Demand Discipline

They will eat it up

I will preface this section with the comment that I fully realize that I'm dealing with young girls here.  I don't expect them to have the discipline of a US Navy SEAL, but I do try and maintain an air of order in many things that we do.  Here are a few examples.

Training Gear
I've been huge on outfitting my teams in the same training gear since I started with the Inferno in Woodbury.  Not only does it help my OCD nature to see everyone in the same kit, but it also goes a long way toward team ownership, pride, and unity.  Moreover, it mandates a responsibility on the players that they make sure their training gear is clean and washed and ready to go when needed.

T.Y.S.I.P. (pronounced ti-zip)
The acronym I used with these girls at the younger age groups.  Tuck your shirt in please.  In training and in games, shirts are fully tucked in at all times.

If You're Late, You Run
I don't mean that if a girl is late I force her to run laps.  All I ask is that if a girl arrives late for training, they run to put their bag down and run to join the group.  I know girls will be late on occasion and I can live with that.  What I won't tolerate tardiness and then laziness (and lack of consideration) to get going once a girl arrives on site for training or a game.

Team Meals
We all look the same (in our travel shirts or training gear and warm-ups)

Pool Restrictions
I set firm pool restrictions when we travel to away events.  30 minutes of swimming per day, never before or in between games and no hot tubs.

Eye Contact
I demand eye contact by individuals or by the group when I'm addressing them. 

No Sore Losers
Handshakes with the other team and the referees upon the completion of every game.

Know the Score in Training
Always.  Not that the end result is the most important here.  It's the fact that in a soccer game, team strategies change depending on the score.  If a team is down a goal, there needs to be an urgency of getting the ball into the opponent's danger area, or maybe high pressure defending, or quick restarts.  If a team is up a goal late in a game, that team might be looking to take the pace out of the game, play low pressure defending, take less changes at the back. 

Moreover here, I want the girls tuned into to exercise we are working on in training.  If they don't know the score in the game, their team's score goes back to zero.

Watch the Game From the Bench
When you're off the field during game, you are tuned into what is happening on the field.  If you're not tuned in, you don't go in.

No Candy/No Caffeine
The first year we were together, I had all the players sign the Academy Code that stated that for the duration of the year while we were in season, the girls would not drink any caffeinated soda and would only eat candy on the weekends.

I also rewarded the girls at the end of the summer with a trip to Valley Fair if they could stick to this code.  This was asking a lot, I know, but it helped set the tone for what we wanted to accomplish with this group.  The girls took a real pride in their ability to adhere to this team Code, and it was a great bonding event for us in 2004/2005. 

In order for the girls to be disciplined and organized, it is of the utmost importance that I am disciplined and organized.  I'm talking about building a team culture here and I need to set the example for the girls.  I need to be on time, always.  I need to design organized and challenging training sessions.  I need to set good examples of sportsmanship at all times.  I need to take responsibility and not make excuses.  There can also be no discipline without respect, and respect is not given, it is earned. 

I also try to put the disciplinary situations in the hands of the players themselves whenever possible.  Meaning, that I encourage teammates to get on their teammates who are causing disruption at training or at a game.  I am constantly reminding the group about the challenging competition schedule we are faced with, and that they should all want to focus as much as they could in order for us to be in the best possible position to compete.

A coach cannot demand discipline unless he/she has the respect of the team.  The girls know that I'm fair, organized, professional, and fun-loving.  Because of this I am able to get their buy in on the discipline side of things.

Again, I'm trying to breed a team culture of professionalism and commitment here and the girls usually eat this stuff up and take pride in our rules.  The success will follow, be it in sport or be it in life.