The great thing about being a coach is seeing individuals develop and grow. If you teach someone the correct way to train and encourage them to engage in continuous personal development you ignite a spark that is limitless, effectively you give that person the tools to tap into their full potential in sport, education and life.
“Our highest endeavour must be to develop individuals who are able out of their own initiative to impart purpose and direction to their lives”.
Rudolf Steiner
As a professional coach this is the basis of my coaching philosophy or style. When working with youngsters the primary thing is to ensure enjoyment and with adults little changes except it is easier for adults to understand the principle of deferred gratification. Simple put, hard work now for benefits later.
As a coach I believe that individuals need to know that in order to win one has to accept that failure can and does occur. Good coaches do not push false dreams, integrity and judgment are vital parts of our professional ethics and should, along side the welfare of any individual we train, be the corner stone of our code of conduct. Sport and constructive physical activities provide the ideal vehicle for experiential learning and the development of the individual at an emotional, intellectual and spiritual level. Some educationlists have recognised this, nevertheless sport in the wider sense, generally remains under utilised in this regard .
I have a number of fundamentals which I base my coaching on and here I intend to share these to better enable the reader to understand the approach I have taken, an approach which has enabled me to assist, support and guide many top coaches and Champions over the years.
I wish to point out how this has been a continuous and two way process for me. Recognising, listening and learning from others has proved a treasure trove of information and has been the best part of my professional education, it has provided me with valuable coaching tools and long may this process continue.
As a coach I like to make sure people are enjoying what they are doing and help them explore and find what really motivates them. If coaching children I want to ensure a diverse and varied set of activities with the correct preparation to help guard against injury or embarrassment. Much is spoken of in terms of Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) and I will be discussing this further on this News Blog, however by experiencing a range of activities children may set the foundations for their health and well-being as adults and for some, discover sports which they may pursue in earnest when older.
My approach to coaching starts with enjoyment and the needs of the individual whom is being trained. Assuming an adult who is highly motivated, suitably talented, emotionally physically and psychologically ready the following are of high importance in the approach I take. Performance Led Development, is a system that recognises the vital dynamic between having a clear goal, and the process or journey needed to reach that goal.
- Build enjoyment and the celebration of personal progress into your coaching system
- Ensure you coach athletes to perform the basics better than their rivals
- Have an open mind, strive to become an exemplary listener and strive for continuous personal improvement
- Understand the principle “Perfect Practice” (see Skill Transfer Exercises / to be discussed on Blog)
- Understand the principles behind creating a High Performance Program and environment
- Understand the principles behind developing Talent pathways (look for and nurture future talent)
- Learn from your experiences to develop your integrity and resilience
- Understand that self-discipline is the path to freedom
- “Keep your Eye on the object “