The Teesra

Author: Andrew Beaven

  • A typology of coaching — what is coaching? (4)

    I have just completed a fascinating online course from the Open University, hosted by Future Learn — Sports Performance: Different Approaches to Sports Coaching. Highly recommended for all coaches.

    Sports Performance: Different Approaches to Sports Coaching

    It got me thinking (again) about a definition of what coaching actually is. Both a philosophical and practical enquiry, from which a typology of coaching has emerged.

    I am deliberately not calling this a hierarchy! Although the later levels will undoubtedly be paid more (infinitely more than the volunteers).

    Many (most?) practicing coaches will fit into more than one of these categories, often simultaneously.

    From inspirational yoda master, preparing his charge for the ultimate challenge, to the (pre-) participation coach, crawling around on the floor with three year olds. All “coaches”…but not all coaching, necessarily.

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  • NLP, ED, CLA — coach’s glossary

    I have written previously about my conversion to non-linear pedagogy (NLP) and a constraints-led approach (CLA) to skill development. I believe it works, and, for me, CLA simply feels more honest (and interesting) than the “coach as instructor/guru” approach — “do it this way because I say so” or “…because that’s they way we have always done it”.

    But there is a lot of jargon used to describe the NLP, CLA, and related concepts, which can obscure the simplicity of the approach.

    What follows is my attempt to translate some of the jargon into non-academic language. There will be oversimplification and error, I don’t doubt. But hopefully it will be of interest to a coach coming fresh to, CLA, NLP, ED etc.

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  • Using the bowling machine — what are we looking at?

    Using the bowling machine — what are we looking at?

    I spent a couple of hours on Saturday feeding a bowling machine for U13 trialists.† Some had clearly batted a lot against a bowling machine (some were simply more accomplished batters), but it was notable how some simply weren’t lining up the ball properly.

    It has been reported how the delivery method (bowling machine vs. throw down vs. live bowler) can influence how the batter plays, so performance against a bowling machine might not be indicative of how a batter will perform under match conditions.

    Which set me thinking about how a bowling machine could be made more “representative” of a live bowler.

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