Dr.Perry Walters: why giving ‘status and respect’ to adolescent players can help manage behaviour more effectively

Player | Learning | Perry Walters | 23.06.2022

Coaches should give adolescent players who crave ‘status and respect’ the opportunity for more responsibility, rather than simply labelling them as ‘bad characters’, says Dr. Perry Walters. Soccrates images/Getty Images sport

Learning:

-   How to work effectively with adolescent players in the youth development (12-16) and professional development phases (17-23)

-       Providing opportunities for young players to gain ‘status and respect’ in a positive way

-       Why giving young players more responsibility can help change behaviour

Coaches should give adolescent players who crave ‘status and respect’ the opportunity for more responsibility, rather than simply labelling them as ‘bad characters’, says Dr. Perry Walters, Honorary research fellow at Bristol university and Bristol City academy coach.

"We've had some players in the past who have been seen as ‘bad’ characters,” says Walters, who studied the workings of the adolescent brain for his PhD.

“But sometimes during adolescence there is strong drive for status and respect. Added to that, some players might be a little bit more mature with a little bit more testosterone and they want to be the ‘big I am’.”