5 Final thoughts: a fresh approach?
Throughout this course, coaching that emphasises athletes making decisions and different styles of quality practices has been discussed.
Box 3 is a snapshot of how the English Football Association’s (FA) youth coaching badge scheme is adjusting its approach. This extract is taken from the start of a Guardian newspaper article entitled FA’s youth coaching game-changer means more ball-work and less shouting [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
Box 3 FA’s youth coaching game-changer means more ball-work and less shouting
A fresh approach to the education of coaches moves away from the command-style model to a method that is more about whispering than hairdryer treatment.
‘Hey Thomas. Love your bravery to try that first-time pass. Keep it up. Your next challenge is to make sure you leave the ball playable for Adam or Conor ...’
You may think from ‘hairdryer treatment’ to ‘whispering’ is rather far-fetched. However, if you look carefully at the quote at the start of the article about Thomas’s ‘bravery’ and ‘your next challenge’, you can begin to see feedback on effort and challenge that closely resembles Dweck’s (2012) ideas on a growth mindset. Is coaching changing? Your own experience of sports coaching as a parent or participant will be a good judge of this. Contribute to the dialogue on the Succeed at OU sport, fitness and coaching Facebook page.