Why training on a Monday and Tuesday night means we field six men's teams a week, with Alex Hadley
Nov 8, 2024
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Alex Hadley, Director of Rugby at Battersea Ironsides, shares his expertise on sustaining a thriving community rugby club in London. He emphasizes the importance of a welcoming culture and engaging training sessions to retain players. The discussion covers the balance between player commitment and selection, alongside innovative strategies to maintain team dynamics. Alex also highlights the significance of adaptable coaching language and continuous self-improvement for coaches, providing practical insights for fostering a connected rugby community.
Prioritizing Monday and Tuesday training sessions accommodates players' work commitments, maximizing attendance and enhancing training session effectiveness.
Fostering a welcoming and inclusive club culture through social events and integration activities ensures all players feel valued and connected.
Deep dives
Innovative Training Practices
A player-centered approach is key to running effective training sessions, as evidenced by the club's decision to avoid Thursday training nights due to players' work commitments in the city. By focusing on training on Mondays and Tuesdays, the club accommodates the players’ fatigue after a long workday and maximizes attendance. Sessions are structured to be time-efficient, yet impactful, with one-hour slots emphasizing key training components like attacking strategies and defensive patterns. The club also adapts its training facilities based on player feedback, demonstrating a commitment to creating an accessible and conducive training environment.
Building a Welcoming Club Culture
Creating a welcoming atmosphere is a top priority for the club, which emphasizes inclusivity across all teams. From social events where players of different teams mingle to warm-up games that encourage interaction among team members, the club fosters camaraderie. New players are actively integrated into training sessions, allowing them to quickly feel part of the community. The club's dedication to maintaining these values ensures that players feel valued beyond their performance on the pitch.
Adaptive Player Management and Selection
The club employs a flexible selection policy, valuing players’ contributions to the community alongside their on-field performance. This includes feedback mechanisms that allow for personal conversations regarding team selection, helping players understand their roles and areas for improvement. By recognizing that attendance may vary, the club encourages everyone to step up and fill in when needed, thereby increasing overall player involvement and experience. This strategy leads to an adaptable team that maintains high morale and performance, even in the absence of key players.
Ongoing Coach Development and Communication
Developing coaches from within the club has proven to be an effective strategy for enhancing overall team performance. By prioritizing ongoing training and encouraging open communication, the coaching staff fosters a cooperative environment where feedback is valued. Regularly scheduled meetings allow coaches to share insights and refine practices, ensuring consistency in player development. This culture of reflection and growth not only strengthens the coaching team but also positively impacts the players, creating a cycle of continuous improvement.
In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly Podcast, host Dan Cottrell sits down with Alex Hadley, Director of Rugby at Battersea Ironsides, to explore what it takes to build and sustain one of the world's largest community rugby clubs.
Alex shares insights on balancing player availability and club culture, creating a positive and welcoming environment, and using flexible strategies to engage and retain players. The conversation delves into the challenges of running a successful rugby club in London, including managing training schedules, fostering player development, and finding effective systems to keep players motivated.
Alex also offers practical advice on maintaining a consistent yet adaptable coaching language, nurturing passionate internal coaches, and the importance of reflection and continuous self-improvement. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build a stronger, more connected rugby club.
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
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