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The
Arizona Republic story on Norm Anderson - CHS 1972
Jun. 23, 2006
He was so humble I could barely get him to tell his story.
Every child needs to experience a Norman Anderson kind of team.
You see, Norman Anderson gets it. He gets it that youth sports
are about having fun, building relationships and improving
skills. Oh, and by the way, winning just so happened to be the
end product.
Anderson coaches the 13U girls volleyball team for the AZ Sky.
He could pick anyone for an assistant, so he chooses his wife,
Kathy. This family package loves its extended family.
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In January, at the start of their club volleyball season, I had
the privilege to conduct a coaches clinic for all AZ Sky
coaches. Something that day put a fire in the coaching heart of
Anderson.
He called the first parent meeting and expressed his passion for
what he and his wife hoped for these girls. The focus would be
their development as players, learning life skills and most
importantly that they have fun.
"I always ask 'Did you have fun?' instead of 'How did you do?' "
Anderson said.
This kind of question takes the focus off of the performance and
places the priority on fun.
The girls got to choose the name of their team. Instead of the
Crushers or the Dominators or the ever-popular Monster Spikers,
they stuck with the theme, calling themselves the Lucky Charms.
Seventy teams got a preseason ranking. The Lucky Charms were in
the 60s.
Coach Anderson got to work.
Practices were filled with skill development drills rather than
conditioning drills.
"They're still young, and they're learning, so you want them to
enjoy the sport." Anderson said.
He couldn't have been more dead on.
Another great coaching philosophy: "I played all my girls, and
they all got close to equal playing time."
Here is a coach with a well-thought-through and strategic
substitution plan. It can be done.
"They bought into my goal of not just winning but doing their
best," Anderson added.
He never pulled a girl out for making a mistake.
Let's look at his formula:
No performance pressure.
Fun is the goal.
Everyone knows they'll get to play, and all feel a sense of
contribution.
Skill development is the goal, not conditioning.
Effort, not winning, is the focus.
Anderson knew that this style of coaching would create an
atmosphere of fun. He had no idea it would also create wins.
The girls loved to play. They loved to play together. It was
fun. They were motivated and encouraged to work hard, do their
best and improve.
Improve?
Just before the playoffs, they moved up to 35th. It also
elevated them to a tougher bracket. The girls knew this was
going to be a different level of play, which meant to them that
they would have a different level of fun.
And fun they had! I wish more youth coaches would believe that
having fun and building confidence can also produce wins.
And win they did. They ended up 16th. From 60-something all the
way up to 16th!
Even after they were eliminated, the girls gathered together and
went around affirming each other.
"This time of affirmation was so much more effective than my
'happy speech,' " Anderson said.
Next year the girls could name their team the Eliminators, but I
think Lucky Charms is just fine.
Thank you, Andersons, for loving and investing in the lives of
these kids.
If you have questions or comments for Tom Kuyper, e-mail him at
Tomkuyper@ athletesintraining.com. Listen to Kuyper on the Kids
and Sports radio program from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays on XTRA
Sports 910.
The Arizona Republic |
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