The design of a volunteer coaches training program: think you need a big budget to train volunteers? Think again: learn how to design your own program from the ground level.

Sports today are an increasingly important part of childhood and of American life. The coach is an important ingredient in any sports program recipe. The coach can make the program a success or a failure. A successful coach is one who gains the confidence of his athletes, which can only be achieved through training.

Coaching presents a tremendous challenge because it demands a life of service to youth, in particular, and society in general. Parents of young athletes believe sports are good for their children because the activity builds character, and develops socially desirable characteristics such as achievement, motivation, cooperativeness and sportsmanship.

Players often look to the coach as a symbol of all these things. The coach has a strong effect on the athlete's role in sports and, since the time he spends with the athlete may be considerable, he can have an enormous impact on the child's personality. The coach may provide a model for the child to follow, and his/her personality and behavior may influence the player's actions. A child can gain much from associating with a coach who has admirable characteristics that he/she admires.

Vern Seefeldt, director of the Youth Sports Institute, says, "Coaches perform specific duties and should possess certain task-related competencies as a standard for employment in the profession." A major problem today is that many volunteer coaches have little or no professional preparation for their coaching/teaching responsibilities.

Many parents are granting temporary custody of their most precious possessions, their children, to someone who may have little or no formal training or expertise. The problem is exasberated by the the fact that many volunteer coaches are simply parents of children in the athletic programs.

Fred Engh, president of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association says, "Parents feel that because they volunteer their time as coaches, they are doing a great service for young people. What many parents do not realize is that some untrained and unqualified people who proclaim to be 'just volunteers' are doing a disservice by psychologically and emotionally abusing young people with their win-at-all-costs theories."

Many times, not only is the volunteer coach lacking professional preparation, but he/she may not be capable of protecting the health and well-being of the athletes. The coach's lack of understanding of the structure and function of the human body may constitute a serious limitation that keeps him from knowing how to properly condition the athlete, prevent injuries, recognize, evaluate and respond to medical incidents.

"Volunteer coaches frequently are well versed in the technical aspects of sports skills and strategies, but rarely do they have any training for creating a healthy psychological environment for their players," Dr. Frank Smoll from the University of Washington says. In addition to the well-known responsibility of the coach to teach athletic skills and develop game strategies, he is responsible for the physical welfare of his players.

In order to prevent harm to the player, a good coach must incorporate the most recent medical facts available in his coaching. Coaches should keep up with new developments in their field. "One way to accomplish this objective is to attend workshops or clinics," according to Arthur Gallon, author of "Coaching Ideas and Ideals." Coaches are teachers, and as teachers they are, or should be, familiar with the principles involved in the process of education. Coaches share with other educators a common concern for developing the person intellectually, socially, ethically and physically. A coach's major goal should be the total development of the athlete in mind and body.

Any coach dealing with a group of athletes should be aware of the characteristics associated with his team's age group. Furthermore, he must have the training for creating a healthy psychological environment for his players.

Coaches who are truly interested in helping children will be eager to acquire the competencies needed to become effective teachers. Vern Seefeldt, author of "Who's Educating Volunteer Coaches, and What Difference Does it Make, Anyway?" says, "Those who are too busy to attend educational sessions may be too busy to coach."

The General Model Approach

Few coaches know that the United States supports more research in the sport sciences than any other nation in the world, probably more than all other nations combined. Yet the results of this research are almost never made available to coaches, whether professional or amateur, paid or volunteer. There simply has been no delivery system for coaches to obtain information.

"Not only are other countries using American sport research to help elite athletes, they are using our research in educational programs for coaches of children and youth," says sports coaching author Rainer Martens. "Canada has an excellent program in which coaches receive training both in the technique of the specific sport and in the theory and science of coaching. Coaches voluntarily enroll in the program and receive certification for each level of training successfully completed."

Research in the sport science is reflected in the following example: Dr. Terry Orlick, a sports psychologist at the University of Ottawa, has studied athletic motivation in more than 1,000 children. He reports that when youngsters were asked whether they could prefer to win or have fun, 95 percent said they would rather have fun. When asked if they would prefer to be a bench-sitter on a winning team or a regular player on a losing team, 90 percent chose to play on the losing team. Most volunteer coaches would assume the opposite.

Overzealous coaches, in their eagerness to produce a winner, can change fun to fear. In order to encourage youngsters to strive for excellence and realistically to evaluate their abilities, the adults who guide them must be able to differentiate their own goals from those of their children.

In order to translate the work of sports scientists down to the coaching environment, a general training model approach is needed. This would be the foundation for the specific model that describes the immediate means of applying the general model to specific situations.

The basic concept underlying this General Training Model is that "coaches must be teachers." This model will delineate an approach to accentuating and developing that concept, and will essentially be a form of teachers training applicable in the sports programming field. The General Model consists of the following basic elements:

A. Philosophy of Coaching

B. Player Development Psychology (Sports Education)

C. Methods of Teaching (General Mechanics)

D. Skills Development Techniques

E. Sports Management (Legal Aspects)

F. Sports Medicine 

G. Psychology of Coaching

H. Game Dynamics (Sociology of Coaching)

I. Physiology and Kinesiology 

A. Philosophy of Coaching--As proposed in this approach, the coach must realize that he is a teacher and must approach coaching in that context. The coach, as teacher, will realize that teaching is the objective, not simply the winning of games. Winning and performing well may flow from teaching of good attitudes, fundamentals, conditioning and skills, but the teaching is primary, not secondary.

B. Player Development Psychology--With this teaching objective in mind, the coach will approach his players to understand bow they learn and develop consistent with their age and maturity level. As a teacher, the coach must develop motivation, and reinforce desired behavioral patterns appropriate to the development level of the players. It is self-evident then, that a boys or a girls group will be handled and developed using appropriate developmental techniques. The teacher/coach must constantly keep in perspective the audience to whom he is directing his coaching procedures.

C. Methods of Teaching--The next element in the evolution of the teaching schema is the methodology used by the coach in teaching the players. As a teacher, the coach must organize and present the skill development in an orderly and systematic fashion using appropriate and up-to-date teaching methods. The methods, though general, may have to be tailored to the specific sport or skill being taught to the players.

D. Skill Development Techniques--The actual skills development is obviously an integral part of any player's formation. Since players will come equipped with a wide variety of basic skills, the coach will have to adapt the skills development uniquely for each player. Each player is different and requires a skill development program, which recognizes his uniqueness.

E. Sports Management--The management aspect would include the coaches actual planning for practices, player or parent meetings and games, along with the oral communication, legal aspects and responsibilities involved in managing a team.

F. Sports Medicine--This aspect includes a fairly wide spectrum of associated yet differing capabilities. The coach must know to prevent injury, how to perform first aid, CPR, etc. As a caretaker of the athlete, the coach is responsible to act as needed in an emergency situation involving the health of the child. Physical fitness development is important for its own obvious advantage, and also as an important deterrent to injuries.

G. Psychology of Coaching--Much is made of "psyching" a team or the opposing team by using different techniques. As a teacher, the coach should be concerned with the relationship between himself and the other partner in the teaching relationship to the youngster/athlete, namely the player's parent(s). Parents too, must realize that the coach is a teacher, and parents are expected to be co-teachers and supporters; not simply concerned with whether the team wins or whether certain youngsters play.

H. Game Dynamics--In the actual game situation, there are many aspects of strategy, tactics, and knowledge of the game rules, officiating, etc. that must be mastered. Implicit in the application of all these skills in a real game situation, is the ability of the coach to apply them in an even handed self-controlled manner regardless of any immediate stress situation.

I. Physiology and Kinesiology--As a teacher, the coach has been viewing the player development from a psychological skills development and overall group management point of view. The unique aspect of teacher coaching is that all the teaching concerns are appropriate, but these aspects are being carried out using the players' body in a variety of extension situations. Knowledge of physiology and kinesiology enhances the coach's full awareness of the total individual in the actual performing environment. Application of various skills developed conforms to the body's ability to carry them out in a safe and efficient manner at an optimal performance level.

Getting Into Specifics

The specific model described here entitled the "Coaches are Teachers" volunteer coaches training program is only one possible embodiment for the General Teacher/Coach Model. Philosophy of coaching is introduced early in the program since the concept of "coaches are teachers" is basic to the whole approach. In addition, a coach must first sit down and formulate rules and ideas to follow. The best start in a philosophy statement is the coach himself Put yourself into your philosophy--your outlook on life should be reflected in the way you coach. With the proper philosophy, sports programs produce children who accept responsibilities, who accept themselves and respect others.

The Coaches are Teachers Program is offered in an introductory form to start the volunteer coach in the right direction. Unlike another program, the format does not rely on one person receiving the training and then relaying the information to the volunteer coaches. The qualifications of the professionals involved in teaching are top notch. They are professionals in their respective fields. The program has enough flexibility to incorporate different trends and interests.

Once training is completed, the volunteer coach should be able to bring out the best in the player, have greater confidence in his own capabilities and the child should have respect for his coach, recognizing him as a teacher. Here are some examples of sessions that should be offered in the Coaches are Teachers Program approach:

* General Introduction: An overview of the program, orientation of the goals and objectives of the Coaches are Teachers Program.

* General Mechanics: The teaching of basic fundamentals common to all sports. Conditioning techniques will be covered. Also, the practical application of recent advanced teaching techniques in sports will be emphasized. This session will train coaches with specific guidelines needed to provide a positive experience for the young athlete.

* Legal Aspects: An analysis of the major legal problems and issues confronting the sports administrator. Liability, negligence, prevention of suits, defenses, and legal concepts will be discussed.

* Philosophy of Coaching: A philosophical analysis of" key concepts, which influence the objectives of various programs in the realm of sports, The "Bill of Rights for Young Athletes," attitudes about winning, and the concept of the "ideal" coach along with the types of coaches in the field will be discussed and analyzed.

* Psychology of Coaching: A study of the relationship between psychological and management concepts; application of these concepts by the coach and staff in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Plus, coach-player-parent(s) relationship will be addressed. Selected psychological and related theoretical factors that influence behavior of individuals participating in athletics will be covered. The relationship between sport, self-concept, and stress in athletic competition will be discussed.

* Sociology of Coaching: An introduction to the relationship between sports and society. Also, current social issues, social functions of sports, and the role and influence of sports in a social system will be discussed. The concept of sportsmanship will be addressed.

* Specific Skills Seminars: Specific fundamentals and skills necessary for coaches' respective sports. Plays and strategies will be covered.

* Sports Education: A critical scholarly examination of individuals' acquisition of skills as it relates to sports. Trends in coaching and teaching/learning techniques will be analyzed. An opportunity for participants in sports programs to learn about themselves. Developing a progressive programming or sports activities for different age groups, and the importance of practice will come into play.

* Sports Medicine: This session is to familiarize coaches with athletic injuries. An evaluation of conditioning and coaching methods will be covered. The rehabilitation and a when to return to competition will be discussed. The question "To play or not to play when injured?" will also be addressed.

Conclusion

All volunteers need some preparation for their work, and educating them is one of the best ways to run effective programs. Many agencies provide training programs for their volunteers at a level that enables them to perform their work confidently. Volunteer coaches require the same preparation.

The vast majority of coaches wish to do the best they can in coaching young athletes. Most poor coaching practices result either from coaches not having sufficient information, or from, coaches losing their perspective about the importance of winning. Coaches' training programs may remedy these problems.

In addition, coaches with little training may cause harm to their young athletes. Thousands of children are injured each year because they are not trained in the right techniques for their age, size or ability.

Now, as never before, there is an outcry for trained competent coaches of youth sports. The "Coaches are Teachers" model recognizes that volunteer coaches are instrumental in the success of a youth sports program. After completing this program, the volunteer coach can truly say that he has had the advantage of specialized training. In addition, the coach's participation in the program, reflects their commitment to their respective sports program and to their athletes/children. The trained coach is a successful coach because he/she conveys:

* the satisfaction of perseverance;

* the meaning of the effort;

* the worth of character;

* the power of kindness;

* the wisdom of honesty; and

* the influence of example.

Coaching the young athlete can be a rewarding job since young players really look up to the coach. In turn, the coach should be well prepared to live up to the expectations of the athlete. Volunteer coaches need to remember not to let these young players down.

In youth sports today, parents and coaches are looking to the local sports professionals for assistance and education. Sports agencies may want to establish a general model to implement at a moments notice. We may see the clay when there may' be a mandatory certification program for volunteer coaches, just as there are educational requirements in many states for training of high school and college coaches. With the current trends in the economy and the push towards volunteerism, the demand for educational training programs may also increase. The suggested model, "Coaches are Teachers" program may be the basic training program needed for our volunteer coaches of today's youth.

Class Syllabus and Outline

General Introduction:

Welcome to the Coaches are Teachers Program

Getting to know you

Overview of Program -Goals & Objectives

Familiarize participants with learning tools

Film: "Winning Isn't Everything"

General Mechanics:

Youth Sports Guide(YSG), Chapter 3 "Different Strokes for Different Folks: Teaching Skills to kids"

Coaching Young Athletes (CYA), Chapter 9

"Preparing for a Practice," Chapter 10

"Teaching Sports Skills," Chapter 11

"Developing Your Training Program"

Legal Aspects:

Case Studies

CYA Chapter 17 "You and the Law"

Film: "CAT; A Women who Fought Back"

Philosophy of Coaching:

YSG Bill of Rights

"Ideal" Coach Model-Code of Ethics for Coaches

CYA-Chapter 2" Your Coaching Style

Films: "Two Ball Games," "Lombardi: Commitment to Excellence" and "Rockne of Notre Dame"

Psychology of Coaching:

What kind of coach are you?

Descriptions of types of coaches

YSG Chapter I "Coaching Roles and Relationships"

Chapter 5 "Getting Them Up, Not Uptight"

CYA Chapter 5 "Principles of Reinforcement"

Chapter 6 "Understanding Motivation"

"Winning" and "Success" poems

Film: "Winning is everything?"

Sociology of Coaching:

YSG Chapter 7 "Winning Isn't Everything Nor Is It The Only Thing"

"Children Learn As they Live" Poem

"Sportsman Prayer"

Role Play-Social Interactions

Films: "Rookie of the Year" and "Sports For Life"

Sports Education:

YSG Chapter 2 (up to page 34) "Characteristics of the Young Athlete

Programming sports for different ages

Film: "Physical Development"

Sports Medicine:

YSG Chapter 2 (after page 34) "Characteristics of the Young Athlete,"

Chapter 4 "Shaping Up for Competition"

CYA Chapter 14 "Injury Prevention"

Chapter 15 "First Aid for Athletic Injuries"

Chapter 16 "Rehabilitation of Sports Injuries"

Film: "A Man and his Sport: Sports Medicine"

Creating Your Own Coaching Class

With shrinking staff and bulging budget cuts, park and recreation agencies might not have the funds to seek professional consulting to create a class for volunteer coaches. Here are some suggestions on how to create sessions based on the "Coaches are Teachers" philosophy described in the article. The first three helpful hints are:

* To enhance the learning process, educators are encouraged to involve everyone in group discussions and to share ideas and experiences. This seminar is designed as an active learning experience.

* The participants should be supplied with a Coaches are Teachers Workbook which will contain a general outline and the learning objectives of the seminar. It will also serve as a notebook for future reference. A copy of the book, "Youth Sports Guide for Coaches and Parents" will serve as the main textbook for this seminar. Coaches are encouraged to read "Coaching Young Athletes" by Rainer Martens.

* Having classroom and athletic facilities available will facilitate the theoretical and practical aspects of the learning experience.