Marti Roget
Marti Roget is a basketball coach at the Club Basket Granollers.
ABOUT RESILIENCE AND DROP OUT
What do you think about the following factors able to influence the level of resilience of the children in sport?
From a young age, players are exposed to adverse situations, and from my personal experience of being a Basketball Coach at Club Basquet Granollers, I can say that self-esteem is one of the key factors against the dropout phenomenon. Us coaches have a big role in this aspect, as we are seen as role models for the players, therefore, our behaviour and image of them is an important part of how they think of themselves.
Goals and aspirations is also another big concept to keep in mind for youngsters when it comes to their resilience. When we are motivated and have goals and objectives that are aligned with our realistic abilities and skills, it is much more likely to push on when adversity crosses our path.
Sports are great channels where players can learn many values and concepts that are applicable in life as well. So we need to make sure that they learn on and off the court.
Which is your experience concerning school connection? Why the links among sport and schools are so poor?
At the end of the day, the school and sports is where the youngsters spend most of their time. And the importance of the educational environment in these two places is key for their development. So, the school and the sports should be much more connected, to work on the same page for the best interest of every young athlete, student and person.
ABOUT PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IN SPORT
Are you somehow working on family ties and the role of the family to fight against dropout?
I always encourage parents’ participation in the athletes’ growth. Their positive reinforcement and their supporting behaviour is key to help youngsters involved in sports.
We organize activities for the parents to explain their roles and how to help their children as well as the team.
In your daily experience which is the different role of mother and father in supporting the youngsters in the sport activity?
In my experience, the families should ask the youngsters what they are most comfortable with, and with what they are not. Every young player is different and has different needs. Sometimes we assume that the youngsters want one thing, but we rarely ask them, which degree of support and implication they would like parents to have.
I believe that encouraging them in a positive and supportive way, is always positive for the players, and that the role of the parents is very important for the players development and continuity in the sport.
How do you concretely try to involve parents in communicating the positive values of sport and the importance of life-long sport activity?
At the beginning of every season, I do a presentation for the parents in which I explain our team and club philosophy, in which they will play a very important role. The families values, behaviors and habits must be aligned with the team’s values so the coaches, players and families are all on the same page, for the best interest of the players’ learning development.
I also find many families that have never practiced sports or basketball in particular, so I organize a game for the families, that simulate the feelings and sensations that the players are experiencing on the cour, so that they empathise and experience different experiences that their children experience weekly. It helps them to change or adapt negative behaviours.
ABOUT COACH-ATHLETE RELATIONSHIP
In your opinion which factors in the Coach-Athlete Relationship are more potentially able to guide children’s resilience against the dropout?
I believe that trust and motivation are the two main aspects to consider. The coach needs to make sure to earn the players trust and to make sure that the player is motivated, by challenging and encouraging, as well as teaching them so they can see that they are learning and progressing. Then we need to add, the combination of all of it explained in 1 word is: “FUN”.
When the players have fun, their interest and their commitment is stronger.
In your daily experience how are you stressing the main values that characterize this relationship: affection, commitment, sense of responsibility, sympathy, sense of duty?
First, I will give my full affection, full commitment, full sense of responsibility,full sympathy and full sense of duty to each player. Only then I can start to expect the same from them.
After that, I set goals and objectives, long, medium and short term. As well as one general team goal or dream. When we have our road map on how to achieve it, we talk about commitment and sacrifice to achieve it. Once we have a common dream, the rest comes “easy”.
At the same time, the small everyday details and getting to know my players is a key factor in making sure that all of these values are being feeded daily so they do not go away.
