End Of Year Reflection

With the deadline approaching in the coming weeks I have decided that this will be my final blog post for the year and will reflect on my feelings towards the blog in general.

Reflective practice has been considered widely due to the support that it offers for both personal and professional development (Cropley, Miles & Peers, 2012).

This blog has been about me reflecting upon my practices as a coach and issues within sport that I believe will have some impact on me as a coach moving forwards. The main aim was too aid my personal and professional development as suggested by Cropley, Miles and Peers.

Neville (2001) suggested that through reflective practice coaches could access, make sense of, and learn from the relevant knowledge-in-action that would allow them to learn how to actually do sports coaching.

I believe that as Neville says, reflecting on my practice has allowed me to learn more about sports coaching than what I was previously doing of just coaching a session and not really thinking about it afterwards. I now understand the importance of reflection after every session, thinking about what was good, bad and what can be done next time in terms of modification to improve, otherwise there would be no learning from coaching and therefore make it pointless. I have started to write down notes after every session I coach and will continue to do this in the future to continue allowing me to reflect.

In terms of actual coaching time this year I haven’t done as much as I would like due to my work commitments with university and analysis placement at Bolton Wanderers, I understand that I should get some more coaching hours under my belt and this is something that I will strive to achieve next year, however when I have coached I feel like I am improving and thinking about some of what has been written in the blog. I have learnt the importance of and am trying to become an innovative coach as a previous blog post mentioned and I am also now an advocate and will try and incorporate the games based approach to coaching and teaching games for understanding model into my sessions, something which I learnt about through the module and upon reflection feel that it is the best way to teach children in sporting activities, this is supported by Hanrahan and Kidman (2011) who state that ‘a games based approach can incorporate multiple benefits from technical to tactical to transferable match skills for the participants involved.’ One of my big focuses of the blog was about developing individuals rather than athletes and I now believe that, that is now my coaching philosophy and that developing people, particularly at a grassroots level is the most important thing, particulary to maintain children’s enjoyment and participation in sport, ‘The physical advantages of sport participation have long been recognised. Importantly, sport also holds the propensity to contribute towards a child’s emotional and social well-being (Stafford, 2011).

The blog also led to me looking into more areas within sports coaching such as pressure and nutrition, areas that I now feel I have more knowledge about and can help me in the future if I ever deal with those in a sporting environment. I also had the chance to reflect about my future career path and at the minute although it looks as though performance analysis will be the preferred route I am still open minded and constantly reflecting about what the best choice would be out of the career choices I stated in my ‘moving forwards’ blog. I too as previously written in a blog post now see myself as a role model when coaching and am constantly reflecting on if I am being a positive role model and representing myself and the organisations I represent when coaching in a correct and professional manner.

I have never really sat down and reflected about myself before this blog however, after doing so I now understand the benefits of reflective practice as a coach and is something that I will continue to do into the future, I am looking to take everything that I have learnt throughout this year to help me progress again further next year to continue my development, learning and hopefully improvement as a coach and person.

Thanks to everyone who has read the blog or contributed with a comment.

References

Cropley, B., Miles, A. & Peel, J. (2012). Reflective Practice:Value of, Issues, and Developments within Sports Coaching.Sports Coach UK Research Project. Cardiff School of Sport: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Hanrahan, S. J. & Kidman, L. (2011). The Coaching Process A Practical Guide to Becoming an Effective Sports Coach. London: Routledge

Knowles, Z., Gilbourne, D., Borrie, A. & Neville, A. (2001). Developing the reflective sports coach: A study exploring the processes of reflection within a higher education coaching programme. Reflective Practice, Vol 2, pg 185-207.

Stafford, I. (2011). Coaching Children in Sport. London: Routledge.

Moving Forwards

Recently I have been thinking ahead about after university and what it is I want to or can do.

As previously mentioned my ambition is to have a role in sport, whether that be teaching, analysis or coaching. But is that achievable ?

In terms of teaching I am aware of the route that needs to be followed and the same within analysis, coaching however is one of which I am unsure.

At a global level, sport coaching does not meet a number of the traditional hallmarks of a profession, primarily due to its current position on key descriptors such as purpose, knowledge base, organisation and ethics (Duffy, et al 2011).

Due to its nature sports coaching can be difficult to get a paid and full time job in, mostly in the UK.

For example, Australia has recently reported 27,900 full-time coaches, while the figure for the United States is 217,000 (Duffy, 2009). Within the UK, there are an estimated 36,537 full-time coaches and 230,765 part-time coaches (North, 2009).

This shows the difficulty and has led me to questioning what it is I want to do within sports after university has ended. However that is not to say that I am going to give up coaching and stop due to the numbers not looking favourable. As seen from North’s figures there are many part time positions available for coaches which could eventually become full time and as someone who has and is currently volunteering I recognise the benefits that it can have in providing experience and enhancing my CV.

I am positive that I want to have a role in sport once I finished uni, 40% of previous graduates from my course have gone on to have jobs in sports and fitness occupations. (Unistats, 2014). This shows that employment in sport is available after the course has finished, however I need to reflect and think about which path and career would be best for me moving forwards and what would help me become successful.

References

Duffy, P. (2009). A vision for global coach development: The European and UK example. Presentation to the Petro Canada Sport Leadership Conference, Vancouver, November 15.

Duffy, P., et al. (2011). ‘Sport coaching as a ‘profession’: challenges and future directions’, International Journal Of Coaching Science, Vol 5 (2) pg. 93-123.

North, J. (2009). The UK coaching workforce. Leeds: sports coach UK.

Unistats, (2014). Available at: https://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/employment/10007141FT-HMSPCO100/ReturnTo/Search

Nutrition

Lately I have been doing some research into nutrition within sports performance, the impacts that it can make and why it is of importance to a coach.

Nutrition is your daily intake of food/drink and it gives us the energy and fuel to firstly get through the day and to be able to take part in sport. “The foundation for leading a healthy lifestyle and achieving your sports goals starts with the right food on your plate” (Johnson, 2015).

In terms of what to eat, the key food groups are Protein (Meats/Fish), Carbohydrates (Bread/Pasta) and Vitamins & Minerals (Vegetables/Fruit). Sticking to these key food groups and eating the right types of these will lead to performers having good and proper nutrition which ‘is critical for both good health and optimal sports performance’ (Magdalena & Paul 2011).

It is important too to not forget hydration and to keep performers drinking when playing sport, as “Water replenishment is the most important factor during exercise” (Marmon). Dehydration can impact performance in many ways including poor fatigue; stamina and endurance; reduced chance of maximum recovery and the muscles are more susceptible to injury.

Overall, correct nutrition can provide:

• Decreased time of recovery
• Increased energy
• Decreased loss of muscle tissue in-season
• Increased stamina
• Decreased percent body fat
• Injury prevention
• Improved health

(Marmon)

Ultimately this leads to improved performance, which benefits both coaches and players.

Until I fully researched nutrition I wasn’t aware of the difference that it can make on performance and I feel that other coaches too don’t know the full benefits of correct nutrition, which can then impact on the people they are coaching. At top-level sport, nutritionists are in place but at a more grassroots level this wont be possible. I also don’t feel that performers will be truthful 100% of the time if you ask them to track their nutrition in a food diary for example. Therefore I think the solution, as a coach is to be aware of the benefits of nutrition and to then pass this onto the performers and parents and to then give them the knowledge about proper nutrition and what it can do for performance. It is in everyone’s best interest to stick to a good nutritional diet as overall “The role of sport nutrition is essential for maintaining athlete health in addition to improving athlete performance” (Mountjoy, 2014). This is something that I will look to do in the future if I started to coach a team of players or an individual athlete as just understanding and embracing the nutritional impact can bring success to everyone involved in the coaching process as it helps meet and gives you the best chance of achieving one of the main aims of coaching, to improve athlete performance.

References

Johnson, J. (2015). ‘The Benefits Of Omega-3s for Sports Performance. Wrestling USA, Vol 50, 7, p. 12.

Magdalena, M. & Paul, I. (2011) ’Nutrition In Sports Performance.’ Annals Of The University Physical Education & Sport Management, Vol 1, pp. 262-264

Marmon, D.C. ‘Sports Performance Nutrition.’ Available at: http://web.wm.edu/speedstrength/footballnutrition.pdf

What is a performance analyst & what do they do?

As previously mentioned, I have been working as a performance analyst at Bolton Wanderers Academy this year. Whenever people say to me what do you want to do in the future or what is a performance analyst I find it difficult to simplify and give an answer so I thought I could write a post explaining a bit more about what they do and their importance.

The main role of an analyst is in the job title, to analyse, specifically performance. Analysts use technology such as video cameras and computers, which allow for evaluation of performance in a dynamic sport environment. (Hughes & Franks 2007). Typically an analyst will use a camera to film the team’s matches and then the computer will be used to review the game on and use the specific analysis programmes to clip up whatever is required. The technology is pivotal to analysts and the analysis they conduct on performance whether that be to individuals or the team as a whole.

Drust, (2010) states that Performance Analysis ‘‘is now widely accepted among coaches, athletes, and sport scientists as a valuable input into the feedback process’’ An analyst will feedback to coaches about what they wanted to see from the match or areas that they have highlighted and the same applies to the players on their performance. Post match analysis will be conducted reviewing the last performance and pre match briefings on the opposition are used to try and show strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and provide preparation on what to expect for coaches and players in their next game. At a high level too analysts can be used to aid the scouting process.

These are just a few off the roles that goes on in the job of being a performance analyst. In terms of coaching, although you aren’t coaching the performers yourself, personally from my own experiences I believe it has enabled me to become more observant when watching performance and I feel I have been able to develop different areas such as communication when dealing with coaches and players and also my knowledge of the sport in being able to try and identify strengths & weaknesses of not only my own team but other teams to try and aid performance.

The main aim in any setting of sport is to improve and enhance performance, finds that performance analysis covers this as “Performance analysis is now acknowledged as an aid to performance enhancement at all levels” (Bishop, 2003).

Hopefully this post has explained a bit more about what an analyst does and highlights their in my opinion underrated support in aiding performance.

References:

Bishop, D. (2003). What is performance analysis and how can it be integrated within the coaching process to benefit performance. Peak Performance April, 4-7.

 

Drust, B. (2010) Performance analysis research: meeting the challenge, Journal of Sports Science. Issue 28(9), pg 921-922.

Franks, I. and Hughes, M. (2007). The Essentials of Performance Analysis: An Introduction. Routledge: London.

 

Is Experience as Important As Qualifications?

YES!

I believe that experience is just as if not even more important than qualifications in succeeding in a sporting environment and forging a career. Qualifications are still crucial and provide you knowledge and create a foundation to build upon however ‘It is skills and experiences that can make you a desired applicant and supplement your qualifications’ (jobs.ac.uk).

Most of this experience is gained through volunteering. A survey showed 90% of employers said that volunteering can have a positive effect on career progression (v, 2008). Personally speaking I believe that experience and volunteering has already had a positive effect upon me. In my first year at university I volunteered at two clubs doing performance analysis and learning the basics. This is important and is a path many in this career have taken, “In talking to Performance Analysts the world over, most of them at one stage have had to work for free or have started at a very low level before getting into analysis” (Thevideoanalyst.com). Due to already having some of the relevant skills and experience needed for a performance analyst when I came to work at Bolton Wanderers Academy in July I could start productive work straight away rather than going and learning the basics I learnt in first year. Since starting I have progressed and now voluntarily work as the clubs Under 18’s performance analyst, I now work one day a week at the first team training ground and too have assisted the first teams scouting department.

All of this has proved to be invaluable experience and not something that any qualifications could have given me in such a short space of time. I believe that this experience has allowed me to firstly become better as a performance analyst which is the aim of why I started volunteering and is my chosen career route and secondly it has strengthened my CV massively. Whist it is also important to have qualifications to back this up on a CV this experience will hopefully make mine stand out to employers, showing a high level of commitment through volunteering and finally and most importantly that I’ve got the skills to perform the role needed.

References

http://thevideoanalyst.com/how-to-get-a-performance-analysis-job/

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/1337/what-are-employers-looking-for-skills-and-qualifications

v. (2008) Youth volunteering: Attitudes and perc

Can Observation Improve Coaching Performance?

“Excellent practice is being able to observe” (Sports Coach UK, 2012). 

Throughout the year I have been working with the Bolton Wanderers U18’s team as a performance analyst. During this time I have been able to watch and observe coaching sessions that have taken place. Through watching these highly qualified and experienced coaches in action during coaching sessions I have seen qualities and skills that I could try to implement into my own coaching performance to improve upon.

Some of these skills are the way that the coach leads the session & the way he speaks to the participants and also the flow throughout the session and that everything is done with a purpose and is relevant. Lyle (2005) talks about how “situated learning occurs from observation” therefore observation can teach you some skills to put into practice. Whilst you can learn and implement from observing other coaches it is important that it doesn’t become an imitation of the coach.

As Lyle (2005) says, space must be allowed for coaches to build “individualised models” and whilst it is beneficial to take bits and pieces that I think could help me as a coach it is important that I don’t try and become a copy of that coach as it won’t have any benefit on me personally not being my own coach and therefore I won’t be an innovative coach which I aspire to be and have touched on this previously.

Overall, the opportunity to watch and observe highly skilled coaches close at hand is an invaluable learning experience and one that I can use to aid me in improving myself as a coach by picking some skills and qualities that they excel in, implement them myself and continually try to work on, however I still need to be my own coach and not try and be a carbon copy of someone else as no one will benefit from me trying to coach exactly like someone else and I need aspire to keep the way I coach individualistic and innovative.

References:

Lyle, J. (2005). Sports Coaching Concepts: A Framework for Coaches’ Behaviour. Routledge:London.

Sports Coach UK. (2012). Identifying Excellent Coaching Practice along the Sporting Pathway, Research Briefing No.2: The Youth Coaching Environment.

Coaching Session Reflection

 

This is our group critical discussion on a coaching session we did. I didn’t take part in the actual session as I was filming so I was commenting as an observer rather than practitioner. Within this discussion I feel I could have been perhaps more vocal in some parts and not allow others to dominate the conversation and also whilst I did try and encourage responses about what i felt was good/bad about the session and to get my fellow coaches opinions on it I could have perhaps gone further with my questions and go into more depth.

Doing this sort of discussion was beneficial in critiquing performance and reflecting which as mentioned in previous blog posts is critical to improving performance as a coach.

Why Did I Get Involved In Coaching?

Within this post I will be explaining why I decided to start coaching in the first place and my thoughts on how it has gone so far.

I always from a young age had a passion for sport and was something that I wanted to have a career. After realising i wasn’t going to become a professional sportsman, I therefore started to thinking about teaching and it was a teacher who persuaded me and acted as a role model as mentioned in my previous blog post to start coaching as he was a coach at a professional football club as well as teaching.

“Coaching is a great way to express your passion for a sport and be actively involved instead of standing on the sidelines.It is not only exciting and self satisfying but you can have a positive influence on people’s lifelong involvement in sport. It will also help you to keep you active both mentally and physically.” (UK Sport)

UK sport highlights some of the positives of coaching and the main reason for my involvement was thinking ahead towards a career. I therefore took my FA Football Level 1 award in coaching at 16 and this helped me in my confidence and gave me a first experience of coaching.  Previous researchers have also indicated that past participation in any physical activity is the most reliable predictor of future participation and noninvolvement in a sport most likely precludes future involvement in the coaching of that activity (Dishman & Sallis, 1994). As stated I always felt I wanted a career in sport & football was the sport I played most growing up, this therefore supports Dishman & Sallis point that my activity in sport led to future coaching.

After volunteering at a football organisation i then took the sports coaching university course which is what I am still doing now. Overall I believe my coaching has improved since I first started and I have developed many skills since then which were lacking such as communication. My knowledge on the whole coaching process has become greater too and I now understand more about the roles and responsibilities as a coach at different levels. I think the main responsibility at the level I would be coaching at now which is a grassroots level and mostly with children is too maintain participation in sport and too bring an element of enjoyment to my coaching sessions. The following quote from Bailey, Cope, & Pearce, (2013) summarises this up

If children are to remain involved in sport, it is vital that coaches’ behaviours and practices match the needs of the young participants. Coaches are responsible for creating a developmentally appropriate learning environment that ensures children maintain active sports participation

Overall my reasons for involvement in coaching was firstly career minded and secondly through a role model that had faith in me to go and do some coaching, I have only been coaching 3 years but I feel as though I have made improvements in that time, however I do acknowledge that I am far from being the finished article and their is still a lot I need to do yet to make a successful career out of coaching.

References

Bailey, R., Cope, E. & Pearce, G. (2013). ‘Why do children take part in, and remain involved in sport? A literature review and discussion of implications for sports coaches’, International Journal Of Coaching Science, Vol 7 (1), pg. 56-75.

Dishman, R.K., & Sallis, J.F. (1994). Determinants and interventions for physical activity and exercise. Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health: International

https://www.sportscoachuk.org/coaches/i-want-coach/why-coach

Are Coaches Role Models ?

Lyle, (2013) states ‘that all coaches are role models.’ That got me thinking about whether I, when coaching can be perceived as a role model and the effects of coaches as a whole & the role that they play.

Role Models are ‘persons who motivate, inspire or assist/support others to engage in similar behaviour’ (Payne, Reynolds, Brown & Fleming, 2003). Typically this will be parents, celebrities, teachers and siblings however I do believe that coaches fall into this category of being a role model too.

When coaching and usually at grassroots level in front of a group of children/peers I find it important to conduct myself in a proper fashion and to provide fun and purposeful sessions for all involved. Wooden, (1997) highlights some of the most important factor for coaches aspiring to be positive role models,

Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters need good models more than they need critics.

• Your main responsibility as a coach is to set an example

• We need models that are good, positive models.

• Remember that you represent others who are responsible for you as well as yourself and your personal appearance and conduct should not reflect discredit in any way upon yourself or upon those whom you represent. Cleanliness, neatness, politeness, and good manners are qualities that should be characteristic of those who are of great influence on young people and you certainly qualify for that category. Be a good example.

• Changing lives (of those we coach) matters most.

It is also important not to be a negative role model through the way you act for example being aggressive or negative towards the people you are coaching can put you in a negative light and could lead to a drop out in participation from sport.

I have never personally thought about myself as a role model however thinking about it every time I coach I should be acting as a role model, firstly to the people who I coach to try and exert a positive influence in the way I act, speak and coach. Secondly I should be a role model for whoever I am representing, university or an organisation that I am working for.

Being a role model ‘is a chance to guide, enthuse, motivate, inspire and support players to develop their strengths and potentials, character and creative efforts to be the best they can be… It is a chance to have a lasting legacy in the lives of those who you coach’ (Young, 2014).

There is even the potential to inspire the next generation of coaches with proper and professional coaching practice. The next time i’m coaching I will know be thinking about what I am doing, how it looks and how it is coming across, mainly trying to ensure that I am acting as a positive role model.

References:

Lyle, J. (2013). Role models, sporting success and participation: A review of sports coaching’s ancillary roles. International Journal of Coaching Science, Vol 7(2), pg. 25-40.

Payne, W. R., Reynolds, M., Brown, S. & Fleming, A. (2003). Sports role models and their impact on participation in physical activity: A literature review.

Wooden, J. & Jamison, S. (1997). Wooden: A lifetime of observations and reflections on and off the court. New York, NY: Contemporary Books.

Young, J. (2014). ‘Coaches are role models: Tales of influence’, Coaching & Sport Science Review, Vol 64, pg. 23-24

Pressure

‘Coaching in sport is now well established as an occupation with the potential to cause considerable strain’ (Olusoga et al., 2010).In many jobs pressure to deal with situations can become an issue and as stated by Olusoga et al, sports coaching is no different. As a sports coach there is pressure on you to put on good, enjoyable sessions that will enhance learning for all and to overall improve the people you are working with as people and as athletes.

‘Psychological factors certainly play a role in athletic success’ (Wang, Yang & Sabatelle, 2011). It is therefore important when managing a group of players or athlete in a stressful situation to remain calm and stick to your coaching principles, unlike this coach

Whilst this is an extreme example, it does show what pressure can do to some coaches, even at a youth level. Of course the further up you get in sport the more pressure their becomes especially at an elite level where the results are vitally important to the coach, in some cases to even keep their jobs.

‘However, sports coaches must also be able to manage stressors and perform their roles under pressure’ (Wang, Yang & Sabatelle, 2011).  Speaking from personal experience I have never really felt pressure coaching, just nervousness in situations such as my FA level 1 assessment for coaching or the first time I coached to new people at university. Growing up playing football there was times when my coach did act as though under pressure and it could take away some of the enjoyment of playing sometimes. In my opinion it is important especially at a grassroots level to maintain participation and enjoyment, something that if i ever take charge of a team I will try and adhere too.

‘The consequences of experiencing stress can also be severe with coaches describing emotional exhaustion, depression and withdrawal from sport as effects of stress’ (Frey, 2007; Olusoga et al., 2010). I feel as though I am now aware of what can happen to coaches under pressure in some circumstances, especially at an elite level where the demand is so high. Whilst i do understand that, at the level I am currently at I too need to understand that I, as a coach don’t come first and neither do results. The most important thing is to keep the people that I am coaching happy and developing without adding pressure upon myself or them which only creates a negative environment where no one is benefiting.

References

Frey, M. (2007). College coaches’ experiences with stress – ‘problem solvers’ have problems too. The Sport Psychologist, Vol 21, pg 38–57.

Olusoga, P., Maynard, I.W., Hays, K. & Butt, J. (2010). Coaching under pressure: A study of Olympic coaches. Oral presentation presented at the annual conference of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, Providence, RI.

Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Maynard, I.W. & Hays, K. (2010, October). Stress and coping: A study of world class coaches. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Vol 22(3), pg 274–293.

Wang, J., Yang, G. & Sabatelle, M. (2011). ‘Coaching Psychology – Every High School Coach Should Know’, Journal Of Youth Sports, Vol 6, (1), pg. 18-23