Tigers’ coaching restructure for 2006
11:15:22 AM Fri 11 November, 2005
Richmond coach Terry Wallace
richmondfc.com.au
At the end of each season, it is the responsibility of the football division to review its structure and consider any necessary changes to assist with the improvement of the playing group.
With our coaching group coming together only 12 months ago, very little change in personnel was required at the end of the 2005 season. But it was still important to ensure that we had all coaches in their best positions.
On review, some changes were made . . .
Brian Royal – Director of CoachingI would doubt that there’s a better credentialed or more experienced assistant coach in AFL football than Brian Royal. Apart from winning premierships at country level, he has now been involved with four league clubs, and has put a great deal of time into studying and developing himself as an elite coach in the competition. It still baffles me how he has never been given the opportunity to coach at senior level. This oversight has been a bonus for the Richmond Football Club.
In 2006, we have developed Brian’s role even further, to the point where he will now be responsible for all coaches within our football division, either full-time, part-time or voluntary, as the Club’s Director of Coaching.
My role as senior coach has changed over the years. Once upon a time, it was no more than having a whistle in hand at training and selection of the team. Over the past decade, however, the senior coach’s role in AFL football has become much more detailed.
The ability to help develop the Club and assist its growth, both on and off the field, has become paramount in a senior coach’s role. This has meant developing an even stronger media presence and working in with corporate partners. Having a strong involvement with coterie groups is part of the day-to-day role of the senior coach. This means that you are regularly out in the market-place, rather than necessarily spending every minute of your day at Punt Road.
While at times I am working on the bigger picture, the day-to-day issues and responsibilities can not afford to take a back-seat position. In the past, decisions would need to wait until the senior coach’s return, so that he could give his approval.
Similar to the corporate world, you may have a Chief Executive overseeing the building of the business, but someone must take responsibility for the day-to-day operations and decision-making. As senior coach, I have total trust in Brian Royal as a person, and also in his ability as a coach, so he was clearly the right choice to give these added responsibilities to on a daily basis.
Let me state, quite categorically, that this does not diminish my responsibility. As the senior coach, I will always have the final call and be responsible for the operations of our football division. So, from that aspect of the business, nothing has changed. We are, however, looking for smoother operational procedures and also allowing each person within our organisation to develop to their full potential, while maximising their usage.
Added to Brian’s new role, we have also given him the opportunity to continue to develop and learn. This week, for example, he is up in Sydney attending an advanced coaching seminar involving some of the nation’s elite coaching talent.
David Wheadon – Richmond Football Club T@FE Co-ordinatorDavid Wheadon is both a student and teacher of the game. He is still a student after more than three decades in the industry because he continues to have a thirst for knowledge and game development. But more so he is a teacher, and he has an understanding of how important the learning aspect of the game is, whether it be in skill or practical application to every player in the competition.
At the completion of last season, we thought the players had increased their knowledge of the game and improved their skill level. Most training is done either in a general football-based mode, where the entire group learns our patterns of play and set-play routines, or they are skill-based sessions, which are put in place to develop and improve basic techniques in individual players.
The one area we believe not enough time was allocated to was the development of players’ knowledge of all aspects covered in their own natural game. For example, defenders spending more time understanding when to leave their man and fold back, while also teaching midfielders to improve their decision-making when kicking the ball inside 50, etc.
The coaching group came up with 35 varying sub-sets of the game, which we believe needed greater development, or players needed to learn more about. We also looked at each individual player and his strengths, weaknesses and game requirements, and allocated them into the areas we felt still required further development. Once we saw how much improvement could still be made through these areas, we decided to make this a major emphasis throughout not only the pre-season, but the entire year.
We came up with the title of Richmond Football Club T@FE, which stands for Tigers at Football Education. Once we launch our T@FE in 2-3 weeks time, I will explain in more detail how we expect the program to work.
In the meantime, we needed someone to develop our ideas, enlist specialist coaches and, in general, run our T@FE program. This role was given to David Wheadon, and it will be his major responsibility over the next year. With so many young players on our list, it is an incredibly important role that he will play. ‘Up-skilling’ all players will be critical for our improvement. David will step away from opposition analysis and get back to spending most of his time in a teaching and co-ordination role.
David King – Full-time Assistant CoachDavid King has been an excellent acquisition for the Club as he is a vibrant, effervescent person. From the time he rocks into Punt Road, he is alert and excited to be there, and this rubs off on the entire playing group.
‘Kingy’ will be involved in all facets of coaching, from match committee to skill development and he’ll play a major part in the development of our run-and-carry style of game. His experience around a successful football environment is paramount to the development of our younger players.
We hope the changes that have been made to our coaching structure will continue the improvement necessary in the playing squad. These structural changes are not a short- term fix and, although we have our eyes firmly set on the 2006 season, we are also looking for the best methods of ensuring success for the Club in the long-term.
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=236805
