Sports Coaching

Know about sports coaching.

Learning Outcome 1: Indicative Content 

Benefit from sports coaching

• improve performance
• focus the mind
• advance to the next level
• develop and improve skills
• For sports psychology, to handle the emotional side of sport e.g. dealing with failure, dealing with success, recovering from injury and enhance performance with visualisation, relaxation and imagery techniques

Sports coaching can build:

• good work ethic
• confidence
• sportsmanship
• discipline and focus
• communication skills
• leadership and team playing.

Key strategies and techniques coaches use to improve sporting performance can include:

• observation analysis
• performance profiling
• fitness assessment
• goal setting
• simulation
• modelling
• effective demonstration,
• technical instruction,
• developing performer coaching diaries,
• adapting practices to meet individual needs,
• designing effective practice sessions.

The key skills of a successful sports coach could include:

• communication
• organisation
• analysing
• problem solving
• evaluating
• time management.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1
  Outline how athletes can benefit from sports coaching.
  
• 1.2
  Describe some of the key strategies and techniques coaches use to improve sporting performance.
• 1.3
  Outline the key skills of a successful sports coach.
  

Be able to plan a sports coaching session.

Learning Outcome 2: Indicative Content 

The coaching session plan should include:

• aims and objectives
• SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) targets
• roles
• responsibilities
• participants, e.g. number, ability, needs, age, gender
• resources, e.g. human, physical
• health and safety, e.g. risk assessment, emergency procedures, contingencies
• components of session, e.g. warm-up, main body, cool down
• sequencing
• coaching skills and techniques
• feedback.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1
  Produce a plan for a coaching session, relevant to the participants, including
  a) skills and techniques to be worked on
  b) main components of the session
  c) resources and facilities required
  d) health and safety considerations.
  

Be able to contribute to the delivery of a sports coaching session.

Learning Outcome 3: Indicative Content 

To demonstrate

• role and responsibilities
• skills and techniques
• consideration of health and safety, e.g. emergency procedures, contingencies; use of resources, e.g. equipment, facilities
• components of session, e.g. warm-up, main body, cool down
• sequencing
• feedback.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1
  Demonstrate appropriate coaching techniques when delivering an aspect of a coaching session.
  

Be able to review own coaching skills.

Learning Outcome 4: Indicative Content 

Review performance

• against aims and objectives
• against targets
• formative and summative
• feedback, e.g. participants, observers, peers, assessors; strengths
• areas for improvement
• development plan, e.g. opportunities, further qualifications, potential barriers.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1
  Outline skills used to positive effect when delivering coaching.
  
• 4.2
  Outline coaching skills which need further development.
  
• 4.3
  Identify ways of improving coaching skills.