Top 20 tips for successful coaching

The question is: How will you be remembered as a coach by your athletes? Will it be as a coach that screamed and yelled while sending them on lap after lap of the oval, or a coach who was supportive and committed to their development?

The following tips provide some direction for coaches to increase their chance of having the greatest impact possible on their junior athletes.

1. Are you really ready?

   You may think you are ready to coach but are you REALLY ready to coach?

   Coaching is so much more than just turning up and letting your athletes run around for an hour. As a coach you must be ready to deliver training sessions and game days that reflect the needs of the athletes. If you're not asking yourself "what is the best thing I can do for my athletes?" then maybe you're not ready to coach at the moment. 

2. Ask yourself "Why am I coaching?".

   This is the start to developing and understanding your personal coaching philosophy. Knowing the answer will allow you to be consistent in the way you deliver your coaching.

   Are you a coach who wants to develop the skills of young people and ensure they enjoy participating in sport? Or are you more the "I want to win" type of coach? Both thoughts are fine, although the type of team you should coach may differ. If you are an "I want to win" type coach then maybe the under-8s aren't for you!

3. Know your athletes.

   Ask your athletes: "why are you playing this sport?" and "what do you want to achieve this season?". You will probably be surprised by the answers.

   It is essential that you as the coach feel comfortable in addressing the needs and goals of the team.

   If they are a group of athletes wanting to socialise with their friends and enjoy themselves but you are a win at all costs type of coach then you are in for a VERY long season.

4. Become accredited.

   Becoming an accredited coach will provide you with the skills and the confidence to enjoy the season and make a significant positive impact on your athletes. The Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) conducts a beginning and advanced General Principles courses for coaches. Contact your relevant association for information regarding sport-specific courses.

5. Maintain your accreditation and update your knowledge.

   Coaching is ever-changing. It is essential that you continue to update your knowledge by maintaining your accreditation and attending regular training courses.

   DSR delivers generic coaching courses and seminars. Go to www.dsr.wa.gov.au for more information on making the coaching experience a positive and powerful one.

   If you would like to be notified of upcoming courses contact the department's Coaching Consultant by emailing info@dsr.wa.gov.au or phoning 9492 9700 to be placed on the coaches' database.

6. Be familiar with your sport's 'Codes of Behaviour'.

   Your specific sport should have developed 'Codes of Behaviour' for its coaches. These provide a set of guidelines that when followed will provide a safe and positive environment for athletes to participate in. If your sport doesn't have 'Codes of Behaviour', then visit www.dsr.wa.gov.au for a generic set.

7. Child protection.

   There is nothing more important than the safety of our children.

   The Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 was implemented in Western Australia on 1 January 2006. The aim of the Act is to deter and prevent people who may harm our children from obtaining positions of trust within organisations. The Act introduces compulsory criminal record checking to ensure a consistent and high standard of checking of persons in child-related work.

   Work is classed as 'child-related work' if the usual duties of the work involve, or are likely to involve, contact with a child.

   'Contact' includes any of the following:

   • Physical contact.
   • Verbal communication, whether face-to-face, by telephone or in another form.
   • Written or electronic communication.
   Contact with a coach easily fits into all three types. To find out if you or your coaches are required to complete the working with children process, or for more information, visit www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au or www.dsr.wa.gov.au and download 'Fact sheet 11'.

   There are some exemptions to the checks, including parents that coach at the same club as their child or for volunteers under the age of 18.

8. Involve your parents

   It is essential to involve parents from the outset to increase the chance that they will provide assistance throughout the season. This assistance could come in the form of help during your coaching sessions and game day or simply as support of your positive philosophies.

   From the very outset:

   • encourage any help and support they are willing to provide;
   • call a meeting to explain your coaching philosophy and expectations for the season;
   • encourage parents to support this philosophy and expectation;
   • encourage them to positively encourage their children
   • demonstrate that you are prepared to listen to their concerns and issues; and
   • highlight that the development of their child is a team effort.

    

9. Be as patient as a saint.

   Whether you are coaching the under-8s or the under-21s, all coaches require patience. Guiding a group of athletes through the development of skills is at the best of times challenging. However, it can also be very rewarding.

   If you feel your patience wearing thin, just stop, take a breath, rethink the situation and then either continue or try another tack.

   If this is an ongoing issue for you, find an experienced coach that can provide you with a few more tips.

10. Respect players, officials, coaches and spectators.

    The successful delivery of sport is a group effort. Coaches are very public role models. They must always be seen to be respectful in their conduct with players, spectators, officials and other coaches.

11. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

    Even the most experienced coach needs to plan. Planning increases the chance that the session will run smoothly and effectively. It also increases the chance that sessions will be sequential throughout the season.

12. Maximum participation.

    If athletes are going to improve then they have to practice ... a lot.

    Introducing practices and activities that involve small groups and lots of equipment assists in helping athletes develop skills and strategies more quickly. Time spent waiting in long lines is time wasted.

13. Keep on improving!

    Improving as a coach is more than just attending courses and becoming accredited. Self-evaluation is an essential skill. Following coaching sessions ask yourself:

    • What were some of the good things I did during the session?
    • What are some things I can improve on?
    • What did my athletes achieve?
    The answers to these questions will guide you to make adjustments to your coaching.

     

    Also, look to be mentored by another experienced coach. Asking more experienced coaches to watch your sessions and provide feedback is a very powerful way to continue your improvement.

14. Be inclusive.

    If you have ever coached you know that the difference in skill levels within your team can be significant. An inclusive coach is one that adapts and modifies activities and games to ensure that the greatest opportunity is given for all athletes to participate regardless of their age, gender, disability, skill level or ethnic background. Contact the Inclusion Officer at DSR on 9492 9700 or visit www.dsr.wa.gov.au for advice and information on workshops that can help you to become more inclusive.

15. Set boundaries.

    One of the greatest fears we find with beginning coaches is the concern that they won't be able to 'control' their athletes in an environment without walls. One of the ways to overcome this is to ensure you set boundaries for your athletes to work within.

    Where appropriate, use field or court markings or coaching markers to indicate the area you would like athletes to complete the activities within. Just doing this simple task will make your coaching sessions so much easier to control.

16. Observe and demonstrate more.

    Coaches love to talk. However, there is usually a lot of time when they need to stand back, let their athletes practice and just observe what is going on.

    What should you be observing?

    • Look for ways to increase participation within the group.
    • Are there any faults with the activity or technique as indicated by the struggle of athletes?
    • Is one particular athlete struggling that needs your help?
    • Are athletes following the instructions you gave them or do you need to repeat the explanation?

    There are also times when athletes need to focus on their practice in peace and quiet.

    Remember that over 60 per cent of any message comes from body language. Make your actions match your words and where possible show things rather than explaining them.

    When you are ready to explain a drill, skill or tactic, try to demonstrate it rather than just talk it through. It will usually be faster to do and there is a much better chance your athletes will understand what is required.

    Keep the coaching points to a minimum. Athletes usually only remember one to three points. After that you are wasting your breath.

    While you are at it, remember to listen. Athletes can provide a huge amount of information on how effective your coaching is.

17. Provide feedback in a sandwich.

    It has been said that feedback is the breakfast of champions and breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There are ways to deliver your feedback so it is more effective for your athletes.

    When providing feedback to your athletes, use the 'sandwich' approach.

    Layer the corrective feedback with a positive comment either side. For example, "That is great body position, make sure you extend your arm after you have shot, keep up the effort".

    The athlete now has useful information and they feel good about their efforts.

18. What risk?

    It is essential that a coach provides a safe environment for their athletes to train and compete in.

    At the beginning of the session, check the area you will be training in. Look for anything that may cause an injury (e.g. rocks, glass, unprotected goal posts, fences etc.).

    Also, ensure that the drills/games you deliver are safe.

    Ensure protective equipment is used (shinguards, mouthguards etc.).

    During the session, keep the area clear of loose equipment that players may trip on.

19. Know your first aid or know someone who does.

    As a coach, there wouldn't be a situation much worse than when one of your players is injured and you have no idea what to do.

    Gain knowledge about dealing with first aid situations or ensure that there is always someone present that does.

    At the very least, ensure there is a basic first aid (including ice) available at all training sessions and games.

    Contact Sport Medicine Australia (WA Branch) on 9285 8033 or www.smawa.asn.au for more information about training opportunities.

20. Know you are doing a great service.

    Sometimes coaching can be hard.

    There may be times when you just want to walk away because things aren't happening the way you want them to.

    Hold on and remember that despite it all, if you have followed steps 1-19, you are making a significant, positive, long-term impact on your athletes.

    In the end, when you reflect on the season, the good times will far outweigh the bad.

Resources

Beginning coaching course

This is a nationally-recognised course, allowing the beginning coach to gain some specific coaching skills.

It can be completed online (for free) at https://learning.ausport.gov.au or by attending a course run by DSR.

Visit www.dsr.wa.gov.au for further information and application forms.

Library

DSR has a library open to coaches. Please contact the library before coming in.

Websites

Go to the coaching section of www.ausport.gov.au for a mountain of tips and tool for coaches.

Visit www.dsr.wa.gov.au for the latest in coaching information and training opportunities. This site also has all the contact details of sporting associations in WA.

You can also sign up to the Industry Training and Development e-newsletter, which outlines all coach education opportunities and personal development offered by DSR.