Developing Rugby Coaches
ROLE OF THE COACH
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
THE ROLE OF THE COACH
Introduction
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the coach as a trainer or instructor of sport. However, as
anyone who has been involved in coaching knows, the coach’s role extends far beyond that.
Teaching players the skills, tactics and rules of the game, while important, is only one of the
coach’s many roles.
As a coach you must always remember that, while the physical skills you teach your players
may only be used for a short time, the attitudes and values they develop towards themselves
and others will stay with them forever.
Think back to coaches you may have had when you were a player. What sort of impact did they
have on your life? There may be one coach in particular who stands out more than the others
in your memory. What was it about that coach that sets them apart from the others?
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Role of the Coach – Developing Rugby Coaches
Understand Your Role As A Coach
Coaching is not just about improving the physical performance of a player. In taking on the
role of the coach you must accept that the development of the player as a “whole” person is
as important as the player’s success in sport. As a coach you can have considerable impact
on the development and lives of your players.
The role of the coach is wide-ranging and varied. At times you may be asked to be a person
of many parts!
Teacher ... passing on knowledge, teaching new skills.
Trainer ... improving players’ fitness.
Motivator ... providing positive reinforcement.
Manager ... organising practice, planning competitions.
Counsellor ... providing advice, settling disputes.
Fundraiser ... finding sponsorship, running raffles.
Friend ... providing empathy and support.
Leader ... providing a philosophy and vision for your players.
Disciplinarian ... being firm but fair.
Taxi driver ... picking players up and dropping them off.
Trainer?
Teacher?
Manager?
Fundraiser?
Counsellor?
Friend?
Motivator?
Taxi Driver?
Disciplinarian?
Questions & Exercises
What do you see as your most important roles as a coach?
Are there any roles you are not prepared to fill?
Leader?
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Recognise the Advantages and Disadvantages of Various
Coaching Styles
Following are some different coaching styles that you may identify with in New Zealand. These
coaches have a range of qualities, some of which you will recognise in your own coaching.
While there are disadvantages and advantages to any coaching style, all these coaches can
be successful. It should be noted that the coaching styles presented are examples only. Most
coaches, rather than fitting neatly within any of the described styles, will have a mixture of
qualities from all of the styles.
“Enthusiastic but lacks experience” Coach
• Loves the sport and is coaching as a way to be involved.
• Enthusiasm is contagious.
• Can get over-excited at competitions.
• Transmits anxiety by being too tense.
• Has difficulty understanding the casual player who does not share their enthusiasm.
• Lacks knowledge on analysing and coaching skills.
• Tends to speak quickly and loudly when giving instructions.
• Practices have a tendency to revolve around a ‘game’.
“Nice guy” Coach
• Is always positive and rarely gets upset.
• Is interested in being a ‘buddy’ to the players.
• Develops a good rapport with the players on an individual basis.
• May concentrate too much on social aspects during practice.
• Tends to be ‘soft’ when at times more discipline is required.
• Can sometimes be dominated by players.
“Singleminded or fanatical” Coach
• Lives and breathes the sport.
• Has good sport-specific knowledge but is not necessarily an effective coach.
• May demand long and arduous practices.
• Good team spirit when winning; frustrated when losing.
• May take an authoritarian approach in disciplining players.
• May spend many hours during the week on planning and administration.
• Can handle being ‘unpopular’ in order to earn respect or to win.
“Easy-going” Coach
• Has a relaxed approach, giving the impression of not being serious.
• Is often disorganised at practice and competition.
• Does not appear concerned if the team wins or loses.
• Has little variation of activities at practice.
• Coaching instructions are not specific, eg “play harder”.
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Role of the Coach – Developing Rugby Coaches
“Business” Coach
• Pays great attention to detail; is always well organised at practice.
• Often carries a clipboard and takes notes at competitions.
• Has high expectations of player effort.
• Tends to put more time and effort into managing rather than coaching.
• May not be very people-oriented.
“Effective and respected” Coach
The effective and respected coach will share some characteristics with all of the above coaching
styles. However, their knowledge and approach to coaching allows them to adapt the skills to
meet the needs of the players. The effective and respected coach:
• Continually seeks coaching knowledge from a variety of sources;
• Is very organised and has planned ahead;
• Has learnt from previous experiences of coaching (and perhaps playing) the sport;
• Understands and appreciates the strengths and weaknesses of individual players;
• Is a good communicator;
• Is concerned about winning but focuses more on the performance of the players.
Think of the coaches you had as a player and what qualities you liked or disliked about them.
Perhaps there are senior coaches in your own club or region whom you admire and respect
– one of them may be willing to be your mentor to help you develop your own coaching style
and knowledge.
Coaches should coach at a level which suits their knowledge and communication style. Be
yourself: a coach who tries to adopt or imitate a coaching style or characteristic that does not
suit will come across as false to their players. Above all, a coach should communicate in a
natural manner and remain positive and encouraging at all times.
Questions & Exercises
What is your coaching style? Is it an appropriate style to get the best out of the players
you coach? Make a list of what you consider to be your positive coaching characteristics
and a list of the characteristics you would like to change or improve upon.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Approaches to Coaching
Your style of coaching will, to some extent, determine your approach to coaching. There are
many different approaches to coaching that cover a wide range, from pure task to a totally
social orientation.
The Task-Oriented Approach
The task-oriented coach is one who strives to achieve goals. They learn as much about the
sport as possible and focus on teaching skills effectively. The task coach aims to play the sport
well, overcoming barriers to success.
The Social-Oriented Approach
The social-oriented coach is one who emphasises the player’s need for affiliation. They focus
on group-belonging, forming friendships, having fun and working cooperatively.
There are few coaches who are entirely task, or totally socially oriented. The approach you
take as a coach will change with time and experience and will largely depend on the players
being coached. It should be consistent with the players’ ages and abilities, with the goals of
the team and with your own coaching philosophy.
As a coach you should endeavour to satisfy both the task and the social needs of your players
as both of these needs exist (to varying degrees) at all levels of sport. By taking a player-centred
approach the coach can deal with these needs as they arise.
Develop Your Own Coaching Philosophy and Understand
How It Impacts On Your Players
Every coach should have a coaching philosophy. A philosophy is a set of values or beliefs that
govern your actions, help you make decisions and set your priorities. A philosophy is based
on ideas formed from your personal experiences, opinions gained from the knowledge you
acquire, and your hopes and aspirations for the future.
Your coaching philosophy will reflect what you believe is your role as a coach. In developing an
effective coaching philosophy you should consider the following questions:
What are your reasons for coaching?
Following are some reasons often given by coaches explaining why they coach:
• To put something back into sport
• To help others achieve
• Because they love the sport and want to stay involved
• For the recognition
• Because they enjoy coaching
• For the sense of control
• To do something worthwhile with their spare time
• To win
• To learn more about the coaching process
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Role of the Coach – Developing Rugby Coaches
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future?
What are your future plans? How much time can you commit to coaching? Do you want to
work with children or adults, social or serious players? Is your goal to coach a national team
one day?
Why do players participate in sport?
Players participate in sport for many different reasons. It is important as a coach to consider why
your players are participating, and what they want to achieve over the season and beyond.
Addressing this issue at the start of the season reduces the chance of future misunderstandings,
and the players are more likely to stay involved in the sport.
Following are some reasons why players may participate in sport:
• Achievement of goals
• Health and fitness
• Having fun
• Friendship and social activities
• Sense of belonging
• Sense of direction and control
• The thrill
• Fame and money
You may also want to consider the expectations of other stakeholders
that also have an important role in sport. For example:
Parents, Caregivers, Families and Partners:
• Fun
• Safety
• Low cost
• Family involvement
• Success
• The all-round development of their child
• Social activities that include everyone
Sports Administrators:
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Increased membership
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Success
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Good club spirit
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Revenue
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Satisfaction from seeing players achieve
Referees and Officials:
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Adherence to fair play
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Competitive spirit
Questions & Exercises
Develop your own coaching philosophy incorporating the considerations above.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Coaches’ Code of Ethics
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Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every individual athlete as a human being
> Treat everyone equally regardless of sex, disability, ethnic origin or religion.
> Respect the talent, developmental stage and goals of each athlete in order to help each athlete
reach their full potential.
Maintain high standards of integrity
> Operate within the rules of your sport and in the spirit of fair play, while encouraging your athletes
to do the same.
> Advocate a sporting environment free of drugs and other performance-enhancing substances
within the guidelines of the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency and the World Anti-Doping Code.
> Do not disclose any confidential information relating to athletes without their written prior
consent.
Be a positive role model for your sport and athletes and act in a way that projects a
positive image of coaching
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All athletes are deserving of equal attention and opportunities.
Ensure the athlete’s time spent with you is a positive experience.
Be fair, considerate and honest with athletes.
Encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle – refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol around
athletes.
Professional responsibilities
> Display high standards in your language, manner, punctuality, preparation and presentation.
> Display control, courtesy, respect, honesty, dignity and professionalism to all involved within the
sphere of sport – this includes opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, the media, parents
and spectators.
> Encourage your athletes to demonstrate the same qualities.
> Be professional and accept responsibility for your actions.
> You should not only refrain from initiating a sexual relationship with an athlete, but should also
discourage any attempt by an athlete to initiate a sexual relationship with you, explaining the
ethical basis of your refusal.
> Accurately represent personal coaching qualifications, experience, competence and affiliations.
> Refrain from criticism of other coaches and athletes.
Make a commitment to providing a quality service to your athletes
> Seek continual improvement through ongoing coach education, and other personal and professional
development opportunities.
> Provide athletes with planned and structured training programmes appropriate to their needs and
goals.
> Seek advice and assistance from professionals when additional expertise is required.
> Maintain appropriate records.
Provide a safe environment for training and competition
> Adopt appropriate risk management strategies to ensure that the training and/or competition
environment is safe.
> Ensure equipment and facilities meet safety standards.
> Ensure equipment, rules, training and the environment are appropriate for the age, physical and
emotional maturity, experience and ability of the athletes.
> Show concern and caution toward sick and injured athletes.
> Allow further participation in training and competition only when appropriate.
> Encourage athletes to seek medical advice when required.
> Provide a modified training programme where appropriate.
> Maintain the same interest and support toward sick and injured athletes as you would to healthy
athletes.
Protect your athletes from any form of personal abuse
> Refrain from any form of verbal, physical or emotional abuse towards your athletes.
> Refrain from any form of sexual or racial harassment, whether verbal or physical.
> Do not harass, abuse or discriminate against athletes on the basis of their sex, marital status,
sexual orientation, religious or ethical beliefs, race, colour, ethnic origins, employment status,
disability or distinguishing characteristics.
> Any physical contact with athletes should be appropriate to the situation and necessary for the
athlete’s skill development.
> Be alert to any forms of abuse directed towards athletes from other sources while in your care.
NZRU Supports the SPARC Coaches’ Code of Conduct
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Role of the Coach – Developing Rugby Coaches
Understand the Fair Play Philosophy of Coaching
Fair Play can be defined as abiding by the principles of “integrity, fairness and respect”. It is by
these principles that the spirit of competition thrives. This spirit requires:
1. Honesty in the contest
2. Respect of each other by all participants
3. An acceptance in good spirit of the results
A fair play coach believes and teaches that sport is an activity which develops character and
shapes attitudes. As a coach, your fair play aims should be to:
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help your players develop a positive self-image
promote respect for the rules, officials and their decisions
promote respect for opponents, for without them there can be no competition
encourage a constructive attitude towards competition
develop a sense of dignity under all circumstances
provide an equal opportunity for all to learn skills
encourage these individuals to continue their participation in sport
Coaches have an important influence on the lives of their players, especially young players.
Your role is not only to teach the skills of the game, but also how to win with dignity and lose
with grace. Remember, sport is meant to be fun.
Questions & Exercises
Are you teaching your players the valued life skills of integrity, honesty and respect?
These qualities will help them become better people regardless of whether they
become winning players.
Enhancing the Player’s Positive Self-Image
As part of the fair play philosophy it is the coach’s role to promote and enhance a positive selfimage amongst players. Self-image refers to how people see themselves. This is influenced
by the individual’s environment, their life experiences and also by the reactions of others, for
example, peers, parents and, in this instance, the coach.
Therefore, an important role of the coach is to be aware of their players’ self-images, to
encourage them and to ensure they feel good about themselves. To achieve this coaches need
to be positive with their players and communicate this effectively (using verbal and non-verbal
language). When making positive comments or gestures, ensure you are sincere and realistic:
the players will recognise and appreciate it more. Be consistent in your expectations, ie all the
rules apply equally to all the players.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Remember also that children’s self-esteem must stand aside from their sporting performances.
Whether they play well or badly, win or lose, they are still unique worthy people and the coach
must always make this clear.
Above all, accept that your players are individuals, be aware of their feelings and take an
interest in their lives off the sports field. Feeling accepted should never depend only on their
sports performances.
Questions & Exercises
Make a list of things you could do or say to make your players feel accepted, important,
happy, and successful – try them out at your next training session or competition and
see what a difference it makes!
Develop Positive Relationships With Players’ Parents,
Caregivers, Family And Partners
It is important to establish an open communication line with the parents, caregivers, family
and partners of your players right from the beginning of the season to avoid any conflicts or
confusion that may arise later on. Parents and caregivers are very influential and can provide a
source of either support or stress, particularly for younger players. Therefore, the coach should
endeavour to develop and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with them.
It is a good idea to write a letter to the parents/caregivers, family and partners to let them
know who you are and your plans and expectations for the season. Further to this you could
hold a meeting. Encourage all the parents/caregivers, family and partners to come along, not
only to meet you, the coach, but also as an opportunity to meet and socialise with each other.
You might want to invite them to attend and participate in a training session first or make it a
real social occasion with a barbecue! For junior players, it is important to communicate with
parents and caregivers.
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Agenda for Parents, Caregivers, Family and Partners Meeting
Introduce yourself, talk about your background and your coaching philosophy. Talk a little bit
about the sport; children could provide a demonstration.
Stress the importance of children having fun, learning new skills and making new friends.
Winning is not high on the list of priorities at this level.
Discuss the role of parents and caregivers on your team. Stress the importance of supporting and
encouraging their children. Also discuss your expectations of their behaviour at competitions,
eg that you do not want them to yell instructions to the players from the sidelines.
Explain the logistics of the sport: what equipment children will need; training times and venues;
competition dates; what transport is required; the costs involved; what assistance is required
and available from the parents and caregivers. End with a question-and-answer session – this
encourages an open line of communication.
Questions & Exercises
Draft an open letter to parents, caregivers, family and partners of the players
you coach. The letter should:
• outline the philosophy and objectives of the programme
• inform them of what is expected of their child and of them
• invite them to share any concerns they have with you
• establish clear lines of communication
• obtain support for the season’s activities
Develop Strategies to Manage Participant Behaviour.
One of the more challenging roles of the coach is that of managing people. Good discipline is
essential to running an effective coaching session and just as players have certain expectations
of how a coach should behave, coaches also expect certain attitudes and behaviour from their
players.
The expectations you have of your players in terms of attitudes and behaviour may differ
from other coaches, as they are a reflection of your own coaching philosophy and style of
coaching.
To be fair to the players it is important that these expectations are clearly communicated at
the beginning of the season and it is important that each player understands and accepts
the team’s rules and goals. Players tend to drop out when the sport does not match their
reasons for participating. For example, the coach of a social grade team would have different
expectations to a coach of the premier grade and, using the same example, the player with
high-performance aspirations would very quickly become frustrated with the activities and
performance of the social team.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Code of Conduct for Players
Establish a code of conduct for players at the start of the season outlining what is acceptable
and what is unacceptable behaviour. It is important that each player understands and accepts
the code of conduct, so include your players in the decision-making. Explain the reasons for
the code of conduct and agree on the penalties for breaking the code.
A code of conduct may include the following:
• the rules of the training session and/or games
• attendance and attitude at training and games
• attitude and behaviour towards others, eg officials, umpires, spectators, parents, families,
other players
• disciplinary actions
• the fair play philosophy
• recreational and/or performance-enhancing drugs
Questions & Exercises
Develop your own “Code of Conduct for Athletes” that outlines the attitudes and
behaviours you would expect from the players you coach. Design a handout to give
to your players at the beginning of the season and/or a poster to post on the wall at
training.
Managing Player Behaviour
By developing their management skills coaches should learn how to ensure the appropriate
behaviour of players so that an optimal learning environment exists at practice. If coaches do
not establish and reinforce appropriate behaviour parameters at the start, then they may be
reduced to disciplining techniques that are unpleasant and create a negative environment.
Following are some strategies and techniques for developing good team discipline and dealing
with inappropriate behaviour.
Positive preventative management
Often the way the coach has organised the session can provide opportunities for disruptive
behaviour. For example, having too much time between activities or using the same boring
drills every session that don’t challenge the players. A coach can reduce or eliminate disruptive
behaviour by being well organised in advance, keeping the talk to a minimum and using a
variety of activities.
Taking a positive management approach means adopting proactive rather than reactive
strategies. The coach should try to ignore inappropriate or attention-seeking behaviour (unless
safety is at risk) and reinforce with praise any positive appropriate behaviour. Try to catch
players being ‘good’ rather than always catching them being ‘bad’.
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Role of the Coach – Developing Rugby Coaches
Reasoning
Players know that there are certain behaviours and attitudes that are considered acceptable
(these should be outlined at the start of the season). Letting players know that their unacceptable
behaviour and inappropriate actions have not gone unnoticed is usually enough to get them to
modify their behaviour. For example, “Jane, what do you think you’re doing?” ... “Do you think
that’s a good idea?” ... “Would you prefer to sit on the bench than play this game?” If a player
continues to misbehave or act inappropriately they should, ultimately, be removed from the
activity.
Verbal warning
When necessary, verbal warnings should be issued in a clear no-nonsense manner, well
timed and well targeted but not demeaning or harsh. If the players are well informed of the
consequences should they choose to ignore the warning then they will be more inclined to alter
their behaviour. If not, they risk the removal of privileges.
Removal of privileges
One effective method of dealing with a player who refuses to modify inappropriate behaviour
(after receiving a verbal warning) is to remove certain privileges. This may include simply
removing the player from the parts of training that they like for a short period, removing the
player from training and the next match or, in the worst case scenario, banning the player from
the club altogether for a season or more. Coaches need to set these consequences in place
and be consistent in enforcing them.
Remember...
• The acceptable activities and behaviour parameters should be clearly outlined to all the players
at the start of the season (Players’ Code of Conduct).
• Coaches must be consistent in both their expectations and in enforcing the consequences of
inappropriate behaviour/actions/activities.
• Any attempt to modify behaviour/actions/activities is more effective if combined with a
positive management system.
• Once the player has modified their behaviour/actions/activities accordingly the coach should
look for an early opportunity to praise any positive behaviour from that player.
Further Reading
Kidman, L. and Hanrahan, S., The Coaching Process: a practical guide to improving your
effectiveness. The Dunmore Press Ltd, Palmerston North, 1997.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Communication
Introduction
To be an effective coach you must appreciate both the art and the science of coaching. A coach
may have a great deal of sport-specific knowledge and experience (the science of coaching),
however this knowledge and experience is of little value to the player unless it can be effectively
communicated (the art of coaching).
Most of the coach’s time is spent trying to transfer knowledge to their players and ensuring they
understand what is expected of them. How that knowledge is transferred or communicated is
an essential ingredient of successful coaching.
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Understand Three Dimensions of Communication
Effective coaching requires not only sport-specific knowledge but also sound teaching and
communication skills. Both the coach and the player must be prepared to transmit and receive
information from each other. Too often, coaches transmit but do not receive information.
Good communication comes not only from what you say but how you say it. Every word and
gesture sends your players messages about your attitude towards them. In fact, it is impossible
to not communicate, as everything we do is communication of one type or another.
To begin with the basics, we have identified three dimensions of communication:
Sending ____________ Receiving
Verbal ____________ Non-verbal
Content ____________ Emotion
Communication is not only about sending messages but also receiving them. Coaches should
not only be able to send clear and concise messages, they also need to be astute listeners to
understand what their players are communicating in return.
While most people tend to focus on communicating the verbal message, research indicates
that more than 70 percent of all communication is non-verbal, such as facial expression, body
language, and tone of voice. We tend to have more control over what we say than what we
do. For example, how may a coach’s body language, after a player makes a mistake, suggest
annoyance or disappointment? What effect may this have on a player? Should a coach try to
hide their body language?
The third dimension of communication is content, the factual information contained in the
message, and emotion or how the sender feels about the message. Coaches can at times have
difficulty containing their emotions, particularly under the pressure of intense competition.
Many coaches tend to be good at the sending, verbal and content aspects of each dimension
but need to improve on the receiving, non-verbal and emotion aspects.
Questions & Exercises
Using the dimensions of communication outlined above, make a list of your own
communication strengths and weaknesses.
Develop Communication Skills Towards Successful
Coaching
Successful communication depends on developing good people skills and showing a human
face. If coaches want players to listen over time, they cannot deliver their messages with
sarcasm or threats. It is important to maintain a positive and open communication channel
with players. Ongoing and open communication will often deal with minor concerns before
they become major problems.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Following are some important tips that will assist you in communicating more effectively with
your players:
Demeanour Dress appropriately and have an open, positive and enthusiastic
approach.
Acknowledgement Greet participants warmly by name or by physical acknowledgement.
Take the trouble to pronounce players’ names correctly.
Positioning In the coaching situation, ensure you can see everyone and they can
see you.
Body Language Adopt a neutral body posture, facing your players. Also watch players’
faces and gestures for clues on how they are reacting.
Eye Contact Looking your players in the eye shows sincerity and confidence. However,
be aware that eye contact may not be appropriate in some cultures.
Voice Speak Speak clearly and use words at a level your players can understand,
eg players who are new to the sport will not understand sport-specific
jargon. Vary the tone of your voice to keep the interest up and adjust
the volume according to the situation.
Listening Listening tends to be one of our weakest communication skills. Being
a good listener is an essential coaching skill. Listen carefully to players’
questions and comments and respect their views.
Feedback Have a positive and constructive attitude both when giving and receiving
feedback from players. Offer sincere compliments and encouragement,
eg “that’s better”, “what a good idea”.
Remember, enthusiasm is infectious and, last but not least, having a sense of humour is a
must.
Communicating Across Cultures
New Zealand is a multi-cultural society with a mix of European, Maori, Pacific Island and Asian
ethnic groups. As a coach it is important to be sensitive and alert to the cultural differences in
communicating with the players you coach. For example, many cultures of the world believe
direct eye contact to be inappropriate. If you are unsure about how to communicate with a player
from a different culture, ask somebody for advice. Above all, a friendly and sincere approach
will always be appreciated, and remember, the smile is an international sign of welcome.
New Zealand is a society made up of
many different cultures, and as a coach
you should be aware of the cultural
differences between players, such as
differences in behaviour, beliefs and
social structure that belong to different
cultures.
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Why
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Cultural Awareness
To help you gain a better understanding of your players and their family
To enable you to create coping strategies for yourself, your players and your team
To help foster understanding within your team
To gain support from your players, their families and the wider community
Cultural Issues A Coach Should Be Aware Of
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In all cultures family has high importance and to gain the players support the coach
should also seek the support of the whole family.
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Religion has a huge influence in many cultures and prayer (karakia) may be appropriate.
The use of inappropriate language should be avoided.
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Many cultures believe making direct eye contact or speaking out of turn is inappropriate,
and yet looking down and not talking can be interpreted by the coach as evidence a player
is inattentive and is unwilling to interact.
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Questioning and confronting players in front of the whole team can be interpreted by a
player as belittling and may be better done privately.
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As a coach, your standing (mana) in the eyes of your players will be enhanced if you take
time to learn a little about their culture, are able to pronounce their names correctly, and
learn some basic forms of communication, such as greeting and farewell.
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Most cultures have spiritual aspects and rituals to consider. The spirit (tapu) of the group
and individual should be treated with respect.
Basic Tips To Be Aware Of For Coaching Maori Players
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Treat all elders with respect.
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The most sacred part of the body is the head, so do not tap another person on the head
or pass food over someone’s head.
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Do not put your hat or hair implements near food - don’t sit on tables or other surfaces
where food is prepared.
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Separate personal clothing from clothes used for cooking or washing dishes.
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Do not step over a person lying down.
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Treat your visitors well by serving them first and providing plenty of food.
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If you are meeting someone bring a koha (donation) such as a packet of biscuits.
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Everyone pitches in to help, so offer your services before you’re asked - you will be told
if you don’t need to lend a hand.
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Take shoes off when entering a home or meeting house.
If you are unsure how to react or communicate with a player from a different culture, then
ask someone for advice, otherwise a sincere honest and friendly approach will always be
appreciated.
Active versus Passive Listening
Passive listening or remaining silent while another person speaks is how many people “listen”,
often without actually hearing much. While passive listening can be appropriate at times, it
does not guarantee understanding, nor does it build a relationship or any empathy with the
sender.
Developing Rugby Coaches – Role of the Coach
Active listening on the other hand involves interacting with the sender, seeking clarification
to ensure you fully understand what is being said. Instead of just guessing at the meaning
of a message you actively work to figure it out. Being an active listener will help you to ‘read
between the lines; to decipher the real (sometimes hidden) meaning of the message. Read
the following tips to improve your active listening skills.
Tips To Improve Your Active Listening Skills
• Adopt a neutral and relaxed posture facing the player and leaning slightly forward.
• If appropriate look at the player when communicating with him or her. Maintaining eye contact
shows that you are interested in what they have to say.
• Let the player finish speaking without interruption, even if you think you know what is going
to be said.
• Show that you are following what the player is saying by nodding your head and making verbal
affirmations such as “Yes ... I see ... Uh-huh” every now and then.
• Repeat what was said in your own words to ensure that both of you understand what was
said.
• Ask questions if you don’t understand or if you require further clarification.
• Search for the real meaning behind what is being said rather than focussing on the details.
Questions & Exercises
Why is active listening so important to effective communication and coaching?
What could you do to improve your listening skills?
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