Welcome to my blog on the completion of 20 hours of voluntary coaching with a company in the Lincolnshire area. Throughout the practice it has allowed me to develop my coaching skills further and also gain knowledge on coaching a new sport, both to me and in general.

Developing My Coaching Philosophy

As my experience in coaching grows, so to does my understanding of my own coaching philosophy. It is easy to jump to an easy conclusion when creating a personal coaching philosophy, with the attractiveness of having one based around a fun session. As I have progressed through the university scale (years 1-3) and also gained valuable coaching experience (Norwich City, St. Peters St. Pauls school, Kingsfield Primary School) I have learned to understand what my coaching philosophy really is and why.

A famous basketball coach, John Wooden is regarded as one of the best and most successful coaches of all time, leading UCLA to 10 titles. The quote shown below is what he said, and I feel personally, intergrating this into my coaching philosophy has helped me developed as a coach, and also helped me alter my coaching style.

“It’s what you learn, after you know it all, that counts”

From the quote above,  I have interpreted many different thoughts and opinions. The way in which this quote has changed my style of coaching is that I now prefer to allow the participants to learn at their own pace, in a free-ranging method. This means I coach with less strict drills and more game related practices, where it provides the participants with freedom to learn. And with regards to my philosophy, interpreting fun into my coaching is no longer a neccessity, as it comes with the freedom and encouragement provided to each participant. Therefore my coaching philosophy stands as:

‘Allowing participant freedom during sessions, encourages enjoyment, learning and development.’

Developing My Knowledge

Throughout my experiences of sport, I have only ever encountered Hockey once. During my time in secondary school, I concentrated fully on football, therefore the idea of non-contact during a sport seemed alien to me. However, once I was given the opportunity to coach QuickSticks, a simplified format of hockey, it was important for me, not just because of the placement, but as an aspiring coach to do some research into the sports. As I had no previous knowledge on both hockey or quicksticks I felt it innappropriate to attempt to coach young children, when I myself had no idea. Therefore I took the time to add and develop my knowledge on both hockey and quicksticks, learning both rules and regulations of both games. I also identified the links and differences between the two activities so if needed, I could provide the group with important information whilst I was coaching.

References

http://www.athleteassessments.com/articles/best_coaching_quotes_sports_coach_legends.html