Childsplay: How to become a better coach to kids

The co-founder of the now global movement that is ICoachKids comes to Ireland next week to share his teachings

'IF YOU COACH KIDS LIKE YOU WOULD ADULTS THEY’RE A LOT LESS LIKELY TO STILL BE PLAYING WHEN THEY’RE ADULTS': Daniel McCarthy, aged 8, right, and Loughlin O'Herlihy, aged 8, during the 2022 Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Summer Camp at Wanderers FC in Dublin. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The clue is in the title. Next week at the request of Sport Ireland he’ll tour the country as part of a movement and series of talks called ICoachKids. Not ICoachMini-Adults. Whenever he now stands with a ball under his arm in front of a group of youngsters, Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial is hugely mindful of that. 

Through all his years of studies, experience, mistakes, he’s learned that if you coach them like you would adults they’re a lot less likely to still be playing when they’re adults.