Applied Sport Coaching

Suntharalingam Thanuraj
Athletic Coach
Department of Sports Development
Ministry of Sports, Sri Lanka
Email: thanuraj@gmail.com, Tel: +94777770035

Sellathurai Jeganenthiran
Lecturer (Prob)
Dept. of Sports Sciences & Physical Education
Faculty of Applied Science.
Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Email: jeganenthiran@gmail.com, Tel: +94774968263

Contents

1 Understand the concept of coaching and Sports and Physical Education

2 Role of the Coach and His Personality as a Professional

3 Coaching Theory and Principals

4 Relationship between Coach, Athlete and the Society

1 Understand the concept of coaching and Sports and Physical Education

Definition of Sports Coaching and Coaching

Coaching is the development or training in which an individual, coach, supports the

learner in attaining specific professional or personal goals. In the discipline of sports, Sports

Coaching refers to the process of guiding, motivating and training individuals in their preparation

for a sporting hobby, sporting event or sporting career (American Psychological Society &

Association For Psychological Science 1992, 49). Individuals and teams hire the services of a

sports coach in several scenarios. In the event that one wishes to start playing a sporting activity,

a sports coach comes in handy to impart the basic skills of the particular sport. Likewise, sports

coaching helps individuals and teams improve and enhance their skills in a particular sporting

activity that they are already part of. Sports Coaching has helped and will continue to aid athletes

to advance their professional levels in their respective sporting events. Famous world-class

athletes such as footballers and basketball players would never have attained the same level of

professional efficacy had it not been for the services of sports coaching (Association For

Psychological Science 1992, 37). Sports Coaching helps athletes attain professional excellence

that they would not attain on their own.

History of Sports Coaching

Sports Coaching has been in existence probably for as long as sports have existed. Given

that sports and games have been part of humanity in primitive to developed and organized forms

from the beginning, it would be sensible to argue that existence of Sports Coaching has lasted as

long as humanity has. For centuries, renowned world athletes, rulers, generals and athletes have

employed the services of coaches to enhance and develop their performance. Historically, the
word “Coaching” was first used in academic world when Oxford University used the term as

slang for a tutor who “carried” a student. This was in the 1830s. By 1860s, Sports Coaching

kicked off in athletics in England. College professional teams as well as athletes employed the

use of sports coaches. As sports grew more popular, the teams and individual athletes sought the

services of sports coaches as peak performance was demanded. In the process, the profession of

sports coaching was born.

Physical Education

Physical Education (PE) is an essential component of breeding excellent athletes and

sports coaches. The educational course taken in primary and secondary school education

encourages development of children’s psychomotor learning. The movements and play

explorations taken during this class unit is essential for proper, healthy growth. PE teachers, as

sports coaches are responsible for planning the physical activities that their students and pupils

engage in.

Coaching Values

The best way to make positive impact on the enhancement and development of a team is

to develop one’s own list of core values. If well documented and adhered to, these coaching

values do not only improve the sporting capabilities of a team or an individual athlete, but also

inculcates in them life skills. An example of coaching values that inspire many athletes and

coaches alike is John Wooden’s coaching values listed below:

 Be true to yourself.

 Build a shelter for rainy days.

  Drink from good books, the Good Book.

 Help others.

 Make each day a masterpiece.

 Make friendship a fine art.

 Pray for guidance and give thanks for blessings each day (Calcina & Bompa

2001, 39)

Relation between Teaching and Coaching

In comparing teaching and coaching, the two aspects bear great relations. Teaching is

responsible for academic growth and performance of students while coaching pass knowledge

and skills of sports. Both coaching and teaching call for the same mind-sets and goals. Both

aspects have goals and mentor sets for the learners (Bompa & Bompa 1999, 82). In sports

(coaching), athletes have a win-loss result. In class, students have tests in which they either pass

or fail.

2 Role of the Coach and His Personality as a Professional

The training of coaches is central to sustenance and improvement of the quality of sports

coaching. Proper training of coaches is an imperative process in ensuring effectiveness of the

ongoing professionalization of sports. Sports coaches need to participate in a wide variety of

training activities to sharpen their skills and knowledge of the sports they coach. Both formal and

informal training of coaches contribute to their development to various degrees. In order to keep

abreast with the new developing ways in the field of sports, it is crucial that coaches undertake

continuous appraisal in the part-time, diverse, post-compulsory education.

My Role as ABC Team Coach

 As the coach of ABC Team, I will ensure that the team achieves levels of performance to

scales that may not have been attained without my support. Given the wise coach I am, I intend

to develop the fullest physical potential in the athletes. Additionally, I will take over the role of

developing the habits and capacities of the body and mind that will ennoble and enrich their later

years. It shall also be my role to create an enabling environment and the right conditions for

learning to take place in addition to motivating the athletes in ABC Team. I understand that

during my coaching career, I will be expected to be an adviser, an assessor and a counselor to the

team members. I will take the responsibilities with enthusiasm and be a good planner and

organizer, facilitator, instructor and mentor to the team.

Coaching as a Process

In the process of coaching athletes of ABC Team, I will always keep in mind that sports

coaching cannot be effective unless me as the coach understands and is fully aware of the

theories and practices involved in the process. The process of coaching is only efficient if the

coach can personally demonstrate a variety of skills, techniques and styles suitable in the

coaching context (Jenkins 2008, 58). It is a process that demands that the coach understands the

theoretical concepts and embraces the pertinent functions before progressing to their

applications. Like any other process, coaching utilizes coaching flows, coaching models and pre-

set coaching procedures. I will follow the coaching processes with addition of exceptional

ingenuity to ensuring the coaching process success.

Coaching Program Model and Coaching Practice

In my bid to enhance performance of ABC Team, I will align my coaching practice with

the Coaching Process Matrix. In the first stage, I will analyze the situation in the team for

awareness. It will be essential to make the learners realize the importance of changing certain
ways of doing things in the team. This will not be possible unless I personally understand the

processes that need change through rigorous analysis of the team practices. Secondly, I will plan

for responsibility. I will embrace or otherwise impose upon the athletes the desire to participate

in elaborating the learning style used to improve the team’s performance. Next, I will implement

the strategies to improve the sports performance of ABC Team using techniques, skills and styles

deemed appropriate. At the tail of the model, I will evaluate the success of the techniques

employed and review feedback based on performance.

Pedagogical Foundation of Coaching Practice

As I dispense my duties as the coach of ABC Team, I will remember the significance of

sport coaching as being dependent on the utilization of good teaching practices. Coaching is

about expertise in sport tactics and skills. Quality sports coaching engage in practices associated

with pedagogy such as feedback, instructional methods and reflection.

My Coaching Style and Quality Coaching

I will adopt a Cooperative Coaching Style with ABC Team. The style will be athlete-

centered and will allow for two-way communication between me and the athletes. I will facilitate

the practice sessions although the players will have an opportunity to participate in decision-

making. I will make the process more important than the outcome, an approach that will ensure

superb performance outcome (Rushall 2008, 213). Trust will be the key component of my

coaching practice that will be structured and flexible. In the long run, I will ascertain that all

players are motivated, suffer less burn-out due to flexibility. There will be development of social

skills and problem-solving abilities of the team members as well as enhanced team-rode and self-

esteem of individual players. Using these strategies, I will realize quality coaching and

outstanding results on performance.

Coaching Ethics

Other than ensuring quality coaching through the Cooperative Coaching Style that I will

employ, I will ensure that I adhere to the Code of Ethics that guide coaching practice. I will

observe the professional relationship between the team members and the management. I will

adhere to the competence prerequisites of my coaching practice (Lin & Warren 2014, 38).

Additionally, I will maintain expertise at all times to spur the performance of the team to

unimaginable heights. Moreover, I will avoid discrimination of whatever manner, harassment

and respect all the people I interact with in my coaching practice of ABC Team. Further, I will

avoid misuse of my influence as the coach of ABC Team, I will not misuse the coach’s work as

well as keep personal interests and conflicts out of dispensation of my duties as a coach.

3 Coaching Theory and Principals

Sports Coaching has taken on different directions in the recent past. With more parts of

the world and populaces taking sports as profession, coaching has become an all-important facet

of many communities. The late 1990s has seen development of several institutions the offer

sports coaching as a course (Micheli & Jenkins 1995, 38). It is no longer left to those deemed

incapable of academic learning as before. Researches have been conducted on the aspect of

sports coaching to develop a lot of theories on its success and improvement.

The world has incessantly become enthusiastic about sports to a point of craze.

Academicians have acknowledged the growing enthusiasm over sports and conducted several

researches on the prospects of making sports beneficial to more individuals (Pyke 2001, 59).

These surveys have formulated evidence-based models to demonstrate effectiveness of various

coaching models. Modeling the coaching process has been an ongoing trend aimed at easing the

coaching practice of sports coaches.

Sports Psychology for Coaches has also become a new phenomenon in sports coaching.

Research has come up with a set of information that coaches may use to aid athletes develop the

mental toughness and achieve the excellence they desire in their sporting activities. I will adhere

to the current developments and research findings in the field of sports coaching. Using the

sports psychology, I will be able to examine the manner in which athletes act feel and think

during and after their practice sessions to improve team performance (Micheli & Jenkins 2001,

423). Together with proper preparation for coaching, efficient planning for my coaching practice

and learning and development in the coaching discipline, I am positive that the changes desired

for the team will be realized.

In order to improve the performance of ABC Team, I will understand the fundamental

principle of manager-coach interaction for effective training delivery. Successful coaching of

athletes requires a similar guidance. I will employ a good coaching practice that will accurately

determine the readiness of an athlete to change and motivate them to change faster. My coaching

approach will steadily raise the performance of athletes to the next level. I will not push

beginners into situations that increase their likelihood of failure.

4 Relationship between Coach, Athlete and the Society

During my coaching practice at ABC Team, I will keep in mind that the effectiveness of

my coaching is subject to my cooperation with other stakeholders in the team. My relationship

and the society in addition to the athletes will determine how far the team will go upon my

resumption of duties. Had I assumed the role of a participating coach, there would be little

pressure to perform. As a performance coach, I understand that I have the responsibility to

produce results (Cassidy, Jones & Potrac 2008, 49). Nonetheless, the benefits that accrue to

participation coaching will have to be exhibited in my coaching practice. Physical and

psychological benefits will be evident in the athletes. Complementary and support personnel will

play a big role in ensuring that these benefits are met. For instance, support personnel will be

relied upon to prepare the training grounds and provide training resources on time.

It will be fundamental that I keep the players’ attention and respect as I open the stage to

learning strategies, new skills and life lessons. Forming a positive relationship with the athletes

will call for my curiosity, honesty, openness and care. I will maintain a good working

relationship with the athletes by applying the principle of giving respect to get respect. My

coaching practice at ABC Team will be guided by Filling Emotional Tank to further sustain the

good relationship without forfeiting the essentials of good leadership. This will involve getting

the right balance of correcting and praising the athletes. While I will seek to maintain the formed

positive relationship with the team members, it will be significant that I maintain boundaries

between my persona and the players. Therefore, as a coach, I will strive to maintain a healthy

space between my personal life and the work life.

List of References

American Psychological Society, & Association For Psychological Science. (1992). Current
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Association For Psychological Science (United States). (1992). Current Directions In

Psychological Science A Journal Of The Association For Psychological Science.

Thousand Oaks, Ca, Sage.

Bompa, T. O., & Bompa, T. O. (1999). Periodization: Theory And Methodology Of Training.

Champaign, Il, Human Kinetics.

Calcina, O. & Bompa, T. O. (1994). Theory And Methodology Of Training: The Key To Athletic

Performance. Dubuque, Iowa, Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co.

Cassidy, Jones & Potrac (2008). Better Coaching. Advanced Coach's Manual. 2. Ed. Champaign,

Human Kinetics.

Jenkins, S. (2008). Sport Psychology For Coaches (Damon Burton And Thomas Raedeke).

International Journal Of Sports Science And Coaching. 3, 291-292.

Lin, L., & Warren, S. J. (2014). Ethical Considerations For Learning Game, Simulation, And

Virtual World Design And Development.

Micheli, L. J., & Jenkins, M. (1995). The Sports Medicine Bible: Prevent, Detect, And Treat

Your Sports Injuries Through The Latest Medical Techniques. New York, N.Y.,

Harperperennial.

Micheli, L. J., & Jenkins, M. (2001). The Sports Medicine Bible For Young Athletes. Naperville,
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Pyke, F. S. (2001). Better Coaching: Advanced Coach's Manual. Australia, Australian Sports

Commission.

Rushall, B. S. (2008). Psychological Factors And Mental Skills In Wrestling. 375-399.