How Effective is Your Coaching?
Factors Influencing Your Coaching Delivery
Series I
Since most sports are still in a ‘shut down’ mode I thought it is a good idea to write a series with thoughts on coaching as a profession, establishing a quality program, and being productive in coaching delivery (instruction/teaching). I am also sharing some personal experiences, and a Blog by John O’Sullivan (Change the Game Project) along with a presentation by Dr. Richard Bailey, Head of Research at the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education at the PGA Youth and Global Summit, January 21, 2018.
I want to start the discussion with the question “What makes a Professional” because it is vital to how we go about our coaching and instruction process to improve the quality of our program.
…Definition of Profession – A calling requiring specialized knowledge and long and intensive preparation including instructions in skills and methods as well as in the scientific historical or scholarly principles underlying such skills and methods; maintaining by force of organization or concerted opinion high standards of achievement and conduct (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary)…
Excerpts from a Blog by O’Sullivan in 2018 on "How to Make Coaching a True Profession" and a presentation by Dr. Richard Bailey, Head of Research at the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education at the PGA Youth and Global Summit, January 21, 2018:
…Some people think taking a paycheck makes them a professional. Others think being part of a trade association or having a certification makes them a professional. But we disagree. Being a professional, especially when it comes to working with children, means holding yourself and others to a standard of excellence and relentlessly pursuing knowledge and improvement every single day, just as we expect the same from our athletes.
…Does getting paid to do something make you a professional? I don’t think so. Does belonging to a professional association of coaches or instructors make you a professional? Can’t we do better than that? Don’t we expect more of our professional doctors and lawyers and accountants than to simply be paid for their work or belong to a trade association?...
Being a professional is much more. It means seeking a standard of excellence, constantly improving, and incorporating the best knowledge and research in your field in order to get better at what you do every single day. That is what it means to be a professional.
Then we better get to work because when it comes to coaching across the globe, there are far too many coaches who want to be considered professionals in their field but have no intention of improving themselves or seeking a standard of excellence. They want to be treated like professionals but have no intention of acting like one. This is what we need to change…
I am a coach. For the past twenty-plus years, coaching has been my profession. Yet, for far too long, I didn’t act professionally. I got paid. I joined associations. I took my certifications and licenses. But I didn’t look beyond those things. I didn’t seek out more. I blamed my athletes for not learning instead of myself for not properly teaching.
And then something remarkable happened. I had my own children. I realized for the first time in my life that there was something more important than myself. I realized the tremendous trust and responsibility that was placed with me by parents, who turned over the physical and emotional well-being of their children to me. I realized I was letting too many of those kids down. It was time for me to become a true professional coach and not simply a coach who got paid. It changed me forever as a coach. It did not make me perfect – far from it – but every day I try and get better.
How?
I think about what I missed at practice today. When players do not learn something, I look first to where I failed as a teacher before I blame the students
I look for more effective ways to teach
I try to be a better listener
I surround myself with coaches, who challenge me and critique how I work
I read books and research on a daily basis
I look around and I see a lot of non-professionals out there, and you are doing our profession a huge disservice. You are giving us a bad name. You refuse to attend certification or licensing, and never pick up a book or go watch a true master coach at work. Some of you are scaring families and children into accepting everything you say and do, a deity who controls their playing time, their participation, and their future, promising scholarships and “playing at the next level” without even understanding what that means, or caring how many eggs you break in order to find one that does not crack.
We need a higher standard. Parents must demand it. Good coaches must demand it. Athletes must demand it. Administrators must demand it.
WOW! This is a pretty severe assessment of our present status! However, it is very true! I have to smile because Schloder gave a similar presentation in the 1990s, deemed then as pessimistic, negative attitude, antagonistic, derogatory, and lunatic! Well, maybe it takes a man to make the point! Or maybe – as usual – Schloder was way ahead of the times!
Let's discuss the article for this Newsletter. Have you ever given any thought about the effectiveness of your training session, the way you instruct, and factors that can or may influence/impact your coaching delivery, positively or negatively? The topic is very dear to me because of my training and education in teaching/coaching pedagogy and curriculum design. It helped me tremendously to understand the coaching-instructional and learning process.
Reference: Schloder, M.E. (2018). Supplementary Lecture Notes. Modules: Planning a Practice; Teaching & Learning. Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Coaching Association. National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Due to the length of the discussion, I created two Series for factors shown in the diagram. Series I includes Factors 1-5: Philosophy of Coaching; Knowledge & Education; Experience; Athletes’ Characteristics, Coaching Environment, and Athlete Safety.
Coaching has become not only more complex (compared to my times as an elite athlete) but is ‘loaded’ these days with greater coaching responsibilities, including more accountability as a professional. Being a professional coach requires a background in coaching science, possession and demonstration of personal values, morality and ethical conduct, considerations for safety and medical concern for athletes, and assurance for the health and wellness of athletes.
Let’s begin with the Foundation of Coaching: Your Coaching Philosophy
Developing Your Coaching Philosophy
I have always felt that Coaching Associations and Sports Federation in North America only pay partial ‘lip service’ to this topic. They spend little time actually helping coaches to develop a personal philosophy, which needs group discussions at various levels and investment in Mentorship or Master tutoring by specific sports federations. In my opinion, developing the modern coaching philosophy is extremely critical because it forms the basis for future quality programs and athletes within those programs. Lack of such can ‘make or break’ athletes and/or destroy entire programs. We are also dealing at this time with more and more young athletes dropping out from sports! This should really make us reflect on what we are really doing or trying to accomplish!
No National Coaching Certification mandate is governing sports in the USA compared to Canada and other European countries. Nonetheless, former elite and/or professional athletes have chosen to become coaches because they have no other job option, and many tend to coach the way they were trained (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL). For example - hockey Great Wayne Gretzky was allowed to coach in the NHL while Franz Beckenbauer, a famous German Soccer star was only permitted to serve as team manager for the National team after his retirement because he did not have the necessary German coaching education, certification, and credentials! Likewise, former Olympic swimmers (for example) turn to coaching with little or No actual science background but due to their success as former Olympians and they too basically coach the way they were trained. How do they develop their coaching philosophy, lacking the educational and scientific background in order to teach/coach developmental athletes or even older swimmers?
Old-School Coaching Traditions Still Exist
Here is an example of ‘out-dated coaching.’ The Hockey Writers (THW) ‘Spittin’ Chiclets’ podcast asked former hockey player Jeremy Roenick whether he thought coaches like Darryl Sutter and Mike Keenan, both former Calgary Flames coaches and former players if these ‘old-timers’ could be behind the bench in today’s NHL. His answer was a categorical “No!” Full stop! When asked to elaborate, he said they couldn’t coach because “you can’t grab players by the throat anymore.” He told the story of his rookie year when he skated by an opponent without hitting him, and Keenan, then the Chicago Blackhawks head coach, stormed down the bench, and grabbed him by the Adam’s Apple screaming, “If you don’t finish your check, if you don’t hit that guy next time, you’ll never play a game for me again in the NHL.” Roenick said, “I was so scared I almost cried on the bench. I was 18 years old and weighed just 159 pounds. Yet, he became what he called “a human missile” throwing himself at much bigger and tougher players. As much as Roenick said he feared the pain and possibility of getting hurt with that style of play, but he dreaded more the power that Keenan had to end his career (THW, December 24, 2020).
The Old Theory in NHL Hockey… when rewards didn’t produce high performance in athletes then discipline, humiliate, embarrass them was the norm because public shaming, anger, and fear would lead to production. Those who were belittled and abused both verbally and even physically would eventually deliver results. And if they didn’t they could be relegated easily to the Minor Leagues. Sutter is widely regarded as an ‘old-school’ coach and had much in common with Keenan in terms of style. Former Carolina Hurricanes’ captain Justin Williams also played during his career in Los Angeles on two Stanley Cup-winning teams, coached by Sutter, and said the coach had an “in your face style” and was very “condescending to players.”
I observed one of those coaches during a training session with the Calgary Flames (to gather research data on coaching behaviour and efficiency). The coach screamed at kneeling players for losing the game the night prior… using ‘F… bombs’ so frequently I lost count. After his tirade ended, players were forced to perform wind sprints up and down the rink until ‘puking’! Never mind that all the pre-training Warm-up benefit was lost during the kneeling episode followed by the all-out effort sprinting punishment, and someone could have been hurt during that senseless debacle!
How About Your Coaching Philosophy and Personal Value System?
Your coaching philosophy and personal value system are going to dictate the way you coach; how you build, maintain or alter the club program; the way you treat athletes; whether you see them as developing human beings or whether you consider them solely for the purpose to create personal success and nothing else! Moreover, the importance of ethical coaching has become under heavy scrutiny due to sexual abuse in many sports (See previous Articles). This ‘dark side’ of coaching is an exploitation of power that had and still has a devastating effect on former athletes and their lives (See Larry Nassar, gymnastics, and others in previous Articles). Whether or not coaches are successful depends exclusively on their coaching philosophy and the quality of the program established and then delivered. Such a program should incorporate the Long-term Athlete Development (LTD) model by integrating the components of physical literacy (upcoming March Newsletter).
What is Philosophy?
The word itself is of Greek origin: φιλοσοφία (philosophía), meaning ‘love of wisdom’ (think about that!). It is the discipline that deals with specific questions, such as: What are the correct principles of reasoning (logic). What sorts of ‘things’ exist and what is their essential nature (metaphysics)? What genuine knowledge (epistemology) is essential? How should one live (ethics)? Other questions deal with the aspect of ‘aesthetics’ or the assessment/judgment of… ‘What is beautiful?’ Yes, we do have beauty and aesthetic concepts in all sports not just dance, artistic gymnastics, figure skating, etc. I have always admired Lynn Swan, NFL Pittsburgh football player, for his graceful movement catching the ball as a receiver… he ‘danced through the air’ as sportscasters called it… or Michael Jordan for his beautiful high airborne dunking skills!
Specific Questions
The Program:
What is the nature of the sport program and its surrounding environment? Does it embrace and respect the Right of Athletes to express themselves, their Right to a safe training and competition environment?
Are Fair Play principles incorporated?
Is the program directed only at sports skills or does the scope go beyond?
Does your philosophy fit and compliment the program?
What are the daily/weekly/monthly program objectives?
What is the long-term aim of the program?
What is the program trying to achieve as the final outcome?
The Coach:
What is the nature of the coach as to: Who are you – as the person – as the coach?
What are your characteristics and qualities?
What personal and leadership abilities do you have?
What can you contribute to develop and lead young people?
What personal improvements do you need – as the person – as the coach?
The Athletes:
Who are the athletes? What is their nature?
Are they male or female?
What is their age? What are their characteristics?
What is their ethnic/racial and social background?
What is their skill level?
Transmitting Knowledge:
What knowledge do you have as the person – as the coach?
What knowledge do you need to acquire – as the person – as the coach?
What knowledge do the athletes need – for their performance – for life?
Transmitting Value Systems:
What value systems need to be in place – for society in general – for you as the coach – for all participants [including parents]?
What behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable in your sporting environment?
How do you tend to teach moral values?
*How do you tend to teach ‘aesthetics’ – concepts or components of efficiency and quality of movement? ... The ‘WOW’ effect or graceful movement or so-called ‘poetry in motion’…
*Note: This concept is a very difficult task, involving a lot of ‘creative thinking’ and planning to develop the concepts with question strategies! What pictures, drawings, illustrations, or teaching tools could be helpful in this undertaking? Can we show a video and discuss the movement of specific athletes in various sports like ice dance, swimming, runners, fencing, football, volleyball, basketball? Why do some athletes move more gracefully while others ‘plough through’ the activity (swimming, for example)? What cues, images, mental or ‘thought pictures’ (metaphors) can be developed and used?
Major Considerations in Developing a Coaching Philosophy
It makes no difference whether sport participants are young children, adolescents, older youth athletes, adults, able- or physically/mentally challenged athletes. Whether or not any of them develop positive or negative attitudes toward their sport involvement depends upon the respective coaching and program philosophy, program delivery, and quality. It influences children to form either strong or weak self-images, and whether they decide to continue, drop out, and whether or not they encourage future generations to partake in sports.
…From a negative perspective, coaches who hold the attitude that ‘winning is everything’ do a disservice to athletes in the long run. When they mature into adults, they likely may not be well-rounded individuals. Their self-image may resolve solely around ribbons, medals, and trophies instead of people, places, and ideals (Bingham and Klatt, 1994)…
According to Schloder and McGuire (1998), the major considerations for an effective coaching philosophy are:
Plan the program for success and longevity
Foster success and overall well-being of sport participants
Establish the proper ‘developmental and educational model’ for athletes
Establish and model effective coaching attitudes
Acquire various teaching-coaching style(s)
Plan each season within long-term objectives (LTD)
Plan daily sessions with progression and proper sequencing
Plan age and skill level appropriate skills/tasks for specific age groups
Select progression and sequence for skills and drills
Implement functional and motor fitness
Select appropriate enrichment and/or cross-training activities
Create a proper knowledge base for the coach(s) and athlete(s)
Establish the value system (ethics and conduct), acceptable to coaches, athletes, and parents
Develop athletes’ self-image, self-confidence, and self-esteem
Develop athletes’ attitudes and moral reasoning power
Provide a safe sport environment and prevent sport injuries
Seek nutritional education and establish healthy eating habits
Prepare athletes for competition
Develop effective coach-athlete communication skills and positive relationships
Foster coach-athlete-parent communication
Acquire and implement effective leadership style(s)
Acquire and implement effective management style(s)
Integrate social activities
Continue to educate self and coaching staff
Keep updating knowledge on topics related to your sport and science research
2. Knowledge and Education
What does a Professional Standard look like?
Coaching as a ‘trained profession’ like law or medicine, for example, requires specific training and mentorship (articling in law or internship in medicine are such), in my opinion. In the past, society, in general, has not easily accepted that we are indeed a profession. Many people still seem to think it’s a ‘breeze to coach, after all, coaching is easy!’ A father volunteers to coach his son in baseball so he gets to play more games or a mother becomes a swim coach volunteer to assure that the child competes in many races. Having been a former athlete – no matter how successful – does not necessarily guarantee automatic success in coaching. Often, club officials and parents are impressed with such athletic success but discover later that there are numerous issues arising in such an undertaking. For example, NHL great Wayne Gretzky was a lousy coach and finally had to give up after numerous failures
According to Dr. Bailey,
…Be a lifelong learner and master of your craft: the one commonality amongst the best coaches is that they are lifelong learners. Peter Vint, former USOC Performance Director, said it best when describing USA Women’s Volleyball Coach Karch Kiraly: “He has a deep curiosity and a relentless pursuit of becoming better…
…Coach the Person, not the Sport: You don’t coach soccer, you coach Johnnie and Jimmy. Every single person in your group needs something slightly different from you. Some need discipline, and some need a hug, because they never get it at home. Know the difference and relentlessly connect with each person and each athlete. Ultimately, your influence will last much longer than the sport.
…Get a Mentor or surround yourself with other coaches in and outside of your sport, who will critique you, challenge you, and push you to become better. Film yourself, ask for feedback from athletes and parents, and if you expect your athletes to be open to learning, demonstrate that you are as well…
It has been said: Coaching is ‘Art and Science.’ Andrew Hamilton of Peak Performance (UK) states the following in the 2021 January Issue:
…Knowledge is your liberator because understanding the latest and best evidence-based sports science and knowing how to apply it to your own circumstances is what will put you ahead of the pack…
Coaches as Professionals need a comprehensive knowledge in numerous science areas such as biomechanics, physiology, theory of periodization (planning micro and macro cycles for the seasonal or annual plan, and/or long-term), physical training and conditioning methods, strength training, suitable cross-training activities, goal setting, motivation, mental training, psychology of performance for peak performance, health and wellness of athletes, prevention of injuries, recovery, nutrition, and sleep.
Moreover, leadership and management skills have become part of the modern coaching portfolio as decisions for finance, travel arrangement, funding, planning of social events are often part of the job nowadays. While many teams depend on administrators and parent volunteers numerous major decisions still have to be made by the coach/coaching staff regarding programming and training aspects.
Nutrition and sleep are extremely important health aspects for developing AND elite athletes. ‘You are what you eat’ is the quote used by numerous sports nutritionists. Subsequently, proper nutrition and correct snacking has to be reinforced to understand not only the importance of healthy eating but also the way it can affect not only sport performance but also academic achievement.
Stanford University Medicine sleep researcher Cheri Mah points out that many children and youth do not get enough sleep (Refer to the previous Article: Sleeping Habits & their Effect on Sport Performance.) Partly to blame is their addiction and dependence on ‘tech tyranny’ (their gadgets) keeping them awake at night as they ‘feel forced’ to check texts, social media, notifications, which creates irregular sleeping routines.
While it is beneficial to attend conferences, clinics, and congresses (usually quite expensive due to travel cost, lodging, food, and attendance fees) it is equally important to keep up on research findings related to the profession and its disciplines. I know we are tired when getting home late every evening and/or attending weekend competitions or games, all of which are stressful and tiresome. We want to relax, not spend free time reading research or other pertinent literature. But you really have no choice if you want to stay current in the profession.
3. Experience
Obviously, coaches with experience have an advantage. In reality, however, everyone has to start ‘somewhere’ to start their career but we need to accumulate more knowledge as our career progresses. I was very fortunate with a degree in physical education and teaching/coaching pedagogy to start my first coaching job. I completed the MSc and Ph.D. along the way to increase my knowledge base, adding sport psychology in order to get a better understanding of mental training for developmental as well as elite athletes. Annual subscriptions to several scientific and medical journals can become quite expensive but it is one way to keep abreast of the newest research in the coaching domain.
I have always strongly believed in coaching mentorship. We call them ‘AZUBI = Trainee’ in Germany. I had decided a long time ago that I wanted parents to be supportive in my programs but not dictate the very same! Therefore, I founded and owned a recreational Gymnastics club and a competitive Swim club during my career at the university. These programs were conducted in the late afternoon. I supervised 20-22 Junior coaches in gymnastics starting in 1976 (they rotated 5-days during the week), and supervised 4 Junior coaches in swimming starting in 1996 (3-4x week training). They trained under my guidance in accordance with the Canadian National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), completing the required 35 hours (swimming) and 50 hours (gymnastics) for Level I Technical. Since they were also students at the university and enrolled in the Theory component of their respective sport, taught by me as well, the Practicum and Mentorship was well aligned. Coaches were facilitated in planning their respective lessons while the teaching was under my supervision by rotating among various groups. Coaches were also involved in planning the 12-week sessions, had input in club management, and the decision-making process to increase their skills in those areas.
Moreover, I worked out an agreement with several Jr. High school physical education departments to have a few selected 12-year old students receive extra-curriculum credit. They were then assigned to respective coaches as assistants to learn about teaching young children and to increase their teaching and communication skills. It was a super deal as many of these assistants later enrolled in physical education at the university, and many stayed with the club programs for a long time (in one case until age 28 and we taught their child). All coaches, including assistants, received a coaching honorarium for their practicums. The beneficial gain for Junior coaches was obviously the achievement of the NCCP certification status. The uniqueness of this approach, however, was the unilateral approach to a consistent coaching philosophy and quality control of both programs.
Interestingly, SIRC (Sports Information Resource Centre) Canada promoted on January 21, 2021, the following:
…Tri-level mentoring is a model in which coaches mentor youth leaders, who then mentor their peers or younger youth. In this way, the benefits of effective mentorship cascade to influence positive developmental outcomes for all youth involved in programming. The levels: Coach and Mentorship – Youth and Mentorship – Peers of Youth
The concept is linked to an article “Fostering leadership in youth sport through a tri-level mentoring model” by Maji Shaikh, University, Ottawa, July 11, 2018.
I am pleased that we are thinking in that direction. However, I was 24 years ahead of the time in developing my mentorship model, which many professionals at that time considered to be ‘foolish,’ especially due to the fact that I personally sponsored the coaching honorariums.
4. Coaching Environment and Athletes’ Safety
The number ONE criterion by the Canadian Coaching Association is to provide ‘safety for athletes in training and competition,’ which is reinforced through the mandatory ‘Code of Ethics,’ which coaches have to pass in an online test. Establishing a safe environment is pertinent, especially for coaches lacking the experience and knowledge base. I had been approached in the past by parents from other clubs about rotator cuff injuries, especially among swimmers only 11-12 years old, lower back problems (butterfly) as well as knee injuries (breaststroke), There are two main causes: overtraining and incorrect technique both of which have to be addressed… and both are indicators of ‘unsafe’ training environments. Medical experts have to be consulted, followed with the integration of prescribed daily rehab exercises, estimated recovery time, and adjustment of the workout volume, AND correction of faulty technique.
I belong to the Swim Coaches Exchange Facebook page and I am horrified at some of the questions and answers/suggestions provided by other coaches regarding planning, training technique, volume, nutrition, injuries, etc., which seems to indicate that a number of coaches have insufficient training or knowledge. Sample questions: Are dryland warm-up and cool-down necessary? Do we really need flexibility exercises? Should children lift weights? “Help-any suggestions! I was hired to teach a recreation summer team and I have never coached but swam in college” (Spring 2019)! Understanding the nature of each specific age group is equally crucial to provide not only a positive teaching/learning environment but also a safe sporting setting (Refer to #5).
I have argued for decades that the coaching environment is not only about establishing a positive teaching/learning scenario for athletes in a safe training and competition environment but also should focus on the physical, psychological, emotional, and mental health wellness of athletes. Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the modern Olympic Games) referred to the latter actually with the phrase “religio athletae,” which does not mean religious athletes rather spirituality (i.e. body, mind, and soul = spirit) and the connection to human movement. Spirituality (Latin term spiritus means not only “spirit” but also “breath” and “air”) could be understood as the substance of the human being; the spirit should be regarded as a directly personal way of being. It is oriented toward a deeper realization of being one’s own self (i.e., authenticity) in the human community and the natural world, searching for the meaning of life (Jirásek, 2013). Viktor Frankl (1988, 2006), on the other hand, convincingly explained that the purpose of life belonged to the realm of the spirit (i.e., heart) not the psyche (i.e., soul). Why am I discussing this point? It is my belief that athletes in the past felt lost or feel isolated nowadays in these difficult times, which is resulting in increased anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or indeed suicides (Refer to December 2020 Article). Thus, coaches should start leading team discussions on how to stay mentally strong and emotionally fit through situations of pressure (real or perceived), personal success, or adversity to maintain one’s human spirit no matter the challenge or outcome because we need the overall ‘healthy’ athlete in successful competition.
5. Athletes’ Characteristics
According to research, differences exist between young boys and girls within the specific age group as to the chronological (birth year) versus the developmental age. It is, therefore, fundamental to understand such variance in order to design the appropriate and fitting program, correct physical preparation, conditioning program, appropriate fitness exercises (safety and injury prevention), and applicable training methods (frequency of training per week, duration of practice, volume, and intensity) in order to accommodate such differences. It is a common assumption that all children learn the same way or at the same rate. However, workout plans are frequently designed in identical patterns for all athletes in the given group, which makes for easier planning and implementation but is without considerations for developmental- gender- or learning differences.
For younger age groups (6-11), the recommendation by experts in physical literacy and LTD (Long-term Athlete Development) is to have children engage in various sports activities instead of specializing at an early age. Given the current statistics that 73% of children drop out of sport or burn out by age 11-12 because it is ‘No longer FUN’ should awaken us that we are doing something wrong. Eric Ericson (1902-1994), a German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst was known for his theory on the psychological development of human beings and most famous for coining the phrase ‘identity crisis’ also coined the term ‘smorgasbord’ of physical activities (multitude of activities). I did not specialize in my training as an athlete until the age of 13 after engaging in gymnastics, dance, swimming, athletics, and the ‘Jahn Kampf’ competition (6 events with 2 categories selected from gymnastics, swimming, and athletics to accumulate points based on a performance scale)… in other words… all-round athletic development.
Reference: Schloder. M.E. (2018). Supplementary Lecture Notes. NCCP Modules Teaching & Learning; Developing Athletic Abilities.
Likewise, it is important to be or become familiar with- and understand the characteristics of growth and development for each specific age group. Several main characteristics are identified for 10-11-year-olds (example below).
Guidelines for 10-11 Year-olds
General
Develops conscience, morality (right vs wrong), and values
May want to break free from the authority of adults and show a defiant attitude
May display a high competitive attitude – wants to be a good and competitive performer
Time devoted to general training and acquisition of a variety of skills and motor patterns should be greater than time spent training for a specific activity or preparing for- or in competition
Marked distinction between boys and girls begin to be visible, especially toward the end of this age period
Psycho-social
Usually very interested in group activities and creating strong links to new friends
Shows a high degree of loyalty to the group to which they belong
Expresses feelings easily
Boys and girls can be involved in the same activity together
Learning
Shows some ability to deal with abstract concepts but prefers concrete examples
Capacity to concentrate and stay focused for longer periods increases
Possible to start teaching few specialized techniques as well as fundamental tactical principles and concepts
Physical
Strength and endurance gains are possible as a result of fitness training but improvement are directly related to growth
Very little potential for increased muscle mass
Strength gains result primarily from increased coordination and neural factors
Flexibility improves but should also be trained
Reaction time is relatively slow, but has good visual acuity and depth perception
Allow for better performance in throwing/catching exercises
Sweating mechanism is not well developed, which reduces the capacity to dissipate heat during exercises compared to adults; increased risk for heat injuries (exercises on land, soccer, etc.)
In girls, second half of this period marks the beginning of a major growth spurt lasting approximately 3.5 years
Menstruation may start between 10.4 and 11 years for some girls
Their Preferences:
Learning skills and looking for improvement
FUN Activities; activities requiring some effort; activities with some competition and physical challenge
What to Avoid:
Specialization in any sport
Emphasis on winning and pressure to perform
Mechanical and/or highly repetitive approach to teaching fundamental techniques
Repetition or all-out effort lasting between 20-60 seconds
Prolonged aerobic endurance
Working against high resistance
Repetitive activities
Activities with too much structure
Activities with repeated impact with the risk of collision
Use of balls or implements in technical skills not designed for children
Exposure to extreme heat or cold
Suggestions:
Participation in several sports vs early specialization
Adapt rules to encourage a high degree of interaction between and involvement of participants to increase the probability of success during activity
Modified scaled-down equipment should be used
Instruction and demonstrations should be highly specific, simple, and aimed at achieving a well-defined objective
Duration of activities should be relatively short, and exercises should change frequently
Time percentage, when participants are actively involved in exercises/activities during the training session, should be as high as possible*
Children need to be praised and complimented, as needed, and regularly
Feedback should focus on one point only – select the most important
Emphasize the development of confidence, self-esteem, peer interaction, cooperation, having FUN, putting winning and losing in perspective, giving 100% effort
* Activity time in the training session should be about 80% whereas the remaining 20% are spent on instruction or organization (setting up more equipment, changing sides in the field, changing pool lanes, etc.)
References:
Bailey, R. (2018, January 21). How to make coaching a true profession. Presentation, International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education, PGA Youth and Global Summit.
Bingham, B., & Klatt, R. (1994, February-April). Dryland training: Offer your athletes more than lap swimming. Swimming Technique, 30(4), 18-20.
Frankl, V.E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to Logotherapy. Boston, MA: Beacon.
Hamilton, A. (2021, January 1). The best is yet to come. Peak Performance Bulletin. Guildford, England, UK: Green Star Publishing. Peak Endurance Sport.
Jirásek, I. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and sport: From religio athletae toward spiritus athletae. Quest, 67(3), 290-299. Online, August 20 2015.
Jirásek, I. (2013). Verticality as non-religious spirituality. Implicit Religion, 16(2), 191–201. doi:10.1558/imre.v16i2.191
Mishra, R.C. (207) Teaching styles. New Delhi, India: S.P. Nangia. A P H Publishing.
Mosston, M., & Ashworth, S. (2008). Teaching physical education. First Online edition, 2008.
Mosston, M., & Ashworth, S. (2002). Teaching physical education (5th ed.). San Francisco, CA: B. Cummings publisher, Division of Pearson.
Mosston, M., & Ashworth, S. (1986). Teaching physical education (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing.
O’Sullivan, J. (2018, March 22). How to make coaching a true profession? Bend, OR. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from Blog. Football Tollbox.net and https://footballtoolbox.net/how-to-make-coaching-a-true-profession.
Schloder, M.E (2018). Supplementary Lecture Notes. Modules: Planning a Practice. Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Coaching Ass. National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Schloder, M.E (2018). Supplementary Lecture Notes. Modules: Teaching & Learning. Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Coaching Ass. National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
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