THE GOAL: Coaches who can Demonstrate their Competence ‘Every athlete is entitled to competent coaching’ is a common coaching philosophy of Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development framework. In addition the National Coach Certification Program’s (NCCP) founding philosophy on sport is to; Provide every athlete in a sport program with a positive experience; Provide an opportunity for athletes to achieve their full potential through sport; Use sport as a personal development tool. The NCCP is committed through its competency based education training program to ‘develop five core competencies that will help you become a more effective coach and have a more meaningful impact on athletes’ experience.’ So as midseason approaches let’s reflect, are we coaching to our full potential? 1. Problem Solving - The ability to bring about a positive outcome to meet a specific coaching challenge. Entry Level Coach – Has the ability to solve a limited number of simple problems in a controlled environment. Do you use terrain best suited for working on a specific skill? Development Level Coach – Has the ability to solve a variety of moderately complex problems in a variable environment. Are you able to coordinate multiple athletes on race day to be prepared and focused come race time? Performance Level Coach – Has the ability to put in place mechanisms to solve a wide range of complex problems posed in an environment where several variables may be unknown or unpredictable. Do you creating yearly planning instruments for a group of athletes or control return to sport for injured athletes? 2. Valuing – The ability to choose an effective response to a specific coaching situation consistent with principles of ethical practice defined within the NCCP. Entry Level Coach – Articulates his/her own values and chooses a previously taught, well-defined course of action in simple coaching situations. When coaching are you upholding the values of the NCCP code of ethics? Do your athletes understand and abide by the Alpine Responsibility Code? Development Level Coach – Recognizes ethical dilemmas and considers possible consequences of decisions and /or actions. If athletes break team rules are there consequences? Performance Level Coach – Defends decisions within his/her ethical framework of coaching and those of the specific sport and recognizes the impact of the ethical issues on him/ herself and others. Do you uphold the rules of the sport of ski racing and make all efforts to abide by them and encourage other coaches to as well. Are you willing to stand up for the sport of skiing if you know of a coach/ athlete/ official/ organization deliberately playing unfairly? 3. Critical Thinking – The ability to reflect upon and/or monitor the outcome of situations, experiences, decisions and/or actions in which one or others are involved, and to assess their relevance and importance as a basis for future action. Entry Level Coach – Recognizes the need to gather information and think about own experiences in order to assess their importance as a basis for taking future decisions and action. Do you draw from your own experiences as an athlete? Do you consider the expectations of your athletes and parents of you the coach? Development Level Coach – Applies analytical frameworks from other areas. See coaching problems in a larger sport and/or social context. Seeks other points of view and ways of coaching. Do you take an athlete centered approach? Are you coaching all three dimensions of learning; motor (technical), cognitive (knowledge and understanding) and affective (attitudes and behaviours)? Performance Level Coach – Consistently questions assumptions. Promotes critical reflection in others. Recognizes own limitations. Takes full personal responsibility for decisions and actions. Have you explored different coaching approaches? Are you updating your knowledge of the sport on a constant basis? When was the last time you attended a coaching conference? 4. Leadership – The ability to influence others to accept, willingly, the leaders’ purpose and goal to help bring about some better future outcome or result, and to work together, voluntarily towards achieving that end. Entry Level Coach – Brings about a positive outcome to a simple coaching situation. Do you use the word ‘no’ more often then the word ‘yes’? Development Level Coach – Challenges the status quo in order to bring about a better future outcome. Am I providing the safest training and racing environment to my athletes? Are all my athletes in their respective ‘challenge zones’? Have you completed the NCCP module ‘Coaching and Leading Effectively’? Performance Level Coach – Brings about a positive outcome to complex and/or highly ambiguous coaching situations and promotes leadership in others. Do I help high performance athletes manage themselves as professionals? Do I mentor or share my knowledge and experiences with less experienced coaches? PHOTO CREDIT SMEDIA 5. Interaction - The ability to interact effectively with individuals, groups or teams in a specific context. Entry Level Coach – Reflects on his/her own ways of interacting and intervening with others. Am I intervening or interfering? Am I easily understood by my athletes? Development Level Coach – Applies all teaching and learning principles appropriate to more complex coaching situations. Do I have a thorough understanding of the stages of skill development and how to model applies to my athletes; initiation, acquisition, consolidation, refinement and creative variation? Performance Level Coach – Creates optimal relationships, promotes individual group and team autonomy, intervenes appropriately in complex coaching situations. Do I consider the various decision training tools (Dr. J. N. Vickers) when I choose my desired coaching approach? In summary, coaching is a very complex profession and whether you are an entry, development or performance level coach one must consider and constantly adapt and reflect on his or her coaching framework and personal competencies. Am I providing a positive experience for every athlete? Am I providing the opportunity for athletes to achieve their full potential? Am I gaining personal development through coaching? These are the questions we must ask ourselves and take responsibility for. The CSCF with its partner NCCP provide a multitude of opportunities for coach education and personal development go to www.canskicoach.org for a list of programs available. Sarah Edwards – CSCF Communications – Senior EL/DL Course Facilitator References NCCP, Introductory Module CSCF, Coaching Competencies
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