The 2nd day of the Regional Development Series took place on
Sunday 15th February at 3 venues all over Scotland. Again it is fantastic to see the numbers committing to this programme in terms of players, coaches, parents and volunteers.
Here are some reports from the different areas:
East:
There were 19 boys and 23 girls of many different development ages working very hard at Linlithgow Academy. Ian Brownlee delivered an excellent session introducing the key elements of passing and progressing them smoothly into games situations. Effective coaching is not just about developing skills and improving performance; it is about building good relationships with performers. Ian managed to transform mundane drills into competitive and fun situations engaging all participants regardless of age and level of play. The children understood that by establishing an active ready low position, allowing for quick changes of direction and positioning, and by focusing on the ball trajectory they would be more successful. By the end of a long but rewarding day, it was clear and wonderful to see the progress they achieved. The coaching conversations that took place were priceless and meaningful. I anticipate that more coaches in the future will take on this wonderful opportunity to learn and develop.
North:
Although attendance at the Northern Development Day were hit by a combination of school holidays at scheduling of YS training, this did not damper the enthusiasm of the kids, as all 16 players made huge gains over the course of the day. The format allowed expensive work on the technique and structure of the pass, which the youngsters relished. The benefits of the gradual build up was clearly evident in the game play at the end of the day. The highlights again was to see the excellent delivery provided by the coaching team and the great integration that the day provided the coaches to work together.
West:
The regional development day at Queen Margaret Academy had 15 girls attend the session on the development of serve receive. The group had a wide range of ability and experience, with 6 girls making the long journey from Ballachulish. The group worked intensely in the first part of the session looking at the technical aspect of passing before moving on to practicing these skills in game situations. The day finished up with a 3-3 tournament.
My thanks on the day go to Lewis McMillan for training so hard and for staying in the afternoon to take some photos, to all the girls from South Ayrshire, EK Mets and Ballachulish for working so hard and to Ross McDonald for his invaluable input .