www.rayuduteja.com/tennis coaching near meThe coach and the effectiveness of
their coaching is a factor that affects performance. There are many elements to being a good coach:
Highly organised.
Knowledgeable in all areas of the sport.
Able to analyse performance (strengths and weaknesses).
Able to pass on skills with a variety of teaching techniques.
Sensitive to the athlete's needs (set goals).
Excellent communicator.
Approachable.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Good observer.
Motivator.
The prime quality of a good coach is the desire and skill to help others to achieve their goals and derive satisfaction from their chosen activity. This may be anywhere along the continuum of skill from beginner, novice, social weekend player, club player, district representative, young talented regional representative, state league or state representative right through to an elite athlete at Olympic or world class level.
Fundamental Attributes and Skills:
In all of these cases, the coach needs to display some fundamental attributes and skills. These include:
Having the technical knowledge of the sport, its rules, regulations, training methods etc. Elite level coaches are constantly reviewing sources of information and current research in their fields to keep up to date with the latest thinking in regard to human performance. This involves them acquiring knowledge in the areas of nutrition, biomechanics, sport psychology, and physiology.
Being organised so that during the coaching period the maximum use is made of time, space, facilities, player motivation etc.
Being able to communicate very effectively to all people involved. Communication is important not only with those being coached but also those associated with the athlete i.e. parents, ground staff, facility managers, club officials, volunteer staff, other coaches etc. The effective coach lets others around them know what is going on, so that the aims of the organisation, whether it be the AIS or the local netball club, can be coordinated to achieve common goals. Most importantly the communication between the coach and the athlete is critical.
Remember coaching can be very different and may involve a number of different situations. These situations could involve a one on one situation, with the coach and athlete in an individual sport, or may involve a large group who meet a couple of times a week like a local soccer team, or may involve an elite coach working with a large squad and having the assistance of specialised skills coaches like an AFL coach. Whatever the level, however, the basic skills are the same, including an enthusiasm to motivate and inspire with the interpersonal skills and personality to be an effective role model. Good coaches are also able to praise athletes for their efforts.
The Stereotypical Coach:
However, expectations of coaching styles vary from sport to sport and from age to age and between people of different personality traits, and possibly between the sexes. In children's sport, the ranting shouting win at all costs coach has no place. This style is inappropriate for those who want to "play" for fun, relaxation and enjoyment.
However, expectations of coaching styles vary from sport to sport and from age to age and between people of different personality traits, and possibly between the sexes. In children's sport, the ranting shouting win at all costs coach has no place. This style is inappropriate for those who want to "play" for fun, relaxation and enjoyment.
Even at the elite level, the win at all costs mentality is being questioned and scholarship holders at the AIS and also many AFL clubs offer programs to look after athletes, so that they develop skills and abilities beyond the playing field.
The 'burn out factor' is also considered by modern coaches who need to consider the total emotional and psychological well being of their charges as well as the traditional concern of physiological well being.
The importance of feedback
What are the two types of feedback in sport?
Knowledge of performance (KP), which is obtained from a coach, mentor, teacher or friend, by studying a video or by proprioception (internal feedback).
Knowledge of Results (KR), tells you whether you got the results you wanted.
Both KP and KR will enable athletes to receive the full picture about performance.
The four principles of feedback are;
Feedback should be given straight after the performance.
Feedback should be clear and concise to enable future improvement.
After feedback, the athlete or team should have enough time to consider the suggestions given.
Feedback is essential for improvement.
Coaching Styles
There are three identified coaching styles that have disadvantages and advantages to each.
Authoritarian,
Personable,
Casual.
Authoritarian:
This is probably the most common coaching type, particularly in team sports like football.
Advantages - an atmosphere of discipline can be conducive to success because it produces a sense of dedication and purpose.
Disadvantages - players whose personality styles who don't respond to this style can be easily turned off. A run of losses can result in dissension among the team members. Players who want to think for themselves find this a difficult style to work under.
Personable:
Advantages - promotes an atmosphere of respect and mutual good feeling, this develops good team cohesion and spirit, the players enjoy themselves. These things can mean they often can produce results above expectations.
Disadvantages - sometimes the flexibility can be seen as weakness particularly if the team is on a losing streak. Some players may take advantage of their good nature.
Casual:
Advantages - players develop a sense of independence rather than depending on others. There is a relaxed atmosphere with no real pressure to get results or to perform.
Disadvantages - This type of coaching is not adequate for the serious athlete as they are not developed in skills or fitness. Athletes may be independent but there is often no team plan or direction making players unsure. Frustration can develop in players who are ambitious and desire more success.
It is unlikely that any coach displays only the one style. It is more likely that they display a number of different characteristics that are suited to their own personalities and that they are comfortable with. A skilled coach should be able to recognise which style will work with which players and under what circumstances and mix it upaccordingly.
The modern approach to coaching would seem to exist at the centre of this continuum
Coaching Applications
An experienced coach understands the complexity of the physical education experience. They use their knowledge of adrenaline and arousal and also theories of learning to maximise performance. This resource covers the stages of learning as they relate to physical exercise and sports and begins with an overview of the control of arousal.
Coaching and the control of arousal
A good coach employs various means to enable the athlete to maximise their performance. They use their understanding of the mechanisms of arousal in training. Below is an overview of this mechanism
Signs of Arousal - Arousal in Sport
Arousal is a state of excitement and alertness. you may reach a high level of arousal before a big event. These are all signs;
Dry mouth,
Fast breathing,
Heart rate up,
Perhaps a sick feeling in the stomach,
Sweaty palms,
A nervous shaky feeling
Increasing You Arousal
All these help to increase arousal:
A pep talk from your coach before an event.
The warm up before the event.
Having a definite goal to achieve in the event.
Bright lights and lots of noise around you.
Friendly or hostile sports fans looking on.
Adrenaline and Arousal
A hormone called adrenaline plays a big part in arousal:
It is made by the adrenal glands just above your kidneys.
When you are nervous or frightened, these glands squirt adrenaline into your blood.
It has these effects:
It makes your heart beat faster, so more oxygen and glucose are pumped to the muscles.
It causes blood vessels in your gut and under your skin to constrict, shunting more blood to the muscles.
It makes your muscles tense, ready for action.
So your heart thumps. Your stomach feels hollow. Your muscles may shiver. You are ready for "fight or flight".
Arousal and Performance
You need just the right level of arousal to do your best in a sports event:
At A, arousal is low. You may be feeling bored or tired. You are not 'psyched up' enough. You perform badly.
Between B and C you are at optimum arousal. Your performance is at its best.
If you are very anxious, your arousal level may rise to D. You are over-aroused or 'psyched out'. Your performance suffers.
This is called Inverted U Theory.
These techniques will stop you getting too nervous, before an event:
Relaxation. Breathe slowly and deeply. Relax different muscle groups in turn.
Visualization. Go through the event in your mind in advance, in detail. 'See' yourself performing well and staying calm and confident.
The technique is also called mental rehearsal. It is used by many top athletes.
Coaching from the Beginner to the Skilled Athlete - Cognitive
If you have studied Physical Education in earlier years, you will be familiar with the idea of stages of learning. Skill acquisition theory suggests that when learning a new skill, everyone goes through three established stages of learning. An effective coach needs to be aware of the features of each stage so that they can direct and improve the performance of their athletes.
The Cognitive Stage
This is the thinking stage, and prior to this stage, the learner has little or no information about the skill to be learned. The coach' s aim is to help the learner develop a mental picture of what is required. It is often assumed that only young children are in this stage but in fact whenever a new skill is learned we all must start here.
This stage may take only a few minutes, i.e. when a simple skill is learnt or hours for a highly complex skill.
The coach will need to present clear instructions and demonstrations in this stage. And may even physically move or assist the learner to feel the movement. Typically, at this stage the learner needs to concentrate on only a few key points. It is important for the coach not to overload the learner with information.
Typical, at this stage, is a lack of fluency of movement, big uncoordinated, mistimed movements and lots of mistakes. Think about when you first started typing on the computer!
Associative Stage
This is the practice stage. Usually, in this stage, the skill is getting closer and closer to the real or game situation. The learner is able to use more information about their performance and to adjust and change their own performance as a consequence of the information feedback from their own bodies, (proprioception) and that of the coach.
The athlete can now recognise errors and starts to produce a more coordinated and smooth performance.
Autonomous Stage
This is the automatic or expert stage. Performance is smooth with only a few small errors. The skill is coordinated and the common saying is a player in this stage has 'all the time in the world' to accomplish their skill, even if it is in the middle of a game situation.
Conclusion : Not all athletes reach this stage, and for those that do, they never leave it because it is a continual process of refining and improving to find their own personal best.
At this stage, the athlete does not need to consciously attend to the production of the skill or how to do it but rather they can devote attention to tactics, game strategies or very subtle changes in technique that may bring about improvements in performance.
Despite being highly skilled and automatic, a coach can be vital at this stage to analyse and advise on technique because the patterns of movement have been so well established for a long time. The coach at this level must also be an expert, as they require the skills and technical knowledge to elicit further improvements from the athlete.
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