Monthly Tip - January 2015

5 ways to develop your coaching in 2015

This month's tip comes courtesy of Andy Stewart - Badminton Wales' North Wales High Performance Coach.

1 Challenge yourself

Take a stroke and movement and write down all you know about it. Set a time limit of 5 minutes and try to write bullet points line by line without stopping.  Explore where your consciousness takes you.  It can be surprising when you review the information to read what aspects you have focused on and which are missing.  

Sort out the bullets into these headings; technical, tactical, teaching.  

The challenge is to have an equal amount of information in each of the three headings.

2 Coaching in 3 different ways

Take a badminton skill such as moving forwards to take a play a net shot and write down 3 different way of coaching it to a novice player.  Challenge yourself to explore various ideas; technical; tactical; motivational; game likeness; looks like, verbal/physical cues.

Are you able to coach this player using one of these themes?  It’s surprising how players react differently to a variety of coaching styles and information.  Your challenge is to be able to adapt to the ways that suit their learning styles. 

3 Analyse your players

Write down a list of the skills you would expect a player to have mastered by the age of the players you coach on a regular basis. Imagine this player being proficient in their ability to hit and move. Then analyse your players skill by skill scoring them and then reflecting where you should focusing your coaching.

Have you been coaching those skills that your players need for that phase of their development?

An alternative is to ask a fellow coach to take your list of required skills and score your players independently. Getting together with other coaches can often give you the information you require to move your players development forwards.

4  Podcasts

Take time to listen to experts in other sports not just badminton. There are many podcasts concerning the art of coaching, mental skills, and every facet of working with performers.  Download onto an Ipod, your phone or any portable player and then find time to listen.  Most only last 30-40mins, enough to fill the car journey to and back from work, take a long bath, or walk in the park. It can be surprising what little nuggets of useful information the differing viewpoints can give you. Have a look at the following links:

http://www.SportsCoachRadio.com

http://sportscoachradio.com/talent-code-deep-practice-specialist-daniel-coyle/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sportscoachradio/id563236556?mt=2

http://www.brendanchaplin.co.uk

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/brendan-chaplins-podcast/id594613259?mt=2

5 Attend a workshop or conference

There is a period (normally 2-3 years) after passing a coaching qualification where some coaches find themselves without the stimulus or motivation to increase their coaching knowledge.  To counter this feeling Badminton Wales offers a number of CPD workshops for coaches to help improve and develop.  The workshops are open to any coach wishing to extend their knowledge and skills to improve their coaching.  Attending one of these courses is often the catalyst required to rekindle the passion for coaching.  

Its also a great place to exchange ideas and meet other coaches seeking information.  Look around your area and get together with others then contact Badminton Wales. If the numbers are high enough they will come to you to put on the session. 

Current titles are : Effective feeding; Effective footwork; Progressing technical practices; Coaching disability - further details can be found by clicking here.