The weakest children demand the most!?

ClausHansen, a former talent coach for the DHF, has worked forward many of the world's greatest handball talents. Claus is passionate about giving all children equal opportunities to succeed, but admits that it is often the “baddest” children who demand the most.

“No one should be either the best or the worst at all training.”

Differentiation of level of training is occasionally a necessity for children to develop. Claus clarifies that an important success factor for well-being and development is that no child should be either the best or the worst at every training.

At the same time, there are many children who react negatively to differentiation. Most people understand perfectly well where in the hierarchy they stand when assigned their place in the third team. Many teams divide the children into a first, second and third team at a young age. Often the best coaches are affiliated with the first team, which in some cases also trains more than the other kids.

To make one thing clear, this is something I (ed. Bjarte), personally is great opponent of!

Claus is clear that it should be the children's interest that determines how much they practice — not the current level of skill. “The players who are most skilled in the 9-15 years of age are often the best because of the greater amount of training, or because of physical advantages” says Claus.

“We adults cut off many children the opportunity, to find out how good they could have become, because we value the immediate level higher than the long-term potential.”

How to counteract the experience of differentiation?

There are some means to lessen children's experience of differentiation. CLAUS has some basic principles all teams should have in every training session.

• All children should be together when the training starts, and when the training ends. In this way, we create a feeling that all the children are part of the group, regardless of their skill level.
• It is important that the most skilled coach meets and trains all the children. In this way, everyone gets the same attention, and thus the same opportunity to develop.

ChristianBerge believes praise is an undervalued tool. “Kids are in training to be seen, and praise contributes to well-being, is motivating, and gives courage to solve tasks together!”

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