Communication and connection key to unlocking coaching for Pat Critchley

Words  are powerful: they can help a kid conquer a world or possibly shatter theirs.

HAVE A GO: Pat Critchley asks in his book what kind of coach are you and is what your doing beneficial to the team overall. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

‘Paudie Butler told us at a coaching session about his boyhood days. If he brought an apple into his small rural school, he might take two big bites and then pass it around. Every kid would have a bite and the last lad might eat the butt. Nowadays if a schoolkid took a bite of an apple and passed it on, the next kid would probably throw it in the bin.

Paudie’s point was that in those days, small rural classes were teams. Indeed large families were. They shared coats, wellies, food. As coaches nowadays we need to be aware of the need to teach teamwork because it doesn’t come as naturally to youngsters as it did in the past.’