Here is the link:
http://www.slideshare.net/biancajean/flippers
Take a look and tell me what you think!
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Flippers!
This week I finished my presentation assessment for this unit (SCP12), it is called "Should coaches include flippers in their swimming training program?".
Here is the link:
http://www.slideshare.net/biancajean/flippers
Here is the link:
http://www.slideshare.net/biancajean/flippers
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Building a Mentoring System
Today in the Keith asked if any of us had a mentor. All of us sat dumbfounded and didn't say a word. I was thinking to myself, who would even be a mentor?
As the lecture progressed, I built a basic description:
During the lecture Keith provided us with us some resources where we could further to explore this idea. On the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) website I found this document "Building a Mentoring System for Coaches and Officials" developed to help coaches and athletes implement mentoring programs. I liked the idea of this resource because 1. Before today's lecture the term 'Mentor' had little meaning to me and 2. After establishing a definition, I still had no idea how I would be able to implement such a program.
The article states:
Resources like these are essential for the sporting community to develop and in particular coaches of every level. I find it encouraging that ASC resources like these easily assessable to all coaches (even the general population) and believe that in providing these opportunities for future development, Australia's sporting community will only continue to improve.
As the lecture progressed, I built a basic description:
- Some who is available to provide advice e.g A coach with 30+ experience providing a new coach with ideas on developing a training plan
- A person that is easily assessable whether that be through communication devices or in person
- Somebody with more experience then the Mentoree
During the lecture Keith provided us with us some resources where we could further to explore this idea. On the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) website I found this document "Building a Mentoring System for Coaches and Officials" developed to help coaches and athletes implement mentoring programs. I liked the idea of this resource because 1. Before today's lecture the term 'Mentor' had little meaning to me and 2. After establishing a definition, I still had no idea how I would be able to implement such a program.
The article states:
"Most successful programs have evolved through experience. Initially, many have little structure and even less documentation and reporting. Some, however, grow to become a national program, co-ordinated by a central contract person, with training programs and learning materials for mentors and the coaches/officials they mentor."I think this is a perfect first statement. As many people assessing this resource will most likely be new to the notion of such a program it provides encouragement within the first paragraph that the program WILL take time, failures and most importantly experience. Not only has the audience been exposed to encouragement in the first paragraph, there is already a sense of achievement in recognising the potential for the program to reach national level.
Resources like these are essential for the sporting community to develop and in particular coaches of every level. I find it encouraging that ASC resources like these easily assessable to all coaches (even the general population) and believe that in providing these opportunities for future development, Australia's sporting community will only continue to improve.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
50 Things all Swimming Coaches would love to see
Today I have been looking for articles for my Presentation for this unit when I came across this amusing article '50 Things all Swimming Coaches would love to see', so I thought I might pop it up here to share.
Definition of a Coach
This week my post is coming from the couch, seeing as I have Bronchitis and was not able to attend the lecture or tutorial this week.
In this post I would like to reflect on my personal definition of a coach and how it has changed over the years.
Coach 1
My first definition of a coach was developed as an athlete at age 10 through to 17 and he was qualified as a Bronze Swimming Coach and had 5 years of state coaching experience. He was a swimming coach in a small costal town with only one swimming club, one pool and was the only coach. He was expected to train swimmers from 8 years through to 18, of different abilities and most importantly different swimming oriented goals in only 4 25m lanes. From this coach I learnt that his role involved being adaptive, flexible and the importance of a 'one size fits all approach'. He needed to cater for those who attended 1 session a week through to those that attended 10.
Reflecting now on what I know about coaching, I believe he did the best he could for the knowledge he had. He did not have the education on how to properly develop a training plan according to the different season phases and physiological mechanisms. However, his relationships with his athletes and implementation of discipline were of a very high and personal standard.
Coach 2
The second definition comes from a coach I met at age 19, again as an athlete. He is an accredited Silver Swimming Coach and has over 30 years experience. He is a swimming coach for a well established coach in Canberra and has 7 lane pool to train up to 25 athletes of state to national level (ages 12-20) with swimming achievement orientated goals, however during the winter season he was limited to only 6 sessions per week due to limited afternoon pool availability.
Admittedly I only trained with this coach for a short 7-8 month, however there were several changes in my perception of a good coach. As he had more experience, his training plan was based specially for each phase of training and aimed correctly at different physiological systems. However I found when it came to an athlete-coach relationship with both myself and some other swimmers, he seemed to struggle to make a connection. With some of these athletes, this was reflected in both their training discipline and response to criticism.
Coach 3
I met this coach at age 18 however this time as a colleague. He is an accredited Bronze Swimming Coach and has met all criteria to move to the Silver level. He has 7 years coaching experience and has recently become head coach of a competitive swimming club in Canberra. There are 3 50m lanes available for his 40 swimmers who are country to national achievers of ages 11-36 with the large majority having goals aimed at improving their competitive swimming.
I have worked along side this coach for a little over 3 years, who himself is competing at this years 2012 Olympic Trails. I find this coach to be a blend of the previous two coaches mentioned. He has the knowledge to develop effective training programs, while he can still relate to his athletes and discipline them appropriately. I believe this ability not only comes from his strong knowledge and involvement within the sport over his childhood and adolescence but also from his tertiary studies in Sports Coaching and Exercise Science and Psychology.
Conclusion
I believe there is no correct definition for a coach, their role is entirely based on their performance within their environment. Therefore their success may need to be assessed differently, for example if you compare a medal count between coach 1 and coach 2 - coach 2 is obviously going to have a much higher success rate, however coach 1 has provided a wider athlete range to achieve their goals.
Please feel free to leave any comments or thoughts you have about this post!
In this post I would like to reflect on my personal definition of a coach and how it has changed over the years.
Coach 1
My first definition of a coach was developed as an athlete at age 10 through to 17 and he was qualified as a Bronze Swimming Coach and had 5 years of state coaching experience. He was a swimming coach in a small costal town with only one swimming club, one pool and was the only coach. He was expected to train swimmers from 8 years through to 18, of different abilities and most importantly different swimming oriented goals in only 4 25m lanes. From this coach I learnt that his role involved being adaptive, flexible and the importance of a 'one size fits all approach'. He needed to cater for those who attended 1 session a week through to those that attended 10.
Reflecting now on what I know about coaching, I believe he did the best he could for the knowledge he had. He did not have the education on how to properly develop a training plan according to the different season phases and physiological mechanisms. However, his relationships with his athletes and implementation of discipline were of a very high and personal standard.
Coach 2
The second definition comes from a coach I met at age 19, again as an athlete. He is an accredited Silver Swimming Coach and has over 30 years experience. He is a swimming coach for a well established coach in Canberra and has 7 lane pool to train up to 25 athletes of state to national level (ages 12-20) with swimming achievement orientated goals, however during the winter season he was limited to only 6 sessions per week due to limited afternoon pool availability.
Admittedly I only trained with this coach for a short 7-8 month, however there were several changes in my perception of a good coach. As he had more experience, his training plan was based specially for each phase of training and aimed correctly at different physiological systems. However I found when it came to an athlete-coach relationship with both myself and some other swimmers, he seemed to struggle to make a connection. With some of these athletes, this was reflected in both their training discipline and response to criticism.
Coach 3
I met this coach at age 18 however this time as a colleague. He is an accredited Bronze Swimming Coach and has met all criteria to move to the Silver level. He has 7 years coaching experience and has recently become head coach of a competitive swimming club in Canberra. There are 3 50m lanes available for his 40 swimmers who are country to national achievers of ages 11-36 with the large majority having goals aimed at improving their competitive swimming.
I have worked along side this coach for a little over 3 years, who himself is competing at this years 2012 Olympic Trails. I find this coach to be a blend of the previous two coaches mentioned. He has the knowledge to develop effective training programs, while he can still relate to his athletes and discipline them appropriately. I believe this ability not only comes from his strong knowledge and involvement within the sport over his childhood and adolescence but also from his tertiary studies in Sports Coaching and Exercise Science and Psychology.
Conclusion
I believe there is no correct definition for a coach, their role is entirely based on their performance within their environment. Therefore their success may need to be assessed differently, for example if you compare a medal count between coach 1 and coach 2 - coach 2 is obviously going to have a much higher success rate, however coach 1 has provided a wider athlete range to achieve their goals.
Please feel free to leave any comments or thoughts you have about this post!
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Coach Behaviour
Today I was looking for some articles for my Presentation in SCP when I came across this article:
Although only a reasonably basic diagram, in my opinion it incorporates the behavioural variables that impact upon the Coaches performance. The article also provoked me to reflect upon my own coaching behaviour and try to perceive how others (parents and athletes) view my behaviour. Am I too stern? Am I too passive? Do I provide too much criticism? Do I have the correct goals in mind for the athletes?
In combination with my previous studies I hope by the end of the semester, I will be somewhat closer to answering these questions and will have a greater understanding of the world of coaching.
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