Pre Match Review - 29th March 2009

We need to treat this week's trip as a benchmarking exercise.

The standards that Barrow Island set are very high and they have the luxury of very healthy numbers which also allows them to select near the top of the age range.

DEFENCE WINS GAMES has never been more appropriate and we need to be at our defensive best against organised attacks.

We have demonstrated that we are coming together and should be very proud of where we are in such a short space of time.

Sunday is about challenging yourself as an individual to do your very, very best. It's widely accepted that game days are a little stressful as the players put pressure on themselves.

From a coaches perspective this is a bad and a good thing. The positives are that the children, regardless of age and placing some importance on their own performance and have recognised that they are an integral part of a functioning team.

The bad side is that nine times out of ten they then forget everything they have done at training. Ultimately we want the teams to challenge themselves and enjoy doing it. In both age groups this week we will be up against very strong opponents who are unbeaten so far.

Despite the results at the full time whistle I'm expecting everyone walking off the pitch to have tried their best and had a jolly good time.

10s meet at 10:30 and 8s meet at 11 please.

As far as staying warm is concerned I'm not really bothered what the kids wear under their playing strips. We get much more from them when they're not trembling so layer them up (but we draw the line at a scarf!)

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