Supporting the coach
Issue: Volume 29 Number 4
Coaches are great at looking after other people, but for coaches to perform at their best, it is essential that they, too, have someone that looks after them.
We know that coaching is not an easy role. Coaches perform their job in a public environment that exposes their performance to evaluation by a large range of people. Everyone will have an opinion on a coach’s performance, including: board members; employers; sponsors; athletes and their supporters; the public; and, of course, the media. Not many jobs (paid or voluntary) are subject to this level of scrutiny.
The expectations from these people can add to the pressure already felt by the coach. At times these pressures may have the capacity to influence the behaviour of the coach in a negative fashion. We need to ensure that coaches are well educated, trained, supported and balanced in their approach to their demanding role.
The National Coaching Accreditation Scheme offers coaches - from grassroots coaches through to high performance coaches - the opportunity to learn and develop to assist them perform more effectively in their role. The flexible framework of the National Coaching Accreditation Schemeallows national sporting organisations to develop a pathway that best suits the needs of the coaches in their sport.
Coaches at all levels can benefit from informal and formal programs designed to support the coach. Mentoring is a great way of supporting coaches. Mentors can be a valuable tool for coaches to enhance their technical, professional and personal skill development. Mentoring programs can be formally structured by clubs and governing organisations and coaches can also develop their own network of mentors, in a less formal structure.
For high performance coaches, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has dedicated additional resources to support the professional development, career management and welfare of coaches.
The ASC now provides a number of programs for emerging and existing high performance coaches. The ASC’s Elite Coach Development Program, National Coaching Scholarship Program and the Coach Career Management Program all focus on the ongoing development and support of our emerging and current high performance coaches. The ASC also conducts professional development workshops for high performance coaches which are part of or complement the formal programs.
A coach services manager position has also been established Within the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a division of the ASC. As well as assisting in the development of the coaches, the responsibilities of this position include supporting the work-life balance and welfare of the AIS coaches, addressing issues such as family support when the coach is travelling internationally, assistance with personal and family commitments and social networks and activities for coaches and their families.
While these programs have targeted specific high performance coaches, the idea of having people dedicated to enhance the development and skill of coaches as well as ensuring their personal well being, is something local clubs can implement. Having a coaching coordinator, to look out for coaches and establish a network within the club is one way that clubs can support their coaches.
Any investment of time or money to support our coaches is an investment in one of the most valuable assets in our sporting system.
