Dissatisfied With Coaches’ School

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30559, 30 September 1964, Page 25

Dissatisfied With Coaches’ School

Dissatisfaction with the manner in which the national Rugby League school for coaches was being held was expressed by several members of the Canterbury Rugby League Board of Control at its meet-

Mr L. R. Huston said although he agreed with the principle of the school, it was not being used in the manner he had anticipated. Several men with provincial coaching certificates were not given positions with representative teams. He said the school appeared to be a grooming school for seelctors and not intended to help national coaching become cohesive. Mr L. Blackler said the schools were also becoming a grooming ground for referees. If you did not attend the schools you would not be appointed to officiate in international matches. “If you are a coach are you qualified to be a selector or a referee?” Mr E. G. Blazey said the alm was for the schools to help coaches. The qualified coaches should then come back to their clubs and act as advisory coaches for those of a lesser standard. A lot of the blame must fall on the clubs, Mr Huston said. Although there were four men in Christchurch with provincial certificates, none was coaching a senior team. These men should first coach senior teams and then, if successful, they could pass on to provincial and national positions. Many men were going simply to qualify as selectors and not coaches, Mr Blazey said. The scheme began well but it was beginning to fizzle out. The board will draw up to recommendation to the New Zealand Council for the conference to be held in November. Summer Training The board will advise clubs about summer fitness training outlined in a letter from the St. Martins Amateur Atheltic and Harrier Club. The club invited Rugby League players to train with it.

The New Zealand selector (Mr E. Butts) had endorsed the scheme and it was felt that promising players would enhance their chances of gaining national selection by keeping fit in the summer.