messi behaviour
Here's an interesting observation from Gavin Levey, Head of the Aberdeen FC Youth Academy following a visit to FC Barcelona see how youth coaching done in Spain.
It turns out that the Spanish kids train roughly the same amount of hours as the Scottish ones and the actual training facilities at Barcelona are broadly similar.
Yet, somehow Barca produce a conveyor belt of young superstars who can compete on any stage.
Gavin notes:
'The main thing that is different is a joined up philosophy from the U8s right through to the first team. The drills seven, eight, nine year olds are doing are the same as the ones the first team would be doing.'
"They are also taught good habits. The young kids at eight years are treated like the first team.
[In youth matches] both teams walk out onto the pitch as if it was a Champions League game together.
Before the game they then walk up and down shaking hands with each other like the first team do.
They come over to the side of the pitch and clap the parents after the game like the first team do.
Just little things, but it was very impressive.
"You look at their first team and see how many players have come through, that is because they know what they are looking for in their youth players.
That is not something that costs money, it is just people having the same belief in what they are looking for when they are producing players.
Tru dat. Shaping behaviour first is the best way to shape minds.
Emotional stimulation with direct behavioral reactions - these youngsters do the same behaviours as the top players so they feel like first-teamers - meaning over time they start to have the attitudes of top players.
Apart from the obvious connection to what we do in advertising - shaping behaviour - this also highlights the constant challenge for the small agency among the big agencies.
Maybe just acting big is at the start of being big?
