Cluster B

Sports Coaching Methodology

Course Content
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Role of the Coach

Planning and Reviewing
Risk Management
The Coach in Action
Athlete Development

Module 1
The Role of the Coach

Being a Coach (a good coach!)

4

Coaches play a vital role in sport, and set the tone for a

participants sporting experience. It is important coaches

provide participants of all ages opportunities to
develop their skills and performance to ensure continued
participation, enjoyment and development in sport.
There is a high demand for more coaches in every sport
from grassroots level through to the elite. At all levels it is
important coaches are equipped to perform their role.
Accreditation through the National Coaching
Accreditation Scheme is an important step for all
coaches.

Sport plays an enormous role in regional

communities and contributes to both the physical

and social benefit of our kids. Coaches and officials
enable the community to offer our youth some great
positive options.

What are the roles of the coach?

6

Teacher
Trainer

Analyst

Motivator

Advisor
THE
COACH
Friend
and
Mentor

Disciplina
rian

Fund
raiser

Public
relations
officer

Organiser
and
Manager

Skills of the Coach

7

Organise
Observe
Analyse
Adapt
Communicate
Improve performance

Developing Coaching Skills & Knowledge

8

Attend coach education and accreditation programs

for further info on accreditation www.ausport.gov.

au/coach
Work with a mentor coach
Read books, magazines, newsletters, and the internet
Contact organisations such as:

Australian Sports Commission

National and State Sporting Organisations
State Government Departments of Sport & Recreation
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
Sports Medicine Australia

Why do I want to coach?

9

Coaching Philosophy
10

Develop a set of personal guidelines on how you will

operate as a coach, including:

How you will communicate
Level of participant responsibility
Dealing with behavioural issues
Coaching for all, irrespective of ability or
background
Dealing with winning, losing and cheating
Respect for others

Qualities of a good coach

11

Be enthusiastic and show enjoyment of coaching

Be self confident, consistent, friendly, and fair
Have a sense of humour and make things fun!
Dress appropriately
Be a good role model for the participants
Maintain discipline throughout the session
Be well organised
Include all participants, regardless of ability, disability,
age, gender, and ethnic background.

Coaching Styles
12

Dominating Coach
Friendly or Democratic Coach
Laissez-Faire or Friendly Coach

13

Play by the Rules [www.keepvid.com].mp4

Ethical Issues in Coaching

14

Sportsmanship

Discrimination

Doping in sport

Harassment

Cheating

Playing injured

Respect for

athletes

officials

For further info and training on ethical issues go to www.

playbytherules.net.au

Child Protection
15

Coaches need to:

Understand what is acceptable and appropriate

behaviour
Be aware of the signs of abuse or neglect
Know who to report to if they suspect abuse or
neglect
Understand and comply with the child protection
legislation in their state/territory
Understand and comply with relevant codes of
conduct

Doping in Sport
16

Ethical and health implications of doping in

sport
Coaches can influence attitudes of athletes
Coaches should be a good role model
Know where to access anti-doping

information - www.asada.gov.au and www.

wada-ama.org/en

Inclusive Coaching
17

Adapting and modifying coaching

practices and activities to ensure that

every participant is included
Consider:

Cultural diversity
Disability
Age
Gender
Ability level

Working with Parents

18

Explain your coaching philosophy

Provide information and communicate
regularly throughout the season/program
Encourage their help and participation
give them a role eg; linesperson, scorer
Encourage parents to give positive
feedback, rather than destructive criticism
Be prepared to listen when parents have
concerns or issues to raise.

Working with Officials

19

Coaches can help to minimise the abuse of

officials by developing positive relationships

with officials
Coaches should display professionalism in their
behaviour towards officials, and encourage
participants to do the same.

20

Module 2
Planning & Reviewing

The Planning Process

21

1. Information Gathering
2. Setting Goals
3. Programming Activities
4. Reviewing the Session

Information Gathering
22

Participants previous experience in the sport

Participants level of development in technical and
tactical skills, as well as physical fitness
Participants goals in the sport (eg. fun, being with
friends, learning new skills, competing)
Any illness, injury or medical condition
Any support or modifications required

Selecting/Designing Activities
23

When selecting or designing activities, ensure that

it:

Involves all participants most of the time

Is motivating and/or fun
Is safe
Is relatively easy to organise
Has a logical flow from previous activities

Plan for Inclusion

24

Activities should be inclusive use CHANGE IT to

modify training activities to suit all:

Coaching style
How to score or win
Area
Number of participants
Game Rules
Equipment
Inclusion
Time

Parts of a Training Session

25

Session introduction
Warm up
Skill / fitness activities (use a game sense
approach where appropriate)
Cool down
Review

Setting Goals
26

Setting goals are an important part of being a coach. Each

team or athlete needs to map out with their coach a series

of goals for the coming season, outlining what they hope to
achieve.
This gives the athlete something solid to strive for. Goals
can be for the whole team or just for an individual.
Goals should also fit in your teaching philosophy.
Goals should focus on process rather than outcome
Review and adjust goals regularly

Goal Setting
27

Whether they are short, medium or long term, goals

must be:

Clear
Measurable (so you can gauge progress)
Observable
Challenging (not too easy, but not too hard, otherwise it is too
easy to give up)
Achievable
Believable
Flexible (if they need to be altered)

Making Arrangements for the Session

28

Apart from planning what you are doing in the session,

you need to ensure that adequate resources and

equipment are available and safety considerations and
financial arrangements made, ensuring appropriateness
for clients needs, abilities and expectations. To do this
you need to consider:

Venue Selection
Equipment
Human Resources
Pre-session information to clients
Record keeping

Venue Selection
29

The venue should be chosen after considering:

Individual expertise/skills
Clients skills and abilities
Knowledge of site/location
Expected duration of activity
Degree of difficulty of site/location
Suitability to objectives/skill level
Weather conditions
Hazards
Access to site
Emergency access
Size of group
Management & permit requirements
Damage control of environment

Equipment & Other Resources

30

The physical resources required for an activity session

will differ depending on the type of activity, and other

factors, such as the weather, season, location, access and
duration.
In any activity session, these should be investigated and
modified where necessary and the following physical
resources should be available;

Water
Clothing
Personal equipment
Safety equipment (sun protection, personal first aid requirements,
medication)

Human Resources
31
The staff requirements for an activity will depend on a range of factors.
Age of client
Type of group
Environmental conditions
Staff or client capabilities
In many cases, recommended staff/client ratios have been documented as part of
guidelines for specific activities. For example:
Top roping and abseiling 1:4 for instruction, 1:8 for supervision
NB: ideal ratios may need to be adjusted at the discretion of responsible leaders
depending on the objectives of the specific session, the weather, client ability, experience
and the venue
When conducting session, it is essential that the arrangements and resources needed are
confirmed with appropriate staff, organisations and clients You may have a number of
assisting personnel including teachers, carers, assistant staff and parents. It is important
that all personnel are informed of roles and responsibilities, with respect to individual

Pre-session Information
32

What type of information does your client need to know

before participating in an activity?

Information will differ from one activity to the next, but
some information will include:

Direct cost (and any optional/ additional cost)

Level of experience or skills required
Fitness levels/ medical status
An outline of the activity
Departure and arrival time and location
Emergency contacts
Level of risk involved
Food, fluid, personal equipment requirements (eg. Specific needs
like puffers, general needs such as water bottle, hat, sunglasses)

Informed Consent
33

When providing information to clients or those

signing consent forms (such as parents or

guardians), it is important to remember that
sufficient information should be given about the
nature of the proposed activity and the nature of the
risks involved in order for an "informed" judgement
to be made.
Without the provision of such information, consent
could be deemed to not have been given.

34

Reviewing the Session

Self reflection tools:

Diary

Mentor

Video self analysis

Self-evaluation questionnaire
Seek feedback from participants, parents, and
other coaches
Consider what you do well, not just what you need
to improve!
Modify the next coaching session based on this
review process

35

Module 3
Risk Management

Legal Responsibilities
36

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Provide a safe environment

Plan all activities adequately
Evaluate participants for injury
Do not mismatch participants
Warn participants of the risks of the activity
Supervise activities closely
Develop clear rules for activities and general
conduct
Keep accurate records

Legal Responsibilities
37

Coaches owe a duty of care to participants

Breach of this duty is called negligence
Coaches of children must provide a higher level of

care

38

Coaching - Managing the Risks - Part 2 [www.

keepvid.com].mp4

Risk Management Process

39

5 Treat the risk

4 Evaluate the risk
3 Analyse the risk
2 Identify the risk
1 Establish the context

Risk Management Planning

40

What is the source of the risk?

What can happen?
What will the consequences be?

Risks can be categorised into three areas:

Environment

Program

Personnel

A Risk Management Planner

Develop a risk management plan for the primary coaching session

41
Risk Identification

Strategies to minimise risk Timeline

Responsibility

What is the source of the risk?

Equipment is unstable

Remove the risk.

Remove the equipment

The
coach

What can happen?

Equipment could fall

Or

What will the consequences be?

The participant may sustain serious
injuryParticipation numbers may fall due to
unsafe practicesI may be sued for negligence
Program
Environment
Personnel
Other

Reduce the risk..

Stabilise or lower the
equipment

Before
the next
session

Good Coaching Practices

to Reduce Risk
42

Plan all coaching sessions

Follow child protection guidelines
Pre-participation screening use of medical history forms
Ensure participants warm up prior to activity
Dont mismatch participants (consider size/strength, not age)
Clearly establish the rules for behaviour and activities
Ensure the safety of playing areas, facilities and equipment
Require participants to use protective devices
Adapt activities for the environmental conditions (eg. hot and
humid, or cold and wet conditions)
Cater for individual needs

Incident Management
43

Have access to a telephone to contact an ambulance

Have information about the participants medical history
(especially for ongoing health issues such as asthma,
epilepsy or diabetes)
Know how to access first aid equipment (blankets, first
aid kit, ice etc)
Ideally, be able to administer basic first aid
Ensure an injury report form is completed

Injury Management
44

Stop the activity

Talk to the person
Observe the injured part
Prevent further injury
(via the three options below)

Get help
(Severe injury)

RICER regime
(Less severe injury)
See next slide for detail

Play on
(Minor injury)

Injury Management
45

Immediate management of sprains, strains, corks,

bumps and bruises should follow this procedure:

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Referral

46

First aid - Sprains and strains [www.keepvid.com].

mp4

47

Do not HARM in the first 72 hours of injury

Heat
Alcohol
Running
Massage

48

Module 4
The Coach in Action

Group Management
49

Engage the participant through:

Voice and Expression

Eye Contact
Signal for Attention
Asking Questions
Praise and Compliments
Quality Instructions
Notice Board

Groupings
50

Place individuals in groups of similar ability

Assign responsible individuals to help the younger or

less able players during training

Participants can work at different levels within the
same program.
Give all participants :
Equal opportunity to participate in practice and
games
Feedback, rewards, and leadership opportunities
A consistent coach attitude.

Formations and Routines

51

Safety is the main consideration

for group formations

Use markers
Establish routines for warm ups
and cool downs, as well as set
up and put away

Self-Management
52

Discuss the effects of poor individual behaviour

Show the connection between behaviour and

consequences
Acknowledge players who go out of their way to assist
others
Rotate or share responsibility for captaining
Encourage participants to contribute to organisation
and planning

Managing Behaviour
53

Help participants establish team rules with

consequences for breaking the rules

Focus on the behaviour, not the individual. Do not
publicly insult or embarrass someone
Avoid punishing a group for an individuals poor
behaviour
Be firm, fair and consistent
Avoid using punishments such as running laps
Use rewards, praise and acknowledgement to
reinforce desired behaviours
Ensure programs are fun, with variety and high
rates of activity

54

Assessor Training - Group Management [www.

keepvid.com].mp4
Assessor Training - Coaching Teams [www.keepvid.
com].mp4
Coaching Children - Group Management [www.
keepvid.com].mp4

Communication Barriers
55

Different perceptions of words and actions

Only hearing what you want to hear
Using jargon
Not responding to questions
Judging too quickly
Looking for personal agendas
Allowing emotions to blur the message
Assuming Im right and not being open to other

views
Asking antagonising questions

Active Listening
56

Stop Pay attention and dont interrupt

Look Make eye contact and get onto the

same level as the person

Listen Focus on what the person is saying
Respond Restate what has been said and
use open questions to prompt for further
information

Difficult People
57

Try to stay calm and distance yourself personally

from the issue
Keep your voice quiet and calm, this may
encourage the other person to do the same
Dont argue back or trade insults (no matter how
unreasonable they seem)
Try to see past the emotions to define the actual
problem and work at addressing this
Use active listening skills to address the problem.

Giving Feedback
58

Feedback should be:

positive, constructive and corrective

clear and concise
delivered as soon as possible after the action
for which it is being provided
Use the sandwich approach:

Positive feedback (what they are doing well)

Corrective feedback
Positive feedback (actions for improvement)

Stages of Learning
59

Early Stage
Cognitive

Intermediate
Stage
Associative

Learning to detect and correct own errors.

The movement produces reasonable results, but
some parts are performed incorrectly.
Performance becomes more consistent.

Final Stage
Autonomous

Automatic performance of the skill.

Can solve more complex problems.

Parts of the movement are missing, and does not

use all the necessary body parts.
Rhythm, coordination and control are poor.
Performance is inconsistent.

Cognitive stage
60

The first stage of skill learning is the cognitive stage. The

fundamental requirement here is that the player gains an

understanding of the task required. This will necessitate
knowing what to do and an insight about how to do it.
Conceptualisation or the generation of clear mental pictures
of the task is essential for good movement reproduction.
Demonstrations, videos and information highlighting the
important points can help guide the learner through the skill.
However, coaches must be careful to avoid 'information
overload', which would confuse the learner.
It is expected that the learner will encounter problems, the
number and magnitude of which will depend on the difficulty
of the skill. The learner may experience error, awkwardness
and some disorientation.

Cognitive stage
61

Thus, learners must receive continuous feedback or

information on their progress. If they experience much

difficulty, the skill could possibly be broken into smaller
movements for practice.
During this stage, hopefully the learner will experience some
success. All positive learning should be reinforced and
encouraged. Many coaches will give drills at this point to
improve the learner's coordination and feel for the desired
movement.
Rates of progress through the cognitive stage vary from one
individual to another. Depending on the difficulty of the skill
(or complexity of the task), it could be learned in anything
from a few minutes to a much longer period. Some difficult
skills (such as handstands and somersaults), may never be
mastered by some people.

Associative stage
62

The second stage of skill acquisition is the associative

stage, which is identified by an emphasis on practice.

The learner, having acquired an idea of what the skill is,
needs to repeat the movement to enhance the
synchronisation of their mind and muscles.
Errors still occur, but are smaller and less frequent than
in the cognitive stage. Feedback is again essential to
improve the skill, which the learner repeats frequently in
practice.
A sense of fluency or smoothness will develop as the
learner's kinaesthesis improves. Practice will improve the
way the skill is performed. The learner eventually
experiences some success; for example, a basketballer
gains assurance as they develop the ability to dribble with
left and right hands.

Associative stage
63

These successes are felt more frequently with additional

practice and feedback. Gradually, the learner feels more

at ease as their confidence increases.
Learners can remain at this stage for a long period, even
years. Some may never progress to the next stage.
However, given sufficient practice, most will reach the
level at which the skill execution is reasonably automatic.
But this does not implyimply perfection, because
performances at the autonomous level vary in their
quality.

Autonomous stage
64

The third stage of skill acquisition is the autonomous

stage, which is characterised by the ability to

automatically execute the skill. Execution of the
movement is now properly sequenced and performed
instinctively.
The performer has consolidated the many discrete skills
(commonly called subroutines) that comprise the action.
Their movement has a characteristic fluency as the
subroutines sequence and blend in aesthetically pleasing
motions. This is referred to as temporal patterning.
The movement looks good because it is efficient, with the
muscle groups working in order and producing only the
necessary movements at the required time.

Autonomous stage
65

The most important feature of performers in the

autonomous stage is that they are able to attend to other

cues while giving little thought to how to perform the
skill. In a netball game, for example, the problem is not
how to make a pass, but who to pass to and what type of
pass to make, considering the position of the defence.
Practice is still important during the autonomous stage/
but mostly involves simulating the competition situation.
Unless specifically practised to improve technique,
training sessions for an athlete at this stage should
incorporate pressure drills. This helps the athlete adapt
their skills to the real performance.

Learning Styles
66

People have a sensory preference to obtain and

remember knowledge. The senses include:

Visual sense
Auditory sense
Kinaesthetic sense
Tactile sense
Olfactory sense.

Developing Sports Skills

67

Select basic techniques, skills and tactics for beginner

participants to learn
Break techniques and skills into parts, and providing
key coaching/safety points
Allow adequate time for practise and observing
participants performance
Progress the activity in a sequential manner
Ensure that the session is fun and provides variety.

Game Sense
68

Coaching - Game Sense - Part 1 [www.keepvid.com].

mp4
Game sense is a coaching method that uses game-like activities as the focus of the session
Participants respond to challenges through activity, solve problems and contribute to
what is done in a session
Traditional coaching sessions have focused on practising techniques. The game sense
session focuses on the game and on learning why before how.

The Coachs Role in Game Sense

69

The coach facilitates rather than directs

the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage

Using questions and challenges encourages

participants to solve problems

Questions/challenges will generally relate to a
particular tactical aspect as follows:

Time: When will you (run, pass, shoot etc)? Why?

Space: Where will you move to? Where will you aim?
Risk: Which option will you take to pass to? Will you
run or stay? Will you attack or defend? Why?

How to Modify Activities

70

Coaching style - eg; demonstrations or use of questions,

role models and verbal instructions

How to score/win
Area - eg; size, shape or surface of the playing
environment
Number of participants
Game rules- eg; number of bounces or passes
Equipment eg; softer or larger balls, or lighter, smaller
bats/rackets
Inclusion eg; everyone has to touch the ball before the
team can score
Time eg; How many in 30 seconds?

71

Module 5
Athlete Development

Childrens Growth & Development

72

Physical changes may affect sporting performance

Coaches should appreciate childrens developmental

stages and set goals and plan sessions accordingly

Coaches should be aware of exercises which may

place undue stress on growing bones.

Adolescence
73

The timing of puberty can vary dramatically,

resulting in wide variations in size and strength

Issues related to early and late developers
Girls reach puberty earlier than boys, and
experience higher gains in body fat during this
stage
During puberty an increased self-awareness
occurs. Behaviour and peer group issues
emerge.

The Ageing Athlete

74

Maintaining physical activity is important for health

Longer warm up and cool down periods are needed for

older athletes
Provide alternatives to reduce the intensity of activities
Include longer recovery periods between activities
Endurance capacities slowly decrease between 25-65
years.
Strength decreases with age, but can be improved with
training

Coaching Athletes with a Disability

75

Fitness levels may be lower than the general

population
Coaches need to individualise training programs
Use a range of communication strategies (for
athletes with sensory impairments)
Modify activities to include everyone

Hydration and Nutrition

76

Heat affects children more dramatically. Ensure that

children:

drink adequate fluid regularly during activity

take rest breaks
dress appropriately
use shaded areas where possible

Encourage healthy, balanced eating habits, with

recommended amounts from each food group

Breakfast is important, especially before sport
Snacks should be healthy discourage junk foods

Why do children play sport?

77

Physical reasons
eg. to develop new
skills, improve
fitness.

Social reasons
eg. their friends are
playing, to make
new friends.

Why
do people play
sport?

Psychological reasons
eg. to have fun, sense of
achievement.

Coaching Children
78

Young children need opportunities for unstructured

creative play, and a broad range of activities
Early specialisation is not recommended for children
Children's sport should be FUN!
Children value the social aspects of sport
Focus on skill development, rather than winning
Childrens skill and fitness levels can vary greatly
All children deserve time and attention, not just the
most talented.