One to one sports coaching

[Marshlime]

DS (Yr 5) is sporty and shows potential across a wide range of sports (cricket, rugby, football, hockey, swimming, sprinting, long jump). His (private) school provides match play opps, but he obviously takes part in outside clubs too. Realising future competition for county places will soon start to pick up, was wondering if it’s generally the norm to also invest in private one-to-one coaching when at a competitive level to give an extra edge. It feels like we’d be paying three times over!

The only time I have seen this happen is for kids with Olympic-type level potential. I don’t think it’s at all usual.

A friend's DD is very sporty and she has had some one-to-one coaching sessions. With the right coach, they are very helpful b/c the coach analyses the athlete's movements minutely, shows video playback and gives bespoke advice. Friend's DD found they were really helpful.

It’s normal for potential club academy football players to have extra coaching. Its very cut throat even in the lower league clubs. I don’t see why you wouldn’t if you think your child can go to a high level.

I think it probably depends on the sport. DD and DS are both sports scholars. DD plays County netball and both are County athletics. DD is ranked top 10 nationally in her athletic events. Neither have had private one-to-ones. We chose a netball club which gets lots of players into County and coach towards that, and the athletics club also has a lot of athletes competing at National standard/on the England Athletics Talent Pathway, so naturally attracts good coaches. County rugby nominations are made via their Club or school (DS used to play).

I think if they are at good clubs, that will be more than sufficient. I will say that it will be hard getting to (and remaining at) County standard with that many sports and he will need to think about focusing on two or three. DD plays netball 3 times a week, with school and club matches at weekends, athletics for her is an additional 3 times a week. DS runs middle distance and has 3 track sessions a week plus 3 long runs on his own 3 times a week. The kids I know that swim are in the pool 4-5 times a week and county hockey is similar to netball with 2-3 sessions a week.

First of all he needs to decide what is his specialist sport, he can’t specialize in everything. Especially for team sports it seems quite early to get 1:1 tuition. I would see what happens with applications for secondary school and concentrate on that and applying to be a sports scholar and see how you go from there plus being a member of a good team outside of school in his specialist sport possibly 2 if one is a summer and one is a winter sport. For a lot of kids at prep they can seem to be the shining sports stars but once they go to secondary school in a bigger environment they are not quite as amazing as they seemed at prep school. It also changes again once puberty hits and body size changes etc Our son went to prep where he was mediocre at best and actually quite crap in one particular sport. Moved to his secondary at year 7 while others followed at year 9 who were the shining stars in prep and they were in for the shock of their life life as they suddenly were not all that and in fact our child who was crap at one particular sport is now playing in the A team. Others who started in year 7 as one of the best suddenly are slipping down from the A team down to the b’s and below. There is a big change around.

Only for tennis players, who don’t have time to do anything else. A few people in other sports have also moved to clubs further afield for higher level coaching but none of the county or higher level sports people I know have 1-1 coaching until much older. Let him enjoy himself and decide where he wants to focus. Things often change significantly through puberty. Serious swimming would leave little time for anything else.

Is he of Olympic/world/career level potential or just a child who really excels at sport? He is only Y5 so if the latter, let him enjoy sport and it simply be ‘fun’ otherwise he may grow up to see it as a chore.

Personally think unless children are going to excel to the extreme then you’re throwing tons of money at something which is unlikely to become a career for the vast majority of people. You’re already sending him to clubs.

Given the amount of private lessons people pay for to hear their darling children play the violin appallingly I think it's totally fine to get private sports coaching IF it's what he wants and he would love it

Of those cricket and hockey hold by far the most value for private coaching. Particularly cricket but as above do it in the one or at most two he likes best.

He almost certainly won't be a professional sportsman. Even if talented chance is probably less than 1% so do this for the joy of it.

Not weird to do.

I think there's increasing research to suggest that keeping young people playing 'multi sports' for longer is beneficial for all sorts of reasons. If your DS is still only Y5 I wouldn't worry too much about paying for private coaching just now. As a PP suggested, get him into a decent club set up, encourage him to enjoy sport and see it as fun. Use holiday clubs/camps for additional coaching if he wants to do a bit more.

Yes, some sports seem to encourage specialism really early (swimming and gymnastics are two that come to mind) but for a lot of sports, the DC who are badged as being 'talented' in junior school are often very different to those that go on to County and National pathways in senior school.

Certain sports lend themselves more to one-to-one than others , you would likely be having private coaching for cricket for a county player.

The team sports hockey and rugby etc you probably benefit more from finding a higher level of camp/ club.

At county, decent club level they are expected to train 2 to 3 times a week, plus matches. Tennis is more.