Cross-Training Opportunities for Coaching

[purple]

This is the third re-write of this. Flame blinkers on.

The current EF/BAF systems (I can not comment on the others) are good at providing technical knowledge of fencing to coaches, and do provide reasonable mechanisms for delivering that knowledge. This is not about that...

What does bug me is the lack of opportunites for coaches to develop their rounded coaching skills. Skills in delivering fitness, skills in psychology, recording and monitoring skills, nutrition, bio-mechanics etc. These are all skills related to putting *that* point on *that* target, and even a basic understanding helps to build better and more robust fencers. Some knowledge of the above can also help coaches to think *outside the box* that their chosen delivery system provides, giving them the opportunity to try innovative new things and push the boundaries of the sport.

Having spoken to other coaches from other sports recently, they're going on seminars, programmes which educate about the above. Apart from the nominal nod (and it's nothing more than a nod), UK coaching gets non of it. UK Sport and regional sports authorities do provide some of these services - at what point will fencing realise that coaches need to further their education outside of point on target and help educate their coaches?

[coach carson]

It's rare these days to find three weapon coaches, never mind coach/counsellor/fitness/nutritionist etc. I think we all have strengths we can work to and weaknesses we can compensate for by collaborating with other professionals in various disciplines.

[allthree]

Originally Posted by purple

This is the third re-write of this. Flame blinkers on.

The current EF/BAF systems (I can not comment on the others) are good at providing technical knowledge of fencing to coaches, and do provide reasonable mechanisms for delivering that knowledge. This is not about that...

What does bug me is the lack of opportunites for coaches to develop their rounded coaching skills. Skills in delivering fitness, skills in psychology, recording and monitoring skills, nutrition, bio-mechanics etc. These are all skills related to putting *that* point on *that* target, and even a basic understanding helps to build better and more robust fencers. Some knowledge of the above can also help coaches to think *outside the box* that their chosen delivery system provides, giving them the opportunity to try innovative new things and push the boundaries of the sport.

Having spoken to other coaches from other sports recently, they're going on seminars, programmes which educate about the above. Apart from the nominal nod (and it's nothing more than a nod), UK coaching gets non of it. UK Sport and regional sports authorities do provide some of these services - at what point will fencing realise that coaches need to further their education outside of point on target and help educate their coaches?

Valid points. Much of our job as a coach is to manage a team of experts to help our competitive fencers. ie if I want the fencer to improve core stability I send them to a conditioning coach if I dont have the knowledge or skills. I can also do alot of self educating using the web with its unlimited amount of information. The new level 4 as just introduced by EF has the cross european standards of sports science/squad management as part of its central theme.
this is a very big subject indeed!

[purple]

When looking at high-performance sport, I agree that specialists are needed. But it's still beneficial for coaches to have a basic understanding of a wider away of subject matters. Just take biomechanics. We've got quite a wide range of coaches who don't understand the basic biomechanics of their own sport, which means that when they do teach, they can't provide informed coaching.

It's now a required part for level 4 coaches - great. But that's the top end of the scale, we keep forgetting about the gazillions of intermediate fencers who would also benefit from coaches with this knowledge.

I'm not asking that it necessarily becomes a required part of every coaches education. But the EF/BF systems appear to be focused solely on the act of fencing, with very little opportunities to expand related knowledge. I know Sport England make some of these courses available (most are one day sessions), would it hurt EF to help publicise these - to highlight that these extra chunks of knowledge are available?

[allthree]

I would contact Norman Randel of EF who is very receptive to helpful coach education suggestions.

[jamesthornton]

i get monthly emails form sports coach uk who run most of the courses letting me know about multiple "cross training" opportunities including nutrition periodisation psychology.

its not hard to find the information, and in any case do you really need the piece of paper saying you have attended the course as an intermediate coach or could you just pick up a book and learn it yourself?

[pinkelephant]

When did you last pick up a book, Jimmy?

[purple]

Originally Posted by jamesthornton

its not hard to find the information, and in any case do you really need the piece of paper saying you have attended the course as an intermediate coach or could you just pick up a book and learn it yourself?

It's not so much the "piece of paper", but the access to learning the knowledge from a professional. It's the difference between self-learning and monitored education. As most GPs will be happy to attest to, armchair learning tends to get quite distorted.

[purple]

Originally Posted by allthree

I would contact Norman Randel of EF who is very receptive to helpful coach education suggestions.

Will dos.