Learning to Observe as a Coach
13 March 2023
A key message the students learnt at the Student Coach Workshop on 22 February, is that as a coach their role is to observe and provide feedback - joining in and playing the game makes them a participant and means they can’t see everything that’s going on.
For the 45 students at the workshop held at the Walter Nash Centre in Taita, watching from the side line and providing feedback is a skill that requires practise and having the confidence to communicate.
Learning about and practising generic coaching skills in the morning session, the students from St Bernards, Taita College, Sacred Heart, Naenae College, Chilton St James, Onslow, and St Marys worked in groups of three to deliver five minute activities which they had to plan, explain, run, and provide progression or changes during the activity. The students also learnt that adding in Gamification elements helps to keep activities interesting and is a technique for keeping participants engaged.
Concise communication, said in a way that can be heard and said with confidence can be a real challenge for these Year 11-13 student coaches. Not only overcoming their own shyness or confidence to speak in front of people but also potentially dealing with players that don’t listen and parents who give them a hard time.
Lack of respect is something that many student coaches cited as being an issue for them.
The group discussed what being a ‘good’ coach and a ‘bad’ coach looks like and by the end of the session determined that if you’re organised, have a plan for your sessions, communicate clearly, and limit the amount of time that participants are standing around for (keep everyone moving and involved), then their confidence as a coach will grow and this will lead to respect.
Learning is part of being a coach, whether you’re just starting out or coaching at the highest level. At the workshop, the coaches were encouraged to think about developing their players, adapting delivery of their sessions to keep them interesting, and expanding their own knowledge and that of their athletes.
Parents and adults involved in sport, need to support this journey. Without student coaches, a lot of junior teams wouldn’t have a coach. Positive encouragement and feedback, supporting as a Team Manager, and helping to manage any bad behaviour would all be greatly appreciated by these student coaches who are stepping up and giving up their time. It’s impressive to see these students aged 15+ giving it a go, and the sport system needs them, now and in the future, so let’s support them!
Thank you to Mark Harris, Coach Developer, for running the morning session on ‘how to coach’ and the coaches from Futsal, Volleyball and Touch who delivered the sport specific afternoon session.
Run in partnership with College Sport Wellington, the next Wellington region Student Coach workshops will take place 2-4 May, with the afternoon sport specific sessions being basketball, netball, rugby, football and hockey. A Wairarapa workshop for winter sports is being held on 4 April in Masterton.
For more details click here.
