Issue date
Hey guys, I went to Taupo at the weekend to the Opti North Islands, and sat with 10 different coaches over 2 days while they were coaching their sailors.
I have compiled together some thoughts, and learnings that I got out of it.
Feel free to take the time to read it, and make any suggestions, commments etc.
If you have ANY learnings, at any time, please post them for all to benefit from.
Can't add the file, so it's a long post!
Firstly, KILLCORDS please guys. It is really important. We all know what can happen in the worst case. It is also in risk management and isn’t hard. Get a surf leash if you really need.
I was armed with four questions. They weren’t directly asked, but variations around the same questions:
1) What’s your biggest strength in coaching?
2) What is your current work on AS A COACH?
3) The best part of coaching?
4) If YNZ could do one thing to help you AS A COACH right now, what would it be?
So key things I picked out from different people:
- A suggestion to have a coach the coaches weekend for the more experienced coaches, with notable coaches etc
- Someone said something about knowing how as a coach to get a kid to ‘break out’ from a group and perform when needed. Could look at putting together a workshop around the theme of ‘Getting your sailor to make the break’
- An emphasis on sailing more, and coaching less.
- One coach only has ONE coaching session a week with their sailors, the other session is a coach ‘supported’ session, but sailors decide the marks, and drills they want
- A coaching drills resource, and split into the 4 YNZ posters, Upwind Speed, Downwind Speed, Starts and Tactics
- The idea of split fleet coaching is hard, but for the sailors and coaches, it is good to get used to and educate around, as this is what is encountered overseas… downside to this is the maximisation of learning time while at NZ events, rather than putting one coach with one fleet.
- A comment around coaching at regattas, and how getting the sailors to ‘sail in the present’. So take in the information around what is there and now, and sail with what you have, not what might be expected (although this information is handy).
- Someone said the job of a coach in between races at regattas is simply to keep the sailors happy and eating and drinking – I then raised the question of ‘How do you KNOW if they are happy?’ Easy to say ‘Yup, I’m happy/fine’. So understanding the behaviours displayed by your sailors when they are happy and engaged to race.
- Coach mentioned that more of the coach observation would be good, and is worthwhile
- Some request on some class specific workshops
- Some collaboration and help around coaching mixed ability groups
- Coach mentioned how sailors are so dependent on coaches. Be aware, is this something we as coaches create? This needs to stem up from club coaching. How do we make our sailors independent? On and off the water?
Keep up the awesome work, you guys are creating our sailors of the future… keep that in mind
Contact me ANYTIME if you have any questions/suggestions/comments. I’m happy to hear them, and I love having friends! Just ring me up, have a chat, or email me about anything anytime.
