The Roles of a Sports Coach

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Sports Coaching

Sports coaches are vital to the success

of a number of programmes across a
range of sports

They are at the heart of participation

and performer development

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 Sports Coach

Definition
“ A sports coach is someone who assists the
learning and development of another person
or team of people in order to improve their
performance in a sport, and who supports the
personal development of individuals using
sport as a vehicle for change and
development”

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 Coaching – Art or Science?
Science
 To support the coach there is a wealth of scientific
information based on research conducted with athletes
 Information is available to support the coach and athlete in all
areas of training and development including:

Nutrition Physiology

Medicine Biomechanics

Psychology

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 Coaching – Art or Science?
Art
 The art of coaching comes when the coach has to:

Analyse the Convert it into Coaching and training

scientific data programs to help
develop the athlete

 This analysis process relies heavily on the coach's

experience and knowledge of the event/sport and the
athlete concerned

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Coaching – Art or Science?

 By understanding the science, which is the

foundation of training, a well designed training
program can be developed that will help an
athlete reach their full potential

 The art is understanding the science and then

applying it

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The Role of the Coach

 Effective coaches tend to find new ways of

improving existing practices or theories
 Some adapt the way in which they practise,
while others deal with how to play specific
strategies in differing situations
 Other coaches integrate new developments or
technologies to improve performance

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 Who assesses the coach?
During the course of a season various people make their
own judgements of a coach

Athletes/players
Parents
Club members
Employers
Sponsors
Board of directors
Owners of clubs
Supporters
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 The coach needs to be able to:

Assist athletes to Use evaluation

prepare training tests to monitor training
programs progress and predict
performance
Communicate
Assist athletes to
effectively
develop new skills
with athletes

Therefore, you can see that it is a very

difficult task and requires a very special person
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 Characteristics of “a good coach”
More often than not, when someone enquires about a coach,
one of the first questions is: “Is he/she a good coach?”
What characteristics describe “a good coach?”

Patience Organised
Knowledgeable
Experienced

Sense of Humour
Good
Communicator
Motivator Innovative

Good Social Listener

Skills Interesting
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 Understanding the
Coaching Role

 Coaching is not just about improving the

physical performance of a player

 In taking on the role of the coach you must

accept that the development of the player as a
“whole” person is as important as the player’s
success in sport

 As a coach you can have considerable impact on

the development and lives of your players
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 The role of the coach is wide-ranging and varied. At times you
may be asked to be a person of many parts!

Taxi-driver!

Counsellor Go-between

Manager Disciplinarian

Motivator Friend

Trainer Fundraiser

Teacher Leader

Sports Coach
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The Roles of a Sports Coach
Innovator Role Model

Roles of
Friend an Effective Educator
Sports Coach

Manager Trainer

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 Innovator

Ability to think through problems – use knowledge

and experience to come up with new ideas and
approaches

 Makes training fun/effective

 Maintains participants interest & involvement
 Effective coaches to be brave enough to try new
things in order to get different results
 Access to and use of latest scientific and
technical knowledge very important

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 Friend

Coaches and performers share both positive and

negative experiences

 Coach may need to be there if things go wrong

 Also needs to be there to keep feet on the ground!
 Management of coaching environment important –
friendly and respectful

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 Manager
Can relate to the management of a number of different
aspects of coaching:

Introducing
new players/
Team off-loading players
Administrative
selections
tasks

Manager
Training
Managing/organising programmes
team/teams of people Coaching
sessions
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 Trainer
 Related to ensuring that athletes are able to
meet the physical demands of sport

 Plan and run training programmes to develop

physical and psychological capabilities of
players

 Clear understanding of the components of

fitness

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 Educator
Educator and Instructor

The differences between the above is sometimes

hard to identify

Teaching implies a transfer of learning through:

 Demonstration
 Modelling
 Instruction

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 Educator

Coaches also teach emotional skills

Young learners can be very

impressionable

Good coaches will be aware that

people learn in different ways –
process of adaptation
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 Role Model

In almost all situations players will look at their

coach as a source of inspiration and knowledge

Children often imitate role models mannerisms

Vital therefore that coaching is safe and

responsible, and that coaches behaviour is
considered good practice

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 Role Model
The coach can influence player development
in a number of ways:

Social
Sport offers codes of acceptable behaviour,
teamwork, cooperation, fair play

Personal
Life skills – self-esteem, manage personal
matters, the development of a value system
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 Role Model

Psychological

 Coaches can create environments that help performers control

emotion and develop personal identities

Health

 Designing sessions to include sufficient physical exercise, good

health and health habits can be established

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Role Models - Perfect or Poor?

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 Summary
 In relation to sports, the role of the coach is to create the
right conditions for learning to happen and to find ways
of motivating the athletes

 Most athletes are highly motivated and therefore the task

is to maintain that motivation and to generate excitement
and enthusiasm

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 Summary
 A sports coach is someone who works with people to
develop their understanding and ability in a sport and to
help develop them as people

 A coach has many roles to play: educator, trainer

manager, innovator, friend, role model

 These roles can vary according to who the coach is

working with and what the aims, ability, experience and
age of the participants are

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