Understanding sport coaching

1. Understanding Sport Coaching
Unit 2 Physical Education

2. Roles & Responsibilities of a Sport Coach
• Responsible for training an athlete or team
• Enable the athlete to achieve levels of
performance that may not otherwise be
possible
• Considers both physical and mental
preparation

4. Styles of Coaching
Coaches need to be able to apply their style/
method to changing situations. Coaches often
combine these most common styles:
• Authoritarian or Autocratic
• Casual
• Democratic or Cooperative
• Personable or Friendly
• Delegatory

5. Authoritarian or Autocratic Style
• Strict and firm
• Demand discipline
• Make decisions without player input
• Severe on poor performance
• Don’t explain why something is being done
• Focus on winning
• Development of team unity (when successful)
• May turn off sensitive/”deep thinking” athletes

6. Democratic or Cooperative Coaches
• Athlete centred
• Shared decision making
• Flexibility
• Develop trust & respect
• May be seen as weak or
athletes may exploit
freedom

7. Casual Style
• Relaxed, almost detached from athlete
• Loosely organised, may lack planning
• Act like a consultant
• Helps when advice is sought by athlete
• Highly motivated athletes may want more
structure
• Some athletes may feel empowered and gain
independence

8. Personable or Friendly Style
• Friendly and
approachable
• Good athlete rapport
• Issues dealt with
diplomatically
• Openness may be
exploited by athlete

9. Delegatory Style
• Use a group of experts
under a head coach
• Expensive
• Often at the elite level
• Head coach is manager &
oversees program
• Requires excellent
communication

11. Activity
• List one coach whom you know, have been
coached by or have seen on television that fits
the mould for each of the coaching styles.
• Describe why that person fits the mould for
each coaching style.
• What style of coach or combination of styles of
coach are you? OR would you be?

12. Skills & Characteristics of a Coach

14. Activity
• Provide a practical example of a coach
addressing the issue of risk management at
their club or team.
• Why is it important to have behavioural
standards for coaches?
• You are the coach of an under-10 basketball
team. A parent of a team member continually
abuses their child and the umpires. How would
you approach this situation?

15. Communication
• Should use both verbal & non-
verbal
• Clear & concise
• Explanations & demonstrations
• Listen to what the athlete is
saying
• Ensure there is a positive
environment where there is
mutual respect
• Have a sense of humour

16. Experience & Qualifications
• Understands training principles and methods
including periodisation
• Apply sports psychology
• Knowledge of rules, skills, strategies and
techniques
• Keep statistics/key data
• Follow national sport pathways/accreditation
schemes

18. Skills & Characteristics of Coach
• Cater for individual differences:
– Age
– Preferred learning style
– Ability & stage of learning
– Level of competition
– Motivation and goals
• Organisational skills
• Observation & Performance
Analysis
• Ability to improve performance

19. Leadership
• Effective communication
• Cater for individual
differences
• Patience and persistence
• Ability to motivate
• Integrity
• Model appropriate
behaviour

20. Team Culture
• Values and structures that are accepted by
group members
– Attendance and punctuality
– On & off-field behaviour
– Dress code
– Selection procedures
– Leadership structure
– Training procedures
– Pre & post-game protocols

21. Activity
• What do you think makes a good coach?
• Are coaches born leaders or can they develop
their leadership skills?
• How important are tactics in the following
game settings: An U12 netball match, and U18
basketball match at the national
championships and a Twenty20 international
cricket match? Explain your response.

22. Performance Analysis
• Collecting statistical
information from the
game
– Quantitative- frequency of
particular skills, speed etc.
– Qualitative- effectiveness
of disposals, execution of
skills
• Provided before, during
and after the game

23. Performance Analysis
• Considers:
– Energy system requirements
– Movement patterns, type and
direction
– Muscle groups & actions
– Work : Rest ratios
– Skill requirements
– Team strategies
– Opponents strengths and
weaknesses
– Biomechanical techniques
– Intensity of movement