Michaels
Brownlow Medallist
- Feb 4, 2006
- 16,388
- 49,980
- AFL Club
- Richmond
Junior football is always about the kids first and foremost which is how it should always be.
But there has no doubt been times where as a coach you made a master stroke move that got your team over the line, or said / did something to inspire and motivate your players.
Thought it would be fun to share those moments, so we can self indulge a little
My best moment would of been grand final day last year. First of all we were a team that was thrown together 4 weeks out from the season. Half of the players were under 15's and the other half were off cuts from the under 16 div 1 side, so we were forced to play our under 15's up an age group.
We bonded these blokes so well that they treated each other like family. So to capture that I decided to try the following on grand final day.
Pre game I got some perminant markers out an asked all the players to write on their hand the name of someone they will dedicate their game too, someone in their life that they would never want to let down.
Then I asked them to write on their opposite hand the names of 2 of our players who played all year but couldn't play the grand final due to injury.
Those names were our reference point during the game. Whenever they were feeling exhausted they just had to look at the back of their hands to remind themselves who they are doing this for.
10 minutes into the last quarter we are 15 points up going against a 4 goal breeze. Our best player who was on fire got hit in the head late after he slotted a goal (opposition players were instructed to go after him). The game was stopped for 25 minutes and an ambulance had to be called to stretcher him off the ground.
During this time I got the boys to come over and write the injured players name on their hand with the other two players.
As the he was put onto the stretcher I told the remaining players to go form a guard of honour at the fence line and clap him off.
Once the stretcher left the field the roar that went around the ground was spine tingling and a game defining moment. There was no way they were going to let that lead slip and let their mates down.
The injured player told the ambulance driver he is not to drive away until the final siren so he could know the result.
We held on to win and it was one of the best feelings ever. We defied all odds to knock this team off in the grand final. Was such a great moment. And I felt the writing the names down was that final piece that brought it all together.
But there has no doubt been times where as a coach you made a master stroke move that got your team over the line, or said / did something to inspire and motivate your players.
Thought it would be fun to share those moments, so we can self indulge a little
My best moment would of been grand final day last year. First of all we were a team that was thrown together 4 weeks out from the season. Half of the players were under 15's and the other half were off cuts from the under 16 div 1 side, so we were forced to play our under 15's up an age group.
We bonded these blokes so well that they treated each other like family. So to capture that I decided to try the following on grand final day.
Pre game I got some perminant markers out an asked all the players to write on their hand the name of someone they will dedicate their game too, someone in their life that they would never want to let down.
Then I asked them to write on their opposite hand the names of 2 of our players who played all year but couldn't play the grand final due to injury.
Those names were our reference point during the game. Whenever they were feeling exhausted they just had to look at the back of their hands to remind themselves who they are doing this for.
10 minutes into the last quarter we are 15 points up going against a 4 goal breeze. Our best player who was on fire got hit in the head late after he slotted a goal (opposition players were instructed to go after him). The game was stopped for 25 minutes and an ambulance had to be called to stretcher him off the ground.
During this time I got the boys to come over and write the injured players name on their hand with the other two players.
As the he was put onto the stretcher I told the remaining players to go form a guard of honour at the fence line and clap him off.
Once the stretcher left the field the roar that went around the ground was spine tingling and a game defining moment. There was no way they were going to let that lead slip and let their mates down.
The injured player told the ambulance driver he is not to drive away until the final siren so he could know the result.
We held on to win and it was one of the best feelings ever. We defied all odds to knock this team off in the grand final. Was such a great moment. And I felt the writing the names down was that final piece that brought it all together.
