{"id":6430,"date":"2016-12-27T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2016-12-26T22:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/?p=6430"},"modified":"2024-01-22T14:15:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T03:15:54","slug":"the-handshake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/the-handshake\/","title":{"rendered":"The Handshake"},"content":{"rendered":"

A handshake? How important is it in sport?\u00a0Sporticus<\/a>\u00a0is a PE Teacher, blogger and advocate for positive player development. In this contribution, he discusses the role of the coach to go beyond the game and ensure that values and rituals are respected in the quest to develop better people, and better players.<\/h2>\n

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Today\u2019s game\u00a0turned sour due to a handshake. Or to be more exact, the lack of a handshake.<\/p>\n

My team had been beaten well in all areas of the game and the opposition had deservedly won. At the final whistle both sides went to each other to shake hands and offer words of celebration or commiseration. One young man from the opposition was going down the line of players, offering his hand, then withdrawing it just before the handshake happened. He then continued walking by the person with the outstretched hand onto the next and repeating it to the next in line. This planned act of unsportsmanlike conduct was directed to his team mates and opposition players alike and was working much to his delight until he met Ed. Ed, a diminutive young man with the heart of a lion, didn\u2019t take the fake handshake well. Instead of walking onto the next person like everyone else, Ed followed him with his hand outstretched. He asked for a proper handshake now the game was over. The opponent turned his back and refused to share Ed\u2019s hand. Ed stood there unmoving, with his hand stretched out, slowly being surrounded by members of the opposition.<\/p>\n

Ed stood with his hand outstretched for what seemed like an eternity. He told his opponent that he had a good game and wanted to shake his hand as an acknowledgement of that now that the game was over. Ed was ignored and slowly with shoulders dropped made his way team debrief with his Captain. However on his way over Ed decided to take matters into his own hands and speak to the opposition coach. He explained what happened and said he was disappointed he was unable to finish the game without a handshake. To which the opposition coach shrugged and said \u2018boys will be boys\u2019 and then went to congratulate his team for the win.<\/p>\n


\nOver the last few years I\u2019ve been looking to further develop my coaching beyond just the X\u2019s and O\u2019s. I was lucky enough to hear John O\u2019Sullivan talk on this topic and he stated \u00a0\u2018perhaps we need to balance how much we know with how much we connect\u2018. Those words resonated with me leading to the\u00a0introduction of the handshake as a ritual for practice and games. A way to greet, to thank, to celebrate and to empathise with those children who have decided to grace the teams I coach with their presence. My sessions start and end with a handshake, to show them I\u2019m pleased to see them and to thank them for their continued commitment. On match days its the first thing I do when the players arrive, asking them how they feel to set them at ease. It\u2019s also the last thing I do before they leave, telling them how much I enjoyed coaching them, refereeing them or watching them play.\u00a0I expect them to shake the hands of the referee to thank them for their time and effort. This courtesy is also extended to the opposition coach and to their parents if they came to watch and support.\u00a0It is also expected they offer their hand to the opposition, for many reasons, but mainly because without the opposition\u2019s cooperation they could not have the opportunity to play the game. Teams should thank each other for that opportunity.<\/p>\n

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