Written by A team’s success encompasses many aspects involving the managerial staff, players, coaches, and fans. Compromise one of these aspects and a lack of success follows throughout the entire organization.
During COVID we saw how teams lost their “home” field advantage due to fans not being allowed in stadiums, and how that turned Home Advantage into Home Disadvantage, down below is an article that states how the German Bundesliga saw a 10% decrease in winning percentage for home teams (Tilp).
Although fans play their part in team success, one of the most influential pieces of a sports team organization is its coaching staff and their players. If they don’t do well then the coaches might get fired, players dropped, and even managers kicked. This buildup of pressure on all sides of the organization then pushes players, coaches, and staff to try and over perform.
Overtraining can be extremely detrimental to the athletes, coaches, and staff because an overtrained athlete will be underperforming due to lack of rest, hydration, and mental factors associated with the overwhelming pressure to be their absolute best every time. By constantly pushing the athlete to their limits a coach is not allowing their player’s body to rest.
Imagine working out 7 days a week, for 3+ hours – your body won’t be able to catch up to the nutrients, sleep, and hydration it properly needs to maintain and recover your body from the previous workouts. As a key rule of thumb, players should not be training to their max for more than two days in a row. If overtraining is evenly spread out then results will start pouring in much faster than expected.
That being said, it is the coaches job to see how the players are performing – if he sees they are tired and not trying that does not mean to push them harder than they’re already going. Listen to their bodies, feel out what the players needs are and accommodate accordingly.
Sometimes less can be more, and an example of how coaches could remedy their overtraining is by having off days in practice. Light warmups, stretches, and a few drills here and there are adequate to let the body rest and recover from a hard day’s cardio session, or intense scrimmage.
Sources:
Tilp M and Thaller S (2020) Covid-19 Has Turned Home Advantage Into Home Disadvantage in the German Soccer Bundesliga. Front. Sports Act. Living 2:593499. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2020.593499