So what actually is coaching? Listening & noticing! More inspiration from the iCoachCricket podcast.

I have posted recently on several of the iCoachCricket podcasts from the ECB. Not always positively, but there seems to be a more recent trend for these podcasts to go beyond the “secrets of my success” content to pose questions about the future direction of coaching and Coach Development.

Two recent episodes, with Iain Brunnschweiler and Martin Dighton challenged the fundamental assumptions about what coaching really is.

ECB Coach Development — are you listening?

Connect before you correct

Iain Brunnschweiler (former pro cricketer, various coaching roles with the ECB, now an elite performance consultant across sport & business) defined the secret sauce of coaching quite simply — “it’s noticing”.

It’s no more technical than that, just seeing everything that’s going on and understanding the player. What mood they’re in…how they’re feeling that particular day and how that opens communication…it’s noticing and as a coach I think we can help ourselves, we can help train ourselves to notice.

Iain Brunnschweiler, in conversation with Tim Dellor, for the iCoachCricket podcast

“Connect before you correct” — the coach cannot know what is best for the person in front of them until they (the coach) at least tries to understand the person.

We need to redefine what coaching is

Martin Dighton (coach development roles with the FA, now Senior Coach Developer at UK Coaching), challenged the fundamental question of what the point of coaching really is, with direct reference to grassroots coaching.

…maybe we need to flip our perspective. We’re not to find the next gem, we’re to create an opportunity.

Martin Dighton, in conversation with Tim Dellor, for the iCoachCricket podcast

And Martin echoed Iain on what makes good coaching — “it’s about tuning in”, about being responsive & receptive to the person in front of you, about being truly person-centred (so going beyond “athlete” or “player” centred).

Are you listening, ECB Coach Development?

Two forward looking coach developers, both emphasising the importance of noticing, of listening, of tuning in to the group.

What can be done to make listening and a truly person-centred approach central to coach development? Not only for the Performance or Advanced coaches. For grassroots, for Foundation coaches and National Programmes Activators.