Effective Sports Coaching Strategies and Techniques - Assignment Example

Multi Sports (Name) (Course) (University) Date of presentation: Lecturer: Part 1: Literature Review Effective Sports Coaching Strategies and Techniques Whenever coaches and the students meet in a training session, there is an imperative to manage and organise the training session so as to ensure a positive learning environment (Bloom, Stevens & Wickwire, 2003). There are various strategies that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of a sports coaching session. One of these strategies is for the coach to devote a substantial amount of time to understanding key requirements for the sports (such as specific sports skills and psychological knowledge). This coaching strategy implies that the coach will enable the trainees to learn more if provided with high quality learning activities, knowledge, skills and understanding necessary for high performance (Brustad, Babkes & Smith, 2001). It is therefore essential for coaches to consistently plan and provide coaching sessions which deliver on these requirements. It is also important for the trainees to take a considerable amount of time in learning key skills for the sport. Equally important is the consideration that the coach should have a thorough understanding of the trainee’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive capabilities (Poczwardowski, Barott & Henschen, 2002). Another essential strategy is to maximise opportunities that trainees have for practising. In order for trainees to reach a high level of skills, they need to practice the game several times. For this reason, the coachee should consistently organize games or drills so that trainees have multiple opportunities for performing and practicing the skills. This strategy can be effective if the drills are done in a diverse range of contexts that present progressive levels of challenge to avoid boredom or complacency (Weiss & Ferrer-Caja, 2002). Another strategy is to keep trainees on task. This strategy ensures that trainees are continuously practising and not wasting time or waiting for their turn in the queue. Brewer and Jones (2002) have asserted that in order for a coaching session to be effective, the trainee should be fully involved in the learning process. If the trainees enjoy the subject matter or activities, they are more likely to be involved in the coaching session. Moreover, learners who are on focussed task are less disruptive. To ensure that this strategy is successful, coaches need to ensure that they are continuously monitoring the trainees’ learning levels and activities. If trainees are not properly involved, coaches can change the activities in order to ensure that every trainee is fully involved in the coaching process (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000). Another key strategy is to assign tasks that are meaningful and well matched to the trainee capabilities. This means that the coach should understand each trainee’s abilities and stages of development (physical, cognitive, social and emotional). The coach must then ensure activities that are at the trainee’s level; not too simple or too difficulty. This strategy can be easily met if coaches can design purposeful training activities where trainees only need to solve relevant problems or experiences only relevant to their training levels (Gilbert & Trudel, 2004). A key other strategy is to set high but realistic expectations or outcomes for any training session. This means that coaches should create expectations and then support the trainees in meeting these expectations with a caring, positive and motivating learning environment (Poczwardowski, Barott & Henschen, 2002). An example of a non-motivating environment is the tough approach where a coach may feel that yelling can be motivating and that punishment is the way to force trainees to do what they are supposed to do. This approach can be quite counterproductive and hence trainees will not deliver on expected outcomes (Brustad, Babkes & Smith, 2001). It is essential for coaches to give training session momentum and smoothness in order to ensure that the training session flows and interruptions are minimized. This way, maximum time can be devoted to the trainee’s learning (Weiss & Ferrer-Caja, 2002). It is the responsibility of a coach to know when a situation demands for further elaboration or when to let trainees switch to another activity. A related strategy is to hold trainees accountable for their own learning. This strategy refers to giving the trainees the necessary motivation to practise optimally by concentrating on required tasks and demonstrating a keen interest and taking ownership of the learning process. To hold trainees accountable for their own learning, coaches should encourage team work and show interest in what trainees are learning and doing. Setting collective goals, monitoring and reinforcing the team culture and listening to and valuing the opinions of employees can greatly encourage athlete’s accountability (Gould, Dieffenbach & Moffett, 2002). It is also important for the coach to be committed to continuous performance improvement. A success in one contest does not a guarantee that the next contest will be victorious (Lyle, 2002). Therefore, the coach should continue to pursue excellence by relentlessly chasing professional and personal improvement. The coach should understand that the time to make radical changes to the coaching techniques is when the current techniques have been successful. This implies rejecting the notion that winning means success. As such, even if the team wins, the coach should be continuously committed to accelerating the learning process in order to stay a head of the competition (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000). Positive reinforcement is essential to establishing a positive learning environment as well as appropriate behaviours for trainees. When prompting or directing trainees, it is imperative for coaches to insist on positive comments and compliments as a way of reinforcing what has been done previously (Jowett & Cockerill, 2003). It is the case that the more positively the coach reinforces those who are doing constructive things, the smoother the learning session will be. In addition to positive reinforcement, it is crucial for the coach to manage the game and be in charge of all training sessions. Since most sports are very competitive in nature, trainees can be encouraged to compete so as to decrease managerial time (Côté & Hay, 2002). Question 2 Activity: Aim: Passing with headers Objectives Warm Up Activity. Slow jogs for about 50 yards.  Each stretch was done 3 times in the field, with 2 10-yard jogs in between them.  Slow jog back to start and doing the next stretch. Main Activities. To get your players used to heading in the right direction, have them line up in front of you and head for accuracy. You should stand five yards in front of the line. Throw the ball to the player at the front of the line and get them to head the ball straight back to you. They then go to the back of the line. The players should head the ball three or four times each. Progression. Once you have got players heading straight, get them to direct the ball. You stand 10 yards from the heading player. Players A, B and C stand around 5 yards away in different directions. You throw the ball to the heading player and call out A, B or C. The heading player must head the ball to the correct player. Throw the ball so the heading player can keep their feet on the ground at first. Then throw so they have to jump. How to advance it Set out five players in a zigzag formation about 5 yards apart. Player A throws the ball up and heads to player B, who heads to player C and so on, until it reaches player E. If the ball falls to the ground, get the next player in the sequence to throw and head on. Don’t go back to the start or some players may not get many touches! If player E can continue, they should try to head the ball back to player D and in sequence to player A - keeping the ball in the air. Resources Bibs Cones area Coaching points The session was conducted successfully. All participants expressed great enthusiasm for the coaching session. Main coaching styles used: democratic coaching This coaching style made it possible for the coach to outline training requirements for the trainees and make decisions based on the trainees’ suggestions. Reflection of session linking to theory: The coaching session was very successful because of the close cooperation between the coach and the learners. Through the democratic style already highlighted above, the coach allowed trainees to make valuable contributions on how they wished the training should be conducted. In addition to defining the training conditions, the coach acted as the group session leader and manager. This way, all trainees developed full confidence in the coach, the result of which was a success. Question 3: Reflection There are a number of important lessons that I have learnt about coaching. The most important is that coaching is a special relationship centred on helping trainees realise their goals and aspirations. Mutual trust, rapport and respect are critical foundations for a stable coaching relationship. Another lesson is that coaches need special interpersonal and emotional abilities to effectively understand and deal with trainees’ needs. Coaches should be patient, reflective, perceptive, good listeners and keen observers. They should be adept in giving feedback that does not indicate defensiveness. They should also help trainees polish their grey areas by challenging limiting beliefs. Another important lesson that I have learnt from the discussion is that coaches need to adopt the cooperative and democratic approaches. Such an approach can allow coaches to share with trainees in decision making. Although the coach guides the trainees in various aspects, the trainees find it easy to buy into the coach’s leadership style because they are involved in the decision making process. For that reason, the trainees will work harder to achieve the collective gaols expected for the team and will show respect for the coach. In addition, the cooperative approach makes the coach more approachable whenever trainees have issues or concerns. I must admit that I have used the cooperative and democratic styles frequently in my training sessions. After using the authoritarian style for sometime, I realised that I was not making any meaningful progress. At this point, I started to think like the trainees and felt that it could be necessary for me to understand what I am asked to do. In due time, I had changed my coaching styles from autocratic to democratic and I really like it when my trainees come to me for assistance or ask questions. I also like it when the trainees take initiatives on their own will during my absence. Another important lesson that I have learnt is that a good coach needs to use different coaching styles at different times. As a matter of fact, when there is need to teach new skills or solve problems, a different coaching style will be required than when team morale needs to be improved. Occasionally, a coach may need to be authoritarian of the team seems to have lost focus and needs to be put back on track. In order to further develop my coaching styles, there are several measures that I will have to take. First, I intend to delegate more and direct less once I realise that my trainees have the right skills required to do tasks as well as the necessary commitment. I will also have to improve my communication skills so as to minimise errors. I will also create a culture where trainees are helped to solve problems as opposed to doing for them. This will make the trainees more responsible and accountable for their own learning. I will also apply different coaching styles for different groups of trainees depending on their physical, emotional psychological and cognitive requirements. References American Academy of Pediatrics (2000). Intensive training and sports specialization in young athletes. Pediatrics, 106(1), 154-157. Bloom, G., Stevens, D. and Wickwire, T., (2003) Expert coaches’ perceptions of team building. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 15(2), 129-143. Brewer, C. J. and Jones, R. L. (2002). A five-stage process for establishing contextually valid systematic observation instruments: The case of rugby union. The Sport Psychologist 16(2), 139-161. Brustad, R., Babkes, M., and Smith, A. (2001). Youth in sport: Psychological considerations. In R. Singer, H. Hausenblas, and C. Janelle (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology (pp. 604-635). New York: Wiley. Côté, J. and Hay, J. (2002). Family influences on youth sport performance and participation. In J. M. Silva and D. Stevens (Eds.), Psychological foundations of sport (pp. 503-519). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Gilbert, W. and Trudel, P. (2004). The role of the coach: How model youth team sport coaches frame their roles. The Sport Psychologist 18, p. 21-43. Gould, D., Dieffenbach, K. and Moffett, A. (2002). Psychological characteristics and their development in Olympic champions. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14, 177-209. Jowett, S and Cockerill, M (2003) Olympic medallists’ perspectives of the athlete-coach relationship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 4, p. 313-331. Lyle, J (2002) Sports coaching concepts: A framework for coaches’ behaviour. London: Routledge. Poczwardowski, A, Barott, J E and Henschen, K (2002). The athlete and coach: Their relationship and its meaning. Results of an interpretive study. International Journal of Sport Psychology 33, 116-140. Weiss, M. R., and Ferrer-Caja. E. (2002). Motivational orientations in youths sports. In Horn, T. (ed.). Advances in sport psychology (2nd edition). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, pp. 101-183. Read More