This is a big, broad subject that I am going to bring up. I don't know exactly what to say about it. I've been doing some reading and have read some interesting things. I think there are exceptions to what I'm about to say. I don't mean to stereotype either. These are things that I have noticed and have read a little bit about in books.
I think that personal relationships are more important on female teams than they are male teams.
I think female athletes stress more about being named a team captain than a male athlete does. I think they worry that being named a captain will change their relationships with their teammates.
I think senior day is a place where you see how relationships mean more on female teams than male teams. Female teams senior days are much different than male teams senior days. Female teams have balloons, they make signs, and the entire team cries. It's like the seniors are leaving the family.
Male teams senior days are different. They celebrate, but there aren't typically posters made by their teammates. There aren't balloons and the team doesn't cry. I think it's more of a celebration of accomplishments for a male team than it is about leaving a family.
A famous soccer coach who I have been reading about thinks that team chemistry can have a stronger impact on female teams than male teams. He says that if female teams are really really close with one another off the field will also play better together. If they really don't like each other, they won't play as well.
I think a lot of this can be traced back to sociology, gender differences and differences in how boys and girls are raised. These are a few things that I just felt like throwing out there.
Your reference is the UNC-Chapel Hill coach, and you are correct in your observation that women are dependent on relationships in order to succeed & do well.
ReplyDeleteWhat you may not have picked up on is Anston calls his players to responsiblity. He challenges them about where their values lie in relationship to their team, fellow players and ultimate goals as a group.
When women feel threatened, whether by another's beauty, intelligence, atheltic ability, etc.., we tend to tear down.
You can see this happening when women are competing for the same position/privelege of starting/game time.
It takes strong coaches and consistent leadership to call women back to responsibility by challenging their stinky thinking. Asking why they would want to destroy a fellow team-mate because she is better than they are on the field or pitch. Anston stated he wanted more players like the one the complainers were griping about. He evaluates by statistics which is an excellant way to select players and pass out playing time.
One of the biggest mistakes a player or a group of players can make is resorting to sarcasim and belittlement of a fellow teammate, or another group of players. It is usually a means of self-justification for not owning one's work. The saddest part of all this the destruction done to the very people who were enthused and happy to do the work.
Yep...that has definetly been a part of what I have been reading.
ReplyDeleteI decided to buy and read this book because I realized that I'd never read about women's athletics or soccer before. I wanted to learn about both so I bought a book by him.
The responsibility is something that I have read about. I think he makes an important point there. Everyone needs to realize that they are a part of a team and they need to be responsible for their own actions so that they make their team better. It sort of strikes me as "We are only as good as are worst player."
I like that he keeps track of all the stats too.
That encourages competition.
I also agree with him about wanting to have the players that everyone was complaining about. He wanted the ones that weren't afraid to compete and weren't afraid of criticism.
On a somewhat similar note I remember Coach Auriemma saying that he loved the player that would knock down a three right after he told them that they couldn't make that shot. He liked that the player was confident in their abilities and didn't care that he just said that to them.
(Although I would say that Geno would get mad if a player who has no businesss taking a three pointer continues to take them...I was referring to a player who he knows can make a shot...but he says they can't because he's testing their mental toughness)
Coach Auriemma is one of my favorite coaches...because not only is he funny, but most importantly he challenges his players and gets everything out of them. He's intimidating but also very nice when you meet him.