Coaching for performance
A good coach will be very organised and plan sessions that will build confidence and trust which will
allow them to get the best performance out of the athletes and will keep them motivated to learn
new skills or to improve the ones they have through practice or sessions delivered by the coach. A
confident athlete will have the ability to choose and action the right skill or technique at the right
time. This will improve over time as the coach and athlete develop their skills each person improving
areas that need it and applying everything they learn together. A good coach will have to have good
organisation skills and excellent communication which includes their use of body language. Good
knowledge of the sport they are coaching as well as the techniques and tactics of that sport, this is
important as it will increase the confidence of the atheletes, a coach should be enthusiastic and
motivate others to want to perform to a high standard.
Coaching planning
Atheletes work harder when a coach has organised a session to a high standard. If a clear plan is
used effectively a coach can keep the attention and motivation of the person or group who will
perform better when there is a clear plan, aim or targets for each session. A good coachs usual
planning will start with making sure there is a suitable space with the equipment needed to carry out
the sessions and finding out how many people are taking part. Is the space available appropriate for
the group and the activities?. The coach should also consider the health and safety of participants
which could include things like protective clothing or the appropriate footwear. these are the basic
things a good coach needs to consider before stating the session plan.
Warm up – without needing a lot of communication athletes will know that this is the start of the
session. The coach should break down the session into parts. A warm up needs to be timed so it is
long enough to get the atheletes warmed up but not so long that there isn’t a obvious end before
the start of the main activity. The intensity of the warm up should be thought about and the ability
of each person taking part in the whole session.
After a appropriate warm up the coach could move the atheletes onto a rest period or even some
short fun games, this will encourage enjoyment and team work. The coach should use
communication or even a whistle to let everyone taking part now that warm up has finished or the
main body has started or it is time for a water break etc communication used with other signals that
are common to the people taking part will allow everyone to be included and know what is
happening.
Main body – this part of the session needs to be adapted for everyone taking part, they won’t all
have the same level of skill or ability and the coach should want everyone to feel included. This will
help to create team work and confidence.
Water breaks or rest periods – these can be used effectively throughout the whole session for the
atheletes to rest for a short period this can help stop boredom or distractions for some people
involved in the session
Conditioning game – the coach is now moving towards the end of the session and can use a
conditioning game to help athletes cool down but also be more relaxed and end the session with
something that the atheletes can do that will include skills or techniques that they have learned or
improved from the main body. This part of the session has less pressure on the atheletes to perform
and can be used to help improve team work and build a good rapport between coach and athletes
and the team.
A good coach will be very organised and plan sessions that will build confidence and trust which will
allow them to get the best performance out of the athletes and will keep them motivated to learn
new skills or to improve the ones they have through practice or sessions delivered by the coach. A
confident athlete will have the ability to choose and action the right skill or technique at the right
time. This will improve over time as the coach and athlete develop their skills each person improving
areas that need it and applying everything they learn together. A good coach will have to have good
organisation skills and excellent communication which includes their use of body language. Good
knowledge of the sport they are coaching as well as the techniques and tactics of that sport, this is
important as it will increase the confidence of the atheletes, a coach should be enthusiastic and
motivate others to want to perform to a high standard.
Coaching planning
Atheletes work harder when a coach has organised a session to a high standard. If a clear plan is
used effectively a coach can keep the attention and motivation of the person or group who will
perform better when there is a clear plan, aim or targets for each session. A good coachs usual
planning will start with making sure there is a suitable space with the equipment needed to carry out
the sessions and finding out how many people are taking part. Is the space available appropriate for
the group and the activities?. The coach should also consider the health and safety of participants
which could include things like protective clothing or the appropriate footwear. these are the basic
things a good coach needs to consider before stating the session plan.
Warm up – without needing a lot of communication athletes will know that this is the start of the
session. The coach should break down the session into parts. A warm up needs to be timed so it is
long enough to get the atheletes warmed up but not so long that there isn’t a obvious end before
the start of the main activity. The intensity of the warm up should be thought about and the ability
of each person taking part in the whole session.
After a appropriate warm up the coach could move the atheletes onto a rest period or even some
short fun games, this will encourage enjoyment and team work. The coach should use
communication or even a whistle to let everyone taking part now that warm up has finished or the
main body has started or it is time for a water break etc communication used with other signals that
are common to the people taking part will allow everyone to be included and know what is
happening.
Main body – this part of the session needs to be adapted for everyone taking part, they won’t all
have the same level of skill or ability and the coach should want everyone to feel included. This will
help to create team work and confidence.
Water breaks or rest periods – these can be used effectively throughout the whole session for the
atheletes to rest for a short period this can help stop boredom or distractions for some people
involved in the session
Conditioning game – the coach is now moving towards the end of the session and can use a
conditioning game to help athletes cool down but also be more relaxed and end the session with
something that the atheletes can do that will include skills or techniques that they have learned or
improved from the main body. This part of the session has less pressure on the atheletes to perform
and can be used to help improve team work and build a good rapport between coach and athletes
and the team.
