Learning to Become a Coach

2011 AAHPERD National Conference – San Diego, CA

Pete Van Mullem, Ph.D. – St. Cloud State University (MN) Heather Van Mullem, Ph.D. – Lewis-Clark State College (ID)

Past…

• 1967 - “certification movement” • 1970’s – Emergence of Coaching Minors

- Massengale, 1984

• 1981 - American Sport Education Program – first course • 2000 – National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education.

•

National Standards for Sport Coaches 1995 and 2006 (NASPE)

…Present…

•

“…we do not fast track doctors merely because they were continually ill as children, so why coaches just because they once happened to be athletes?” -Lyle & Cushion, 2010

How does a Coach Learn?

• Attending clinics, observing other coaches, and reflection on experience.

-Werthner and Trudel, 2006

• Trial and error, past playing experience, the advice of a mentor, videos, and DVDs - Jones, Armour, & Pontrac, 2004

Challenges in educating the coach

 The preferred method of educating a coach from the coaching practitioners is the “hands-on” actual coaching experience compared to formal training procedures -

Hedstrom & Gould, 2004

 Established coaches participate in coaching education courses with long-standing beliefs and actions developed through experience in the field

-Cushion, Armour, & Jones, 2003

What Programs Exists…

• • • • • • • NCACE National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education NASPE – National Association for Sport and Physical Education ICCE The International Council for Coach Education ASEP – American Sport Education Program NAYS – National Association of Youth Sport State Certifications - What are they in your state?

Sport Specific Certifications - Soccer and Tennis

How do the methods interact?

• Minimal research has examined which learning methods best interact to produce a successful coach. - Gilbert, 2006 • What training method or combination of learning methods leads to a successful coaching career? •

“…clearly there is a need for not only basic coaching education, but also for more relevant and advanced coaching education…” - Vargas-Tonging, 2007

The Power of Reflection

– The experience a coach gains through longevity in coaching, interactions with other coaches, and working with numerous athletes becomes more meaningful in their development as a coach with the implementation of self-reflection.

-Lynch & Mallett, 2006

…Future

• “Coaching is both an individual and a social

process…liked to both constraints and opportunities

?

of human interaction.”

- Jones, Armour, & Pontrac, 2004 • How do we reach the coach, the learner?

• How do we access the coaching knowledge of experienced coaches to assist in the development of coaching education programs?

Study in progress…

• The Education of a Coach – Nationwide study on current or former coaches at the intercollegiate or interscholastic level.

– Current N = 1,061 (785 Male, 276 Female) –

Respondents

•

61% have a master’s degree or Ph.D.

•

32% have 20+ years of coaching experience

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45% have a self-reported winning % of .600 +

Learning to coach…

• • • • • • • • • • • • • A college course(s) for credit (classroom or online) Coaching clinics/ workshops State certification programs Asking a mentor Books on coaching Observation of other coaches Discussions with former players Web sites on coaching Informal discussion with other coaches Videos/DVD's on coaching Trial and Error (on your own) Hands-on Training (with guidance of instructor/coach) Reflecting on personal playing experience

How did you learn how to coach?

Share your learning experience…

• Join three other coaches in attendance and form a group of four. 1. Share your experience in learning how to coach with your group. Utilize the hand-out and make note of which methods assisted you in developing your coaching knowledge and philosophy.

2. Of the variety of methods you have utilized in learning to coach, which one had the greatest impact? Explain?

3. Focusing on the method that had the greatest impact, how were you exposed to this particular method?

4. Examine additional methods you identified in learning to coach. Why were these methods less effective for you?

5. What solutions do you have to enhance the learning process for a coach? How could your ideas be implemented into a coaching education program?

Final Wrap-Up

•

“We need to strike up a dialogue with practitioners and demonstrate an engagement and collaboration with coaching practice.”

-Lyle & Cushion, 2010

References

Cushion, C.J., Armour, K.M., & Jones, R.M. (2003). Coach education and continuing professional development: Experience and learning to coach. Quest, 55, 215-230.

Gilbert, W. (2006). Introduction to special issue: Coach education. The Sport Psychologist, 20, 123-125.

Hedstrom, R. & Gould, D. (2004). Research in youth sports: Critical issues status. Retrieved from http://hollistonsoccer.net/image/web/coaches/CriticalIssuesYouthSports%20 (2).pdf

Jones, R.L., Armour, K.M., & Potrac, P. (2004). Sports coaching cultures: From practice to theory. New York, NY: Routledge.

Lyle, J. L. & Cushion, C. (2010). Sports coaching: professionalism and practice. Churchill Livingstone: Elsevier Ltd. Lynch, M., & Mallett, C. (2006). Becoming a successful high performance track and field coach. Modern Athlete and Coach, 44(2), 15-20.

Massengale, J.D. (1984). The certification of coaches: Considering the lack thereof. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 3, 6-8.

Vargas-Tonsing, T.M. (2007). Coaches preferences for continuing coaching education. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching. (2)1. 25-35.

Werthner, P. & Trudel, P. (2006). A new theoretical perspective for understanding how coaches learn to coach. The Sport Psychologist, 20, 196-210.