There is an old adage that says a week is a long time in rugby, and this proved to be completely true for the u15A team.
Exactly a week ago I was sitting at my computer taking out my frustration in my weekly blog about the problems and difficulties I have been experiencing coaching at SACS, and this week I sit here in a completely different mind frame. The question has to be asked “How did I change from completely frustrated to positive in a mere 7 days?”
By my own admission I think I was a bit over the top last week as I was just completely frustrated at being beaten by another Afrikaner school, one I knew my team was capable of beating. However certain circumstances and people have led me to believe that results and turning a teams mind set takes time, and sometimes it even takes the right timing and a perfect storm of circumstances.
This perfect storm of circumstances seemed to be occurring this past week leading up to the Boland Landbou match. After writing my blog last week I forwarded it to a friend who just so happens to be in my opinion one of the best sports psychologists in South Africa and who has worked with the Sharks in 2008 as well as the Springboks, and in addition to that he has co-authored 2 books about sports psychology (In the zone and Raising talent). His name is Tim Goodenough (yes I know haha, his surname kinda works out with his profession) and he suggested that he would fly down to Cape Town from Durban at his own expense to come and work with the u15A team. Now for me this just proves what kind of person he is first of all, and secondly how special this team is to have someone like Tim fly down and help them out.
Tim Goodenough
Tim in one word was AMAZING to have around! The team had a very productive Friday afternoon with him as well as Tom Dawson Squibb who is another extremely good mental coach who is working with Rondebosch and Paarl Boys 1st XV as well as a few other teams around the Cape, it seems the boys really enjoyed their input (Don’t think of a pink elephant!). In groups the boys set about finding out what they really enjoyed about the team as well as the challenges they faced. Some fascinating things came out of it, none of it unexpected, but I think from the boys perspective it was a real eye opener. I know for a fact the team grew closer and wanted to perform better than ever. As I have said this team is special and the team spirit and unity they possess makes me wonder how many SACS players, past and present, have ever experienced such a vibe. Afterwards we all expressed what we learn’t from the afternoon and I must say I learn’t so much about the boys and the team. All that I hoped for now was a favorable result to go with this hard work.
Together with Tim and Tom (HaHa :) ) another awesome experience that happened during the week was having Anton Moolman the Hamiltons first team coach help out with the backline on Wednesday. He just so happened to be watching our practice so Mr Jones roped him in to help out. At first thought this din’t seem to be very important as he only had 30mins to work with them, but after watching the backline run their new moves rather successfully, I wondered what kind of impact will this have on the backline, who so far had been hit by injuries, inconsistent performances and a lack of confidence. I sort of hoped for a positive impact, so after I saw them walk off the field about a foot taller and strutting with pride I knew a big impact had occurred.
In the coaches mind we were wondering out loud, could this be the perfect storm of circumstances that will change the u15A teams fortunes around forever?
One may say that by losing to Boland Landou yesterday meant that the weeks preparations did not help and that this team may never turn their fortunes around. However, I think the game yesterday was AMAZING!
The warm-up went so well having Tim there to guide us in the mental preparation so that by game time, the boys were 100% ready for the game, and it showed. I have never seen the team perform so well, the first half was outstanding, there were no nerves, no frustration, no self depreciating thoughts, they were there to play rugby and to win. The forwards stopped everything that was thrown at them, the backline produced some lovely running rugby and defended really well. Two tries later by Shane and Joel things were looking good, high fives were being thrown and plenty of BOOM moments were seen. I know the boys were having the time of their lives during that first half.
However the second half was not the same, after a massive ‘uitkuk’ from their coach, I presume, the Boland players came at the team hard, for which the boys just weren’t ready for. Our discipline cost us dearly as they had a phenomenal kicker who slotted penalties all over the field. But as usual the team never gave up and played their hearts out, unfortunately some started beating themselves up when things stopped going in our favour. This is one of the main lessons the boys need to take from this match, is that beating yourself up means you don’t respect yourself as you should, and it is unacceptable to do that to yourself.
However even though we lost I think the team learnt so much about themselves and as a team. If I’m not mistaken I think thats probably the first time this team has lead at half time against a good rugby school during their high school careers. So for them to be up at half time shows the type of progress they have made, so I am not surprised they din’t know what to do to win the game as they have never been there before!
You know for this team to feel gutted after the match shows you how far this team has come. They felt gutted because they knew they should have won this match, and they could have have, but perhaps the timing was not right and lessons needed to be learn’t before the team can progress to winning the big games. Right at this moment I do not see any resemblance from the team that started out against Brackenfell, and I’m sure the boys cannot remember themselves either. Simply put the team that started at the beginning of the year is not the same team as what we are seeing now.
Some will argue that results are what the school wants and needs and it is the only measure of success, but I will tell those people that being successful is what the team decide it is, and at the moment they are on the track towards that success. This journey keeps rumbling forward and the lessons the team has learn’t has been phenomenal, I truly believe that this team is special and has an awesome ride ahead of them. I know it can only get better as that is what the team want, and to be honest I am extremely excited for the match against Wynberg as it is another opportunity to showcase how far this team has come on.
So I thank Tim, Tom and Anton for their help this week, it really has been a special week for the team, and I know the boys appreciated it. The improved performances by individuals and as a team is down in no small measure to you guys giving up your time to help out with this AWESOME bunch of boys!
THANK YOU!