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Some people fall into coaching by accident, others because it is a path they have chosen. Whatever the reason, all coaches should constantly think about how they can improve and evolve.
Yachting New Zealand run a range of coaching courses, from learn to sail through to top-level race programmes, and many clubs can also help upskill you.
“What we often find is that many coaches do a learn to sail course but nothing else,” Yachting New Zealand interim coach development manager Robbs Hielkema said. “Sometimes coaches can be going to world championships and a learn to sail certificate is all they have.
“We have a lot of learn to sail coaches who will be coaching at a much high level. A lot feel they aren’t up to the level to do something like a learn to race course but many also think they are above it. I have run a lot of these courses and every time I do it I learn something because it’s often more about the sharing of knowledge.”
Winter is often a good time to upskill and there are a host of courses being held around the country in the coming months, from Northland to Southland. There might not always be one in your town but there’s usually one not too far away and it’s usually easy to arrange accommodation with someone else taking the course.
Clubs can also book a course at their clubrooms if they have eight people interested. If you don’t have enough, try publicising it and seeing if others from neighbouring clubs are interested to make up the numbers.
These can be run over weekends, split over two weekends or even across four nights.
Anyone aged 12 and over is able to become a coach, although you must be 15 to drive a coach boat (ask a parent to help out). Hielkema said it’s common for youngsters transitioning out of Optimists to do a learn to race coach course, which can also help with their own sailing.
Of course, some clubs have professional coaches, but there’s still a need to have others to support that person and a big part of it is understanding about safety and risk management.
“We rely heavily on volunteers, and they do a great job, but it’s not that difficult to become more skilled as a coach and it’s going to make a big difference to those learning,” Hielkema said. “And it can also be really rewarding.
“Who knows? Some might develop a passion and pursue it fulltime because coaching is becoming more of a genuine career path, irrespective of someone’s own sailing ability.”
See the Yachting New Zealand website for more on coaching and click here to see what courses are on in the next few months.
