Once the competitive phase of the year has begun coaches need to make a decision - do they want to see their athlete/teams full abilities in training in the lead up to the competition or do they want to see it in the competition?
Most likely they won't get it both ways.
Too many coaches, lacking the confidence and suffering from fears of inadequacy, want to see if their athlete/team has what it takes during the training sessions in the lead up to the competition. And then there is nothing left for the competition.
Here's an example in print (*) - when I see this I have concerns for the athlete/team's ability to produce their best in the upcoming competition:
"Attitude-wise, the guys have been putting it in at training this week and that's what we need out there to shut our guys like ...", referring to the game to be played in 24 hrs time.
NO! That is EXACTLY WHAT THEY DON'T NEED! THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE SHOWN THIS WORK ETHIC IN TRAINING IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE GAME!!!! If the line had read 'They have been relaxing on the golf course...' - that is more likely what they need!
Now to make this case even more questionable, this team has flown half way around the world to play this game, which will occur only 7 days after the last, and is their 15th game in row (approx, including trial games)...and if that was not enough, they are playing at altitude which is not their usual situation.
Oh, and did I forget...this team is also about to come last in this competition, confirmed if they lose this game. But should that surprise?
* Tucker, J., 2007, Last call for Reds season of sorrow, Courier Mail, Sat 5 May2007, p. 119, Brisbane.
Postscript: Now the game is over we can assess my concerns. The team in question during this game achieved the following, based on my rudimentary sports history knowledge:
1. Had the third highest (in the approx. 15 year history of this competition) number of points scored against them.
2. Had the higest points deficit (points scored by winning team minus points scored by losing team) in the history of the competition.
3. Had the highest number of points scored against them in the history of this team in the history of this competition.
4. Had the highest points deficit against them experienced by this team in the history of this competition.
5. Could well have been the highest points and highest points deficit experienced by the losing team in their entire history, but not sure of this.
Suffice to say, my concerns were (sadly) well founded....
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