U17 "Player of the Year" 2006-7: rewarding attendance at training, etc.

We (me & Joe) have been discussing how we can encourage better attendance at training (though in all honesty - compared with other parts of the club - numbers are pretty good most evenings, a fact that several other age group coaches mention). Anyway there are two ways to do this.

One is the "stick" - ie. you don't play unless you train. While simple in theory, in practice it would not work unless we had about twice as many players, all of whom were of a similar standard. Realistically - even next year - we're going to need everyone to play who can turn up for a game. And certain people know - if they think about it - that they'd always get picked - like how could we play without props?

It also puts undue pressure on people with exams, or other unavoidable commitments on certain days, etc.

So we are going to try the "carrot".

What this means is that next season the Player of the Year will not be decided by a vote of players (as in 2004/5), nor by coaches' decision (as in 2005/6), but instead on points awarded throughout the season.

In addition there will also be Player of the Month awards.

You will score points in the following ways:

• For attending an ordinary training session: 1 point
• For attending a key training session (ie. Before an important game, or a session aimed at - say - forwards, so we'd need all the forwards there): 2 or 3 points
• For playing in a home game: 1 point
• For playing in an away game: 2 points
• For playing in an away game more than 90 minutes away: 3 points
• "Player of the day" (voted for by the players): 1 point
• "Tackle of the day" (voted for by the players): 1 point

In addition there will be Bonus points awarded by the coaches for things like:

• Performance in training,
• Making an extra effort to attend training (ie. travelling from a long distance, missing your Dad's birthday, etc...)
• Good sportmanship
• Selfless play
• Being a credit to the club (ie. arriving in the bar/clubhouse after a game cleaned up and changed into appropriate clothing, etc.)
• Attracting new players

Coaches will keep score and will make an award of Player of the Month on the first Wednesday or Sunday of each month. Not quite sure what this award will be yet...

Points scores will not be published prior to any awards in order to keep an air of mystery and excitement...