Introduction
In sports, coaching has been fundamental tool managers use to enhance the development of team members. Each coach has given principles and ethics they utilize to achieve the desired outcome. Before commencing the training practices, the experienced must identify key areas that require improvement. Upon identifying the personal needs of a player, the manager formulates the most appropriate techniques that will enable the respective players to gain the necessary professional development. Since teams consist of many individuals, the coaches usually employ various coaching styles, which include democratic, autocratic, and holistic, based on the objective intended to be achieved. Despite the number of players in the team, sports managers ensure each person is respected and treated with the utmost respect. The aim is to make sure the possible ego of the coach remains invisible and the interest of the players is met. The aspect of coaching is an all-around practice that requires the leaders to have different abilities, including motivating, advising, analyzing, and coordinating relevant training programs to meet the development needs of all players in the team.
My Experience with Rugby Team Coaches
At the age of 15 when I was in grade 10, I developed an interest in playing rugby. The school head coach was one of the educators with whom I interacted frequently during class lessons. Following my physical fitness and the urge to enroll in the team, I applied for the chance to join division three of the rugby team. During this time, I had limited skills and competencies required to be an excellent player. In the category, several other individuals did not have the relevant abilities as well. The school had three coaches responsible for the training and development of each of the teams. After some duration and subsequent tests, I managed to break through to division two and then to the main team where I became one of the recognized players. The success of the processes was significantly influenced by the various head coaches. They undertook different roles and commitments to ensure they impart relevant skills to enhance the professional growth of each player. The managers used various coaching techniques that allowed the development to be easier and more achievable.
Coaching Process
Since coaching entails a series of events, the leaders ensure that the players derive maximum professional development to enhance their practices. Generally, it was the duty of the head coach to ensure all the multi-disciplinary approaches are utilized together to facilitate effective engagement. Before setting the goals and objectives for the team, the frontrunner used to take a close observation of each player, especially during training sessions (Sullivan et al., 2021). Afterward, the individual team member was contacted by the trainers to discuss the possible areas that require immediate adjustments. The coaching process was deeply dependent on the philosophy and coaching ethics used in the team.
Coaching Philosophy
The team’s head coach had an outstanding coaching philosophy that applied to the whole training program. According to the manager’s idea, he believed that knowledge and skills are transferable from one person to the other (Cahill, 2022). Based on this perspective, the frontrunner maintained that through effective coaching practices, using appropriate and reliable approaches each player has the potential to improve their talents in sports. Furthermore, the manager acknowledged that through playing games, there is strong character development and confidence which is essential for the growth of an individual. The key components of the philosophy included the objective, the technique used to coach players, and the principles applied.
Before commencing the training session, the coach used to come up with an already prepared objective that the team must aim towards. The trainer first communicates his purpose and expectations once the practice is over. To warrant that the training program is conducted effectively, the manager ensures the atmosphere is positive and accommodating for all the players and the support staff. The approach proved effective because each team member understood the primary reason for the coaching exercise, and thus they worked accordingly towards achieving them. For instance, when engaging in physical activities, the coach always alerted players before preparing them psychologically. The technique proved vital in developing the required attitude for participating in the game. Therefore, it was important to set a clear objective and make it known to the players to facilitate their concentration and commitment to professional development.
To have an effective coaching process, several principles must be applied to facilitate engagement. By definition, sports coaching is known as the training that focuses on individual improvement and that of the whole team members while considering both specific and general performances. Some key principles the rugby coach applies are an emphasis on behaviors, proper order during the training session, rapid correction and instructions, provision of immediate feedback, and use of questions and clarifications. While relying heavily on the stated values, the manager made it easier to handle any possible challenge that could occur to team members. Players as well adapted to the approach, which further simplified the process and created harmony and deep understanding amongst the trainees and the staff members.
Coaching Ethics
Sports attract the interest of individuals from different cultural backgrounds and have varied perspectives. To coordinate and maintain an effective team, coaching morals is a necessary tool. During my time with the school rugby team, the head coach was always applauded, following the respect he accorded the players and the supporting staff. The manager understood that people have different values and beliefs. Furthermore, he considered role differences, ethnicity, age, language, sexual orientation, origin, and socioeconomic status to ensure each player is not treated differently from the others based on attributes (Sabzi et al., 2022). The team reported no case of prejudice and immoral conduct portrayed by the head coach and the assistant. He valued the rights and dignity of all participants, which made the training environment welcoming and accommodating for the various players. In addition, the management set several rules that guide participants’ behaviors in and out of the training sessions. Most of the time, the team was encouraged to respect and uphold practices that embrace moral conduct. For instance, performers were frequently advised to take responsibility, remain fair and apply integrity in every situation they might encounter.
My Experience as a Sports Coach
I have been involved in coaching activities engaging people from different groups, ages, clubs, and gender. I have been exposed to the practice for a couple of years, leading to significant experience in the field. Currently, I am training girls below the age of 16 years to touch rugby and contact rugby as well. In addition, I am the chief instructor for Kids Outdoor Adventure Company, where I coach boys and girls between the ages of 6 to 12 years. Furthermore, I am a certified personal trainer and a CrossFit coach. The mentioned involvements have given me relevant encounters in coaching practices. Since I have been dealing with different individuals, I opted to use the long-term athlete development model as a tool to enhance the ability to improve specific and general improvements among the groups I train.
Long-Term Athlete Development
The long-term athlete development (LTAD) model is a framework created to enhance the quality of physical activity in sports and to allow the players to fully realize their potential and possible ways of exploring them effectively. Coaching is a dynamic program that requires the coach to constantly keep formulating and implementing new training methods that best suit the needs of the performers being trained (Costa et al., 2021). To ensure all my players in their respective groups attain their potential, I employed the LTAD approach to establish the required solution. By definition, LTAD is a properly planned and progressive system that assists in developing individual players. The tool is essential, especially for coaching juniors who are still undergoing various body developments. I used the LTAD to know what to do at any stage of performers’ advancement to enhance their engagement in healthy physical activities. It further provides solutions for handling the players with the talent and drives to succeed in games.
In general, LTAD aims to provide what seems best for the team throughout the training period. It promotes a positive experience for the participants, limiting possible shortcomings that might hinder the engagement of players in physical activities. I adopted the use of the LTAD model because it is applicable in all stages, right from childhood to adulthood. Being that I am dealing with teenagers and some adults, the system provides a proper approach to handling each group effectively. The LTAD framework has seven critical stages that give the coach a platform to guide the training, participation, and recovery process during the involvement (Costa et al., 2021). LTAD is useful since it recognizes involvement and performance-oriented tracks in sports. In addition, the model encompasses fun-based physical literacy necessary for teams aged between 6 to 12 years. The key phases that are making coaching practices include active start, fundamentals, learn to train, train to train, train to compete, training to win, and active for life.
Before applying the LTAD model, as a coach, I considered several factors to ensure that participation, training, and competition were successful. The aspects include physical literacy, specialization, trainability, age, emotional development, periodization, competition, system alignment, excellent task time, and continuous improvement. Each of the mentioned elements significantly benefits the participants and ensures they advance their specific and general physical, intellectual, and mental development.
Periodization Planning
When conducting training activities, I have depended on periodization planning to ensure I deliver the services on time. Since the coaching process entails different activities, it is important to structure and formulates the right period for each training exercise. In most cases, I break the coaching activities into components to be done in sessions, days, and weeks. The approach enables me to be situation specific whereby I bring the required training to enhance the necessary improvement in the team.
Goal Setting
Generally, the participants have different abilities and potentials in the team. To ensure all the performers are engaged and improve their professional development, I create objectives that cover process, performance, and outcome. This is because coaching is a sequential program geared towards unlocking the potential of each player in the team (Cronin et al., 2022). When making developing the goals, I ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. The technique has made it easier to impart new skills to the participants in an effective manner.
Coaching Roles and Responsibilities
Coaching is an involving practice that comes with several responsibilities to be performed. Generally, team managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and providing different sports programs to enhance the physical fitness of the team members (Cho et al., 2021). Some of the key roles I play include teaching performers various relevant skills to enhance their abilities in rugby. Similarly, I train different tactics and techniques that players can use during competition. Apart from focusing on physical development, I frequently monitor and promote the overall performance by encouraging the individual participant and issuing positive feedback. In addition, I evaluate and identify the strengths and weaknesses of team members to plan for needed adjustments. Since health is a concern when it comes to sports, I advise the performers and their parents on ways to maintain a good lifestyle throughout their life. Other activities are creating appropriate training programs that suit the demands of players and other support staff.
Coaching Styles
As a coach, the most fundamental aspect of coaching is the style being used. When the approach is ineffective, the overall outcome of the involvement will be insignificant. It is necessary to apply the style that best tackles various cultures and behaviors that might prevent the development of each player (Samson & Bakinde, 2021). I have been using the democratic style to enhance the training of teams. The technique is aimed at making the athletes contribute to every aspect of the training program (Kim et al., 2021). Since I deal with people from different age groups, I usually apply the method to individuals aged 12 and above because they understand what is appropriate for them. The coaching technique enables performers to focus on the objectives outlined by the training program which is essential for their physical development.
Teaching Skills
Coaching a team focuses on skill development and each performer is required to gain the necessary abilities that improve their talents. I subject the players to six levels of training to enhance their competencies in sports. Initially, the player learns the relevant skill by engaging in the learning process (Newman et al., 2021). It is then followed by the aspect of skill mastery through a continuous repeat of the technique. The third phase encompasses adding speed to the already known skill to enhance faster execution. The next step is adding fatigue to enable the participants to understand the impact of tiredness on their accuracy and quality. The fifth stage involves adding pressure to make sure the player can apply their abilities when under pressure. The last level entails decision-making; the performer must be able to make the right decision fast during the execution process.
Conclusion
Coaching is an effective process that allows coaches to teach the players relevant skills to enhance their professional development. It is fundamental for the trainers to understand the needs of each performer before planning and structuring the required training programs. Coaching philosophies and the whole process is vital in ensuring the expected outcome is achieved. By applying the LTAD model, it is easier for the coach to provide proper training for the participants while considering various factors such as age, trainability, and physical literacy. In addition, the coaching style promotes the ability of trainees to execute the instructions. The democratic approach has proved player-centered thus making them remain active.
References
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