The Teesra

Category: Coach Development

  • Words. What do we mean when we say “X”?

    I have helped out with a round of squad selection trials over the autumn. An interesting exercise, and I hope to work with the squads in the New Year.

    As someone who, in a previous working life, was a certified 30 wpm typist, I have been helping to type up the hand-written coaching notes after a round of trials.

    As much (more) for those not selected as those invited to join the “performance” or “development” squads, so they have feedback to take away from the extended trial process (up to four two-hour sessions), to think about and work on with their coaches.

    Oh, but the written feedback is so varied, sometimes cryptic, often unspecific.

    Which set me thinking about the words we use to describe players, and how we could do better.

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  • UNCRC & sports coaching — more than “safeguarding”

    I had heard of a “rights-based approach” to coaching children, but not understood how this extends beyond keeping them safe from harm, important as this is.

    So I was very interested to find out more about this approach, and how rights-based coaching relates to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), as part of the Open University (OU) course Sports Performance: Different Approaches to Sports Coaching.

    The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child

    Lots to think about.

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  • 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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