Club Notes - 10th June 2018

Lotto
Jackpot - €10,000 NO WINNER
Numbers Drawn - 2, 7, 10, 21

The weekly winners of €30 were
• Jennifer Brehon, Strokestown.
• Mick Dowdall, Collon, Louth.
• Barry Molloy, Castle Street.
• Margaret McHugh, C/o Hospital.

Thanks to everyone who bought and sold tickets your support is very much appreciated.

COACHING NEWS  (WK 24 2018)
A. Coaching Tip : Use of Feedback Language (Note from recent Paul Earley Workshop)
 
The importance of Positive, Accurate and Relevant Feedback
Feedback is the most immediate way that coaches can use to improve their players. However the type of feedback that is given is crucial.
Gaelic Games coaching has become mired with the use of clichéd phrases that have become so prevalent that people probably do not realise that they are using them, or have not considered the effect they have on players.
The phrase “well done” is one of the most used and in my opinion overused terms when coaching.
Previous coaching corners have discussed the value of positive feedback. 'Well Done' when accompanied by some specific feedback on what it is the player 'done well' can be very positive encouragement. 
 
In her book “Flourishing”, Maureen Gaffney argues that it takes up to 7 pieces of positive to 1 piece of development feedback in order for an individual to flourish.
Coaching corners have also examined what makes feedback most effective and found that 'Feedback is a powerful tool of coaching when it is accurate, relevant and positive'.
 
Use of Language in giving feedback
Let us look at a generic phrase like “well done” under these three headings. It certainly cannot be considered accurate. Accurate feedback can inform and educate the player on what the coach is happy or indeed unhappy with. “You followed through on your shot excellently” or “you are lifting your eyes before you make contact with the ball” are examples of accurate feedback that give tangible information to the player. 
 
Consider the coach saying “well done” to the first player and “hard luck” to the second and you can see how inaccurate phrases like these are. However, it is much easier for an inexperienced coach to utter a clichéd phrase rather than one like above. Giving feedback this accurate requires keen observation and good use of language from the coach. Coaches who find themselves talking and shouting all the time, regardless of whether it is positive or negative will struggle with this, as it is difficult to do both this and observe effectively. 
 
Now let us look at its relevance. The problem with phrases like “well done” or “hard luck” is that they do not give the player any extra understanding of a given situation. For example a player runs down the wing and kicks a hurried shot under no real pressure wide on his own side. The coach who says “hard luck” is probably being detrimental to that player’s development. The coach is essentially telling the player to repeat this same technique as the players failure had something to do with luck. This is not the case. It may have been due to a lack of composure or awareness of the amount of time and space the player had. 
 
Finally let us look at its positivity. “Well done” is certainly not a negative thing to say to a player. You will hear coaches say things a lot more negative than this. However, because it is neither accurate nor relevant it does not carry much positive effect. If everything good every player on a team does is met with “well done” then the players will no longer consider this something a coach says to develop his players, rather a phrase he uses to show that he likes them. Hyperbolic words like “amazing” and “outstanding” are a great way to grow player’s confidence, particularly children. However male coaches in particular can find it difficult to use these words. We live in a society full of negativity and one where elite players are often harshly criticised by pundits on television. Telling a player that they made and “amazing catch” can be accurate, relevant and positive. 
 
The importance of Questioning to get player engagement
 One way of generating feedback that I have not mentioned is questioning players. Questioning can be an effective way of making players more aware of their game. Good questions promote self learning and reflection, which is an effective way of players developing themselves. Conclusions that players come to themselves, no matter how much the type of questioning led them there will be more profound than if the coach simply tells them what he wants. Questioning is a sophisticated method of coaching, and requires the coach to be very confident and already have a good trust and rapport with his players. For example During a small sided conditioned game ask the players what worked well, what didn’t work well, what do the players need to do to improve the quality of the game? After you have asked the questions and got the players feedback, you can then make some observations yourself as a coach and provide positive and constructive feedback to the players. Importantly, at the end of the next game bring them in again and ask them questions again and provide feedback relating to the performance during that specific game. Usually, the performance will have improved and the coach should recognise that with positive constructive and specific feedback relating to the areas of improvement.
 
Example of giving positive, accurate and relevant feedback relating to a technique and skill execution under pressure
 
Have a look at this action shot.......
 
If we look at the kicker first (Green & Gold), positive feedback on the skill being undertaken could be.....
-Player kept his eyes on the ball 
-Toe of kicking foot pointed away
-Chest and opposite arm faced/pointed towards target
-Kicker has followed through his kick
 Area of Development:
-Standing foot needs to be more secure in order to keep balance sufficiently to ensure intended execution 
 
If we look at the blocker (Red & White) positive feedback could include.....
-Eyes are firmly on the ball
-Close to the target, approaching from the side
-Reaches forward as ball is kicked, timing is good
-Player takes a low stance, knee bent, to get closer to the foot
 
Area of Development:
-Hands are on top of each other, keep hands close together but side to side to increase surface area and maximise chances of connecting with the ball and therefore blocking it down.
 
Summary - Feedback is an important Player Development Tool
Being able to provide your players with accurate, relevant and positive feedback is an excellent way to help them develop.
If you can mix this with the use of questions you will be most effective. Avoiding common phrases that do not do that can be difficult as they are engrained in us all.
There is nothing wrong with not providing feedback on occasion, particularly if you feel you do not have something worth saying.
Try to limit the use of the phrase “well done” for when you are ordering your next steak!
 
B. Football – Tackling Drill

Football
U9 Football:  Our lads togging out in our new dressing rooms for yesterdays blitz with St Aidan’s and Ballinasloe.  We had 22 lads playing and all played brilliantly.  Training continues on Tuesday evenings at 6.45pm.

U14 Football : The league campaign for our Div 4 and Div 4 has concluded.
Well done to all the lads for their efforts in training and fixtures over the past three-four months.
Our Div 4 lads lost out narrowly in their league playoff game to St Dominics who went on the win the final.
Our Div 1 lads won the league title playing some fine football against our great rivals Clann na nGael.

Pictured are our U14 lads who won the league against Clann.

LGFA
U12 Girls Football:
The best of luck to our U12 girls in their football semi final against Elphin/kilmore this evening in Elphin at 8pm.

U14 Girls Football:
The best of luck to our U14 girls who play St. Croans in the League Semi Final this week.

** Roscommon Gaels Annual Development Draw **
Our Annual Development Draw will be launched on 16th June with the draw taking place on 11th August.
The Development draw has been moved from the customary Christmas time Draw back to the summer time, a time when all our members are using and availing of our Club facilities at Lisnamult.
Tickets are €10 each or a book of 6 for €50, with a fabulous list of prizes on offer.
We need all our Club members to support this hugely important Development draw to assist with the ongoing development of our Club.
Please support the Draw by buying and selling tickets over the coming weeks and be in with a chance of winning one of these quality prizes.

List of Prizes
1. Microsoft Surface Pro Laptop & Keyboard, worth €1,350.
2. 2 Bedroom Holiday Apartment Accommodation in Portugal, for 1 week, worth €1,000 (donated by John Hession).
3. All Ireland Final Hurling tickets x 2
4. All Ireland Final Football tickets x 2
5. Manchester United home match tickets x 2, plus flights & accommodation
6. 3-1-1 reclining suit of furniture (Gannons Image Furniture)
7. €500 voucher for McNulty Furniture.
8. 500 L of home heating oil (sponsored DG Oil)
9. 50 Bales of Briquettes
10. 50 Bales of Briquettes
11. 50 Bags of Firewood Timber (donated by Anthony Clogher & Gerry Kelly)
12. Golf Green Fees x 4 - Heritage Golf Resort, Killenard, Co. Laois.
13. Golf Green Fees x 4 for Roscommon Golf Course.
14. Customised Gum shield, worth €75 (donated by Eleanor Keaveney Dental Surgery)
15. Dinner for 2 at Darcy12 Restaurant in Clifden (donated by Shane Regan)


Flemings Supervalu Football Giveaway
Flemings SuperValu Roscommon want you to come shopping to Flemings with your Mum or Dad wearing your County or Club Jersey on Friday 15th or Saturday 16th of June and you will get a free GAA Football.    Fleming's Supervalu, Roscommon Town ‘#BehindTheBall’