COACHING OFFERS SPORTING CHANCE OF GREAT REWARDS
Local clubs are crying out for people with passion, time to spare, and desire to help others achieve their dreams
COACHING is not for everyone, but the rewards are incredible.
If you are involved with a high-pressure team sport, the expectation is huge. Win or be replaced seems to be the result of many board discussions. Presently, we see a lot of this taking place within the national leagues, particularly rugby league and AFL.
Whether at the grassroots junior team level or an elite international level, the role doesn’t change – it is the level of expected performance that varies.
Coaching track and field is unique due to the varying disciplines and the many different running distances – from 100m to 10,000m – on the track, then you have hurdles and steeplechase plus the four different jumps (long, triple, high and pole vault) and the throws (shot, discus, javelin and hammer). I must admit, it is not the easiest of sports to coach, but find your niche and you can create a wonderful training squad.
At this time of the year, particularly in track and field where young athletes have been successful in school or regional competition, they now have about four to five weeks until state championships. The parents want their children to do well, so coaches are contacted to help them improve.
With this in mind, the Gold Coast Academy of Sport recently conducted a full-day athletics program for athletes and coaches while also delivering a coaching seminar for high jump on the Coast.
High jump in particular seems to be an event in which technique really does affect performance. Having said that, in track and field, it is the only event you fail at in order to win – you continue to jump higher and higher until you can’t clear the height and then the event is over.
Paul Cleary, an international athlete in triple jump has now turned his hand to coaching high jump, with two athletes in international teams this year for the World U20 and World open championships. He came to the Gold Coast to share his knowledge and skills.
As coaches, we want to learn more because we want to impart knowledge and help others achieve their goals. It was obvious after the end of the coaching seminar that there was a need for more opportunities for coaches to network, share ideas and observe others coaching athletes.
We all learn in different ways and it is important for the coach to understand the best way an athlete in their care learns best.
The Academy also held training sessions for long jump, hurdles, shot put, javelin, triple jump and sprints, which proved to be popular.
A coach is responsible for the beginning athlete to develop a correct image and feel of any technique of an event. In high jump, there needs to be a good understanding of effective takeoff, bar clearance and landing techniques, combined with an efficient co-ordination of the run-up and takeoff.
It is great for the young athlete to learn by seeing slowmotion films and videos, photos and drawings of their own and others’ performances.
It is also important for the coach to see what method of learning best suits the individual athlete, as some learn best by talking while others learn best by seeing and feeling.
There seems to be so much pressure today for young athletes to do the “Fosbury flop”, because if they don’t do it, they won’t win. Having said this, there may be an element of truth because when doing the flop, if performed technically well, an athlete can clear higher than others doing scissors.
If anyone is interested in being involved in these coaching development days in the future, please contact us and we will add you to our list of future participants for seminars.
Throughout the year, the Academy has had discussions with many different sports regarding potential development programs. So many sporting bodies advise us they lack coaches. What can we, the general public do, to help?
If you are reading this and would like to contribute to the development of young athletes, then contact a local sporting club of interest to you. All you need is some time, positivity, patience, communication skills and enthusiasm. Hopefully, once you connect with the sporting club of your choice, and if you would like to coach, the club will help you attain some form of coaching accreditation.
One sport I recently spoke to someone about is handball, which is similar to Gaelic, Welsh and American handball, and has been played for many years in Australia.
It is a sport in the Olympics in which a player may stop, catch, throw, bounce or strike the ball in any manner and in any direction, using hands, fists, arms, head, body, thighs or knees. A player though, may not intentionally touch the ball with any part of the body below the knee. The ball is almost always played at with the hands. Do you want to play or give it a go? Contact the Academy for more information about this sport that is screaming for help.
There are many benefits of becoming a coach, including:
• Developing different skills;
• Channelling your enthusi
asm to something meaningful;
• Engaging, building and developing lasting relationships with athletes and families;
• Realising a lifelong goal of achieving some form of leadership and guidance for others;
• Helping someone achieve excellence.
I can only speak from experience. I have gone from an international athlete to a coach who has helped others succeed and achieve goals, and encouraged them to dream bigger. The relationship between myself and my athletes has become stronger, communication channels have been opened more and the dream of further international representation is now palpable.
I can only encourage people to look inside themselves and give to others – share your excitement. You can start at the grassroot level and build your knowledge, skills and commitment.