🙌 Are you ready for a new season?

This is not a facet, but it is well thought out, and covers most needs and challenges.

1. Assemble a coaching team

‍Item one on the to-do list is finding a coaching team. There are a lot of people who fail here. Because NO, you should not be left with this alone. All teams, regardless of the number of children, should have several coaches.

These are tasks to be completed:
‍• Sending out (weekly) information to parents
• Setting up different layers
• Driving to and from battle
• Training times
• Training planning
• Conducting training
• Battle Management
• Finding referees for matches for the youngest
• Timers in the hall
• Parent meetings
• Conversations with the players
Etc., etc.

So no, you're not going to do this alone. It will be the start of the end for you as a handball coach. Get a lot of people with you to cover the tasks mentioned above.

Ex, for one of the teams I coach we are:
• Two head coaches
• Two coaches, who are also responsible for communication with parents
• Two Auxiliary Trainers
• Two backup coaches

2. Communication platform

‍• Find a platform you want to communicate with parents
• Inform about training times
• Find a time for a parent meeting

3. What should we train on?

‍Enter Learn Handball under the “Overview” page. Here we have listed the guidelines for your age group. Everything is based on the NHF and DHF's guidelines.
We at Learn Handball have created ready-made training plans for you, based on just these guidelines. I recommend adapting the training so that it is specially adapted to the group you are training for. You are the ones who know the players you train best and there should always be some changes made. I make adjustments to the training plans every week as well, although I am the one who prepared the training plans in Learn Handball. There will be different needs that you want to train on during a long season.

4th. What type of coach should I be?

‍Fortunately, the vast majority of coach types can do a great job as a handball coach. Both good educators, good professional coaches, mood spreaders, young, old, etc. will be able to master the role of handball coach.

Here are some tips from me:

Become a role model with personal strengths!
Find and write down your strengths as a trainer. You should take these with you to every training and match.
Ex. My strengths are:
• Present
• Credible
• Playful
There's not one training or match I'm not actively using this.

Create a goal or vision that the whole team will work towards.
The dream scenario is that you create this together with the players.

Our vision last season was:
Everyone who comes first to training should also attend the last training of the year. During the season, we talked together about what is required of the group and each individual to achieve the vision.

Involve the players in drills and games.
Let the players have ownership of what you practice, and how you play. This gives a huge effect!

All players should be seen and heard every single time they set foot inside a handball hall.
Set aside a few minutes before and after training to get to know your players. The easiest way to influence and motivate is by being able to press the right buttons for each individual player. You can only do that by knowing the players well. The individual differences are huge!

Quote Ulrik Wilbæk:
‍“Remember, the biggest discrimination you can do is if you treat everyone the same!”.

Inform Parents/Parent Meeting
Claim from me:
‍Parents are the main reason we are losing handball coaches.

Parenting can be one of the most challenging things we face as a child coach. I, as a longtime national team player, and most likely relatively competent both academically and educationally, also feel the pressure from parents.

Tips to more easily ride out the storm from challenging parents:
• Call for a parent meeting — explain clearly what your strategy is.
Use the club's strategy — if the club doesn't have a clear plan, ask for one!
• Inform parents about what you are doing. This will ease the pressure on you.
‍Ex. From school to the kids I get an always a weekly schedule with an overview of what the kids have done.
• Enlist the help of the club's sporting director to make conversations with challenging parents.

Dialogue with the players
It is recommended to create frameworks, set rules, and set requirements above the players. Most people think it's really good to have something to deal with. If you are consistent, it will be great. Set aside time for a talk with the players each season.

Tips for Dialogue:
• Expectation clarification. What do the players expect of the coaching team, and what does the coaching team expect of the players.
• A dream scenario is if you also manage to have individual conversations.
• Try to account for challenges, and what motivates each one.

Wish you a wonderful handball season!
Stand on, and give gas!
Mvh Bjarte