparing for it.

The victorious performance itself is 

merely a demonstration of their championship 

character”(Michael Jordan)

"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, 

full effort is full victory”(Mahatma Gandhi)

“As a coach there is nothing more heart breaking than your team 

losing the game in their heads way before the first whistle is blown... not playing even close to their potential because of who their opposition is. As we continue to learn from every experience...” 

(Coach Pholo)

Coach as Leader

Coach as Leader

• Lead by example• Coaching philosophy• Leadership/coach style• Inspire and motivate• Trust and Respect• Ethics and values – honour the sport

“Let's make this Team's winning advantage that we're a Team of Leaders. So own the moment when to lead and 

know when & how to support the leader”

(Frank Dick, UK athletics coach)

Building Performing Teams

Performing Teams• Creating a team vision and values• Understanding team dynamics• Stages of team development• Exploring team roles and responsibilities• Recognising the value of diversity

Engaging with Parents

Getting parents on your side!

• Different types of parent/coach relationships• Role of parents in youth sport• Emotional investment of parents in their 

child’s sport• Guidelines for a proactive approach• Transparent selection criteria• Communicating effectively• Terms of engagement 

A Canadian man reached out and choked his son’s ice hockey coach because the nine year old had been taken out of the game to sit on the bench. The coach was not seriously 

injured but the Toronto father appeared in court

Educational Institutions or 

Sporting Academies?

“School comes first. Sport can teach lessons about life, values, team building, leadership, time management etc., and enhance the school experience. Learn to balance both school and sport 

commitments” (Wayne Goldsmith, Australian high performance coach)

“You don’t coach a sport, you coach a child”

(Dr Martin Toms, School of Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK)

"I know that sport has the power to change people's lives. I have always loved rugby but have also been fortunate to play a whole host of different sports 

from a young age. I hope that all children have similar enjoyable 

opportunities to play and keep active throughout 

their lives" (Jonny Wilkinson, England Rugby Union 

player and World Cup Winner 2003)

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely 

what others think you are." "Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have 

accomplished with your ability." "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of 

becoming." 

(John Wooden, US Basketball player and coach)

“Unfortunately, people judge a school on its rugby results, as 

opposed to its academic results.”(Dr Glen Hageman, Past President of the SA Sports Medicine 

Association)

“If success is defined as only those that finish first, then 97% of all 

participants at the Olympic Games would be failures”

Player‐Centric Developmental Sporting Environment 

For more informationMary Ann Dove

www.positivesportcoach.comcoach@positivesportcoach.com

adove@mweb.co.za083‐302‐5969