What is

Coaching?
Workshop 1

What is Coaching?
It is about
growing and guiding your
athletes and in doing so
growing yourself
listening to your athletes,
understanding their needs
and then working with them
to help them succeed in their
sport
leading others.

Activity 1
With a partner discuss and then record your thoughts on
the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

What is a coach?
Who has been your best coach? Why? What attributes did
they possess?
What are some negative things a coach has done in your
experiences?
Who is an elite coach that you admire? Why?

Coaching Approach
Coach-centred

Athlete-centred

Autocratic

Empowering

Instructional

Participative style

Command style

Athlete has knowledge

Coach has the knowledge

Questioning based

Coach Approach Continuum

Coaching Styles
There are many different styles of coaching
They can be influenced by personality, experience, type of sport, age
and gender of athletes
There are three main styles of coaching that are commonly agreed
upon
Authoritarian
Democratic
Casual

Authoritarian
Autocratic
Strict, disciplined
Thoroughly prepared
One way communication
All decisions made by the coach
Often critical and harsh towards those that fail
Winning is vital
Often not a good style for the deep thinker and sensitive players

Democratic
Cooperative
Athlete centred
Consultation and shared decisions
Flexibility and creativity
Trust and respect
Accept both praise and constructive criticism
Enjoy success and deal with losses together
Some athletes may view this style as weak or tend to exploit it

Casual
Highly relaxed, easy going
Lack of planning and organisation
Coach by instinct
Assists only when advice is sought
May appear to lack real commitment
Can develop independence in the players
Can leave players uncertain of how to train and improve
Players can feel under valued and unsupported

Activity 2

Constructing your coach toolkit

There are different styles of coaching,
from autocratic or command, to the
more empowerment styles.
Your coach toolkit is built from your
values, style, qualities, skills and
abilities.

Coach qualities
The qualities of effective
coaches are really the qualities
of people who work effectively
with people.
The key qualities are
interpersonal ones, people
skills.

Activity
Think Pair Share
What are the qualities of an effective coach?
And
What are the Skills that a coach requires?

Qualaties of an effective coach

Personal values

Self-discipline

Respect

Vision

Communication

Coping skills

Ability to set goals

Motivating

High standards

Leadership

Ethic of hard work

People management

Teaching skills

Interpersonal skills

Psychological skills

Organisation

Self-knowledge

Ability to read people

Self Motivation

Preparation

Understanding of the sport

Encouragement

Willingness to learn

Some of the skills of coaching

Planning
Organising

Demonstrating
Observing

Safety
awareness

Analysing

Building rapport

Providing
feedback
Building a team
culture

Providing
instruction and
explanation

Questioning

Key qualities of successful coaches

Knowledge of the sport
Caring
Ability to motivate
Leadership

Coach roles
The role of the sports coach is
to create the right conditions for
learning to happen
to teach skills
to motivate for better
performance.

Activity
Research Task

Coaches may play several roles

Role model

behaving in a values-based manner which can be

mentored by others

Teacher

passing on knowledge, teaching new skills

Trainer

improving players fitness and performance

Motivator

providing positive reinforcement

Manager

organising practice, planning for competitions

Mediator

providing advice, settling disputes

Friend

providing empathy and support

Leader

providing a philosophy and vision for your players

Disciplinarian

being firm but fair

Challenger

asking questions, stretching athletes through challenge

Sports do not build

character.
They reveal it.
Heywood Broun, Writer

Coach philosophy
Your philosophy is your set of values
and beliefs.
It is really reflecting on why you are
doing what you are doing.
Your athletes are much more likely to become

what you are than what you want them to be

(Martens, 2004, p.8)

Developing a coaching philosophy includes

developing greater self-awareness to get to
know yourself better
deciding what your objectives are in coaching.
Your

objectives will shape many of your behaviours

as a coach

believing in something - the basis of a

coaching philosophy.

Questions to develop a coaching

philosophy
1.

What do you want to

accomplish?

2.

What do your athletes

want to accomplish?

3.

What are the priorities for

all of us?

4.

What are your

responsibilities?

5.

What methods will you use

to achieve your goals?

Questions to develop a coaching

philosophy (continued)
6.

How will you define success?

7.

How will practices and games be organised?

8.

What are the team ground rules?

9.

What are the commitments and consequences?

10.

How will you develop a team or group philosophy

and set of values?
(Adapted from NZ Coach Development Framework, 2007)

What are Values?

Values are standards or
principles that guide your
actions and beliefs
(Lee & King, 2000)

Values are
contributed to life experiences and reflected
in our behaviour
our core values which guide our actions
the core of character.

Values and behaviours

Values guide our personal behaviour and
the way in which we interact with our
families and within our environment.
Values assist us to distinguish right from
wrong and provide meaning in the way we
conduct our lives.

Values and behaviours

Values sit at the base and
make up the foundation
of who we are.
Values are our beliefs, the
things we hold important
and the things we will not
give up on when the going
gets tough.

Some examples of personal values

Honesty

Integrity

Approachability

Caring

Courage

Creativity

Independence

Ethics

Morality

Reliability

Dedication

Punctuality

Some examples of team values

Loyalty

Conscientiousness

Competitiveness

Fairness

Inclusion

Winning mentality

Collaboration

Equality

Understanding others

Listening

Some examples of cultural values

Cultural understanding
Regionalties
Family
Understanding of diversity
Faith
Tradition
Respect for the environment