SPORT SCIENCE

LEVEL 1

M0DULE 10
COACHING SKILLS
COMPETENCY

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COACHING SKILLS
INTRODUCTION
One of the most important responsibilities of a Level 1 coach is the skill of teaching . This is
not an easy task because, playing the game is what players want to do, and not to listen and
learn skills. The good coach must try to make skill learning interesting, do not spend too
much time on it, and get them to play and have fun. And there you have the problem, you
can only enjoy the sport and have fun, if you have some skill.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED TO BECOME

A SUCCESSFUL COACH
1. Analytical ability. The ability to identify and solve problems that players
experience in the performance of a skill
2. All coaches must be effective communicators, especially in explaining how
to perform a skill and when providing feedback
3. Possess good observational skills especially capable in noticing small
details that may be useful in correcting performance
4. Possess effective leadership skills, know when to give praise and how to
set goals, standards and expectations
5. Capable of critical thinking (not jumping to conclusions)
6. Know their sport

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 7. Feedback (feedback is the information learners receive about their performance.
They must have this information if they are to improve their skill level).

8. Additionally, the coach should:

• Observe participants carefully
• Put observations into words or actions
• Talk to participants
• Focus on individuals
• Praise good performance and enthusiasm

OBJECTIVES
1. The coach would know open and closed skills in sports action.
2. The coach would understand the basics on how to teach open skills.
3. The coach would understand the basics on how to teach closed skills
TEACHING SPORTS SKILLS

1. All sports skills can be classified into two types, closed and open skills. Closed
skills are those skills performed under environmental conditions that are fixed, stable, or
do not change. Sports such as gymnastics, and diving, are closed skills. The goal of
these sports is to move (skill) in a certain way.

Open skills are those skills performed under conditions that change. You cannot predict
with any accuracy the movement (skill) you would be using. The movement is a means
to an end. Sports such as badminton, tennis, football, hockey, netball or most team
sports are open skills.

2. When teaching closed skills focus on teaching the movement or skill. example,
teach or get the learner to model his/her skill after the ideal or correct movement. For
example identify the correct dive, and teach the diver to model his/her dive after it.

3. For open skills, since there are so many skills related to the numerous changing
conditions, focus on teaching the conditions and allow the learner to think, plan and
implement his own movement.

In Badminton, (an open skill) focus on the:

Shuttlecock (flight, receiving, seeing prediction)

Racket (weight, control, hitting)
Dimensions of Court
Net
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 Opponents

4. All movement is goal directed. The goal directs movement or skill.

The goal must be clear.

The Coach must teach players to set goals in sport.

For example in the double serve in badminton, the goal is to hit the shuttlecock just over
the net (1 inch) so that it lands as close as possible to the service line. (Explain why in the
doubles play situation).

5. Planning, explaining and demonstrating is a seven-step process

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a. Writing down why the skill (closed) or conditions (open) are important.
b. Choose 2 to 5 teaching points.
c. Decide whether a teaching aid would help.
d. Choosing an effective formation.
e. Deciding what view or views participants should see.
f. Deciding who will demonstrate.
g. Asking participants whether they have any questions.

LEARNING SPORTS SKILLS (THE BASICS OF MOTOR LEARNING)

• Neuro-motor patterns, conscious to sub-conscious control of performance

• The learning curve

• Practice strategies, massed vs distributed practice, skill components -part vs whole

• Fatigue, inhibition (physical & psychological)

• Reinforcement, the drive to skill mastery (motivation)

• Transfer of learning and skill specificity

• Simple vs complex skills, combining skills

• Learning & maturation, age & readiness to learn

QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the concept of “all movement is goal directed” as it applies to your sport.

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 2. How can you improve your ability to provide successful demonstrations and provide
feedback?

3. Discuss the concept “ in teaching open skills, focus on the conditions” and give
specific examples related to your sport.

4. Discuss the relationship between learning the skills in a sport and the concept of
having fun playing the sport.

5. With reference to a skill of your choice, discuss how you would conduct a part vs
whole practice session and, a massed vs distributed practice session.

ORGANIZING PRACTICE SESSIONS

INTRODUCTION
The term practice session refers to the time players spend with the coach. The reasons why
pupils come to these sessions could differ from that of the coach. A coach should look at his
reasons and those of players and organize practice sessions to meet both needs. This
lesson will help the coach organize these practice sessions effectively.

OBJECTIVES.
1. The coach should understand the basic components of practice sessions.

CONTENT
1. General Points
1.1 A practice session is organized so that players can learn new skills or practice
other skills and requirements.

• Physical preparation or conditionings where aerobic and anaerobic workouts,

strength, muscle endurance and flexibility related to the specific sports are
developed.
• Technical preparation on the learning and refining of skills.

• Tactical preparation the strategies or tactics of the sport.

• Psychological preparation the psychological factors such as anxiety,

motivation and mental training.

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 Each practice session should focus on one or more of the 4 mentioned
areas. At this level much more emphasis would be given to the technical and
physical preparation. Besides this each session should begin with a warm-up
session and end with cooling down period.

1.2 Each coaching session should be organized as a result of the previous coaching
session and seen as part of a series of sessions, i.e. a session series of 6 weeks of
coaching sessions should show progression.

1.3 During each session stand back and try to assess: what is going well? what is going
badly? what is needed for next time?
1.4 Make notes as re the above as soon as possible after the session.
1.5 Spend time preparing your session and focus your thoughts on 4 areas:
What are the possible areas of danger? (Safety)
Why are groups there? (Motivation)
What, if anything, will they want to learn? (Learning goals)
How can the session go smoothly? (Organization)
1.6 If your are coaching a group just learning to play the sport then your first several
practice sessions will focus more on skill learning, rules of play, etc. Each session
ending in some playtime. As the session progresses practice session will lengthen.
1.7 Make sure you have appropriate equipment for the session.
End a coaching session with some playtime to utilize what the coaching session
was about.
2. Safety.
This must be recognized first. Certain sports are so obviously dangerous that clearly
defined procedures are laid down in training and coaching. These determine how you
organize a class and plan a session. It is vital that you follow the recommendations of the
governing body for the sport.
Additionally, Risk Management and safety of the participants is a primary concern and
responsibility of the coach. Safety means being able to FORESEE and remove
physical dangers, hazards, obstructions, etc, and inappropriate behaviors.

3. Motivation
Adjust your approach to suit the conditions. Be flexible. If the groups are there to play a
game, THEN THE GAME SHOULD BE PLAYED, Stopping the game to try to improve
their skills repeatedly disrupts the flow of the game that the players are enjoying.

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Your aim should be to keep participants enjoying the game. This is accomplished by not
being too controlling or militaristic as a coach. Do drills that participants can enjoy while
learning. Many skills are transferable
Your aim must be to keep participants coming to the session and encourage others to
come also.
4. Learning
Besides playing the game, participants must learn a new skill at each session. These
newly learnt skills should be reinforced when playing the game.
These goals should guide the session.

Since skill learning will form an important area of goals, the coach should realize that
teaching all skills would take a lot of time. Keep in mind the age of the groups and their
skill level. If a little imagination can be used then structuring activity can help, for
example you might shorten a soccer pitch to encourage more players to play
purposefully. You should recognize that a considerable amount of learning goes on
within game.

5. Organization
Time spent in planning for the session (written lesson plan) will make the problem of
controlling the group much easier. Try to keep the organization simple. Having decided
what needs to be done, think of how to do it efficiently. On many occasions a group will
need to be broken down into sub-groups of three or four. Think of simple games such
groups could play where the skill is utilized.

If certain individuals need to be in particular ability groups, work out the groups before
the session. You can avoid a lot of trouble by thinking about the position of the
equipment while planning the session and arriving early to set up the equipment.

6.Timing
One thing you can always do is start on time. Encourage the group to arrive early and be
changed ready to start on time. Try to give equal time to all participants regardless of
ability. Finish on time and leave the facility as you found it. All equipment must be
returned or stored in its proper place.

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QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the following concepts in relation to organizing a practice session in your
sport: safety, motivation, learning goals, organization.

2. What are your views on the concept, “to give time to all participants regardless of
ability”.

3. In what ways are the reasons for why a pupil comes to practice likely to differ from
those of a coach?

EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
INTRODUCTION
Players, who are better skilled, are more likely to enjoy playing the game. In teaching skill,
the coach has to organize session for players to practice these skills, similar to the concept
of practice, required in learning to drive a car. This lesson would help the coach understand
how to organize effective practices in teaching skill.

OBJECTIVE
1. The coach would understand the 7 basic principles for organizing effective practices,
in particular, to practice the skill in contest like conditions
2. Make practice sessions fun.

3. The coach should be able to apply these principles to her sport by giving specific
examples.

CONTENT
The following principles are important for making practice sessions more productive.

Principle1. Practice the Right Skill

One of the most common mistakes in designing practice experience is to have players
perform skills that do not help them learn the skill at hand. If you want to practice the service
in Badminton, then use a drill in serving badminton and not in tennis. What does running
through a series of the tires or ropes teach a hockey player?

Principle 2. Practice the skill in contest like conditions as soon as players can do so.
The more your drills simulate the competitive situation in which the skill will be used, the
more likely it is your players will be learning the right things.

Principle 3. Keep practices short and frequent when teaching new skills. When first
learning a skill, players are likely to make many mistakes and tire quickly. Therefore the skill
should be practiced frequently, but not for too long.
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In other words, when players must use considerable mental and physical effort to perform a
skill, practice should be interspersed with either a rest interval or practice of another skill that
uses different muscle groups and demands less effort.

Principle 4. Use practice time efficiently.

Here are some big practice time wasters and suggestions for improving use of time.

Time Wasters Suggestions

• Waiting to begin practices • Give instructions before session regarding
what to do.
• Spending time changing from drills or • Establish procedures as to what to do
activity.
• Roll Call • Individual’s sign in

• Coach talking too much • Be precise

• Too much
Principle 5. Make Optimal
time on drills Use • Play
of Fament. Have
and practice enough equipment on hand. Avoid having
the game
people waiting in lines to have a turn.
• Avoid long lineups to use the equipment • Have plenty of equipment: eg balls and put
or have a turn people in groups of 2,3 or 4 only

Principle 6. Make sure players experience a reasonable amount of success at each

practice.

Principle 7. Make Practice Fun. Use a variety of drills for teaching each skill.

QUESTIONS.
1. Discuss effective practices (example) in your sport.
2. How can you practice skill in contest like conditions? Use examples from your sport.

LESSON PLANNING
INTRODUCTION
Successful coaching requires you to think and plan carefully about what you want to do
during each session (lesson planning) and over a number of sessions (curriculum planning).
This lesson will help the coach understand the concept of rational planning in coaching
sessions.

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OBJECTIVES
1. The coach would understand the basic principle of rational curriculum planning,
based on 4 major questions.
2. The coach should understand time management, and its role in lesson planning.

CONTENT
Rational planning would require the coach to consider 4 basic questions.
1.1 What do I want players to know, do, or experience during the session? (Goals)
1.2 What should players and myself do, so that the goals are achieved? (Activity)
1.3 How should the Activity be organized? (Organization)
1.4 How will I know that the players have learnt? (Evaluation)

Answers to the above, would also be influenced by a number of important factors.

1.5 Safety. Planning must take safety of players into consideration. Remember to
analyze venue, equipment, buildings, etc. from the point of injury to players.
1.6 Players. Where players are at in terms of skill level, attitude, and motivation.
Fitness level is an important factor to consider.
Player goals, or reasons coming to the sessions should be considered.
1.7 Equipment available.
1.8 Time for each session.
1.9 The syllabus or sessions plan.

Time Management
Effective time management means that a major portion of the coaching session is given
to the implementation of the goals of the lesson i.e. player’s learning, practicing and
playing the sport.
Poor time management means that too much time is given to:
1) Waiting for something to happen
2) Giving information about organization and other areas not related to the goals of
the lesson.
3) Organizational problems.
4) Getting equipment and other such apparatus.
However, developing and using appropriate signals, for example, stopping or changing
activity, and ensuring that players know these signals, is a strategy that should be used.

Objectives should be clear, precise and achievable. Consider carefully the needs and
goals of players.

Content Activity Factors to be considered are the relationship of content and objective,

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 time available, needs of players and more.
When teaching skill, the coach should remember, that visual aids are just as effective
in learning as are words. The coach should select appropriate teaching aids and use
these when necessary.

Evaluation is a process of determining the extent to which the objectives have been
achieved.

A good coach is keen to determine the progress players are making after each
session and after a number of sessions. Before making judgments about player
progress in terms of the goals established, the coach has to collect suitable data
or information. Sometimes skill or field tests are necessary. At all times
systematic observations are necessary.

QUESTIONS
1. How would you integrate players and your own goals into planning a lesson?
2. How would you plan for the effective management of time?

Coaching Competency: Practical Session Guidelines

The ability to physically demonstrate and verbally communicate the requirements of

The sport / activity / exercise, skill etc.
Coaching competency parallels teaching competency in that it seeks to clarify and
analytically breakdown skills into teaching components to enhance student learning.

In addition to raising and discussing the various questions for each of the sections under the
coaching module, the following competency based tasks should be reviewed at the end of
the relevant sections. These tasks then provide the guidelines for the practical session.

Teaching/Coaching skill development

a. Give a short explanation for the (main) individual skills required in that sport

b. Be able to demonstrate properly the mechanics and technique of these skills

c. Create and/or implement an effective/appropriate drill to practice that skill

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 d. During observation and supervision of the drill, be able to provide the appropriate

feedback on the pupils performance of the skill

a. Corrective/Intervention feedback - be able to identify basic technique errors,

understand their cause and provide the adequate level of intervention through

verbal, demonstrative coaching strategies

b. Positive feedback for proper technique, attitude and motivation

e. Adapt the/a skill to a play or game situation for re-enforcement of technique in

combination with other components and more related to its context in actual play of

that sport or game (fun, fitness, teamwork, etc).

f. Identify how the above progressions would differ if taught to a group of 6-9 year olds

as compared to a group of 10-12 year olds or 13-15 year olds.

g. Demonstrate to the group examples of a skill that is strength based, power based,

endurance based or flexibility/Range of Motion based

Planning/Organizing the Practice Sessions

h. Identify potential hazardous situations in the practice and playing of that sport or

event. Choose one of these situations and be able to explain it to the pupils and

discuss the importance of it as a safety issue emphasizing how to avoid it.

i. Give a 5-minute talk on the technical (skill, tactics physical and mental)

components of your sport.

j. Discuss the importance for variety in training and give examples of how it can be

incorporated into the planning of your training sessions week to week.

Lesson Planning

k. Submit a coaching plan for an entire coaching session including,

a. Main objectives, goals

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 b. The main activities involved

i. Warm-ups, skills, fitness, fun, etc

c. How the activities will be organized

d. How will the session be evaluated for its effectiveness and suggestions given

for the outline of the next session

THE “SKILL DEVELOPMENT” COMPETENCY FLOW CHART

LEVEL ONE COACHING

I INCORPORATION
IN INTO PLAY

IDENTIFY
ASSESSMENT THE SKILL
OF COMPETENCY

DEMONSTRATE
COMMUNICATE THE SKILL
COACHING FEEDBACK

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Practice
T The skill
GUIDELINES

- INCORPORATION: The student is able to understand and perform a given skill with adequate
ability to use it with an adequate level of consistency and flow during play of the sport/event
- IDENTIFY: Communicate the basic technical, tactical, physical and mental components required
to be a successful player
- DEMONSTRATE: First and foremost, the coach must know how to PHYSICALLY PERFORM
the skill, not just verbally explain it . The 7-step process then follows. Video and other visual aids
can help
- PRACTICE: Develop, implement and supervise DRILLS THAT ARE PROGRESSIVE,
adaptable (for wide differences in age and ability), fun and challenging and that re-enforce the
teaching points from #3
- COMMUNICATE: Based on your observations, knowledge and experience provide feedback
regarding their performance of the skill. Be able to give both praise for re-enforcement of positive
movements and verbal, demonstrative and interventive feedback when corrective action is
required
- ASSESSMENT: be able to make a formal or informal assessment of the individual’s ability in
that skill as marked against a certain level or standard that is communicated to and understood by,
the student.
PRACTICAL SESSION – COACHING COMPETENCIES (3 HOURS)
PRACTICAL SESSION (3 HOURS)
Students are expected to be able to demonstrate a variety of competencies expected
of a Level 1 coach. The following list of coaching competencies provides a few
examples that students will be called upon to demonstrate before their peers.

1. Give a short explanation of a skill in your sport and then demonstrate the
correct performance of the skill
2. Create an appropriate group formation for practicing a skill
3. One on one, show how you would provide a pupil with verbal feedback for a
performed skill and then provide corrective information
4. Observe the performance of a skill and describe to the performer what
improvement is necessary
5. Select a skill and organize a play situation incorporating that skill
6. Identify a hazardous situation in a game and then inform your group how to
avoid it
7. Demonstrate to a group, two skills, one of which requires strength and the
other power. Explain the difference
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8. Put a group through a short aerobic workout and a short anaerobic workout.
Make sure the group understands and feels the difference
9. Submit a lesson or coaching plan for a 20 minute coaching session
10. Give a 5 minute session on the technical requirements of your sport
11. Select a skill and differentiate how you would coach this skill to a group of 6 –
8 year olds and to a group of 14 – 16 year olds.
12. Where and how is the physical conditioning for your sport incorporated in
practice sessions ?

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