Stages of Coaching Questions

I've written a few times lately about coach development, and the idea that a critical part of coach development is what the coach actually wants to learn. The point is that as coaches develop, their coaching evolves. The consequence of which is that if we are supporting the development of coaches, we need to identify what coaches WANT to know as well as what they NEED to know.

This is another 'model' explaining the same concept. That is not to say any of the models are right or wrong. Life is too complex to fit neatly into models. Except Planets. There are 8 planets in the solar system. Always were, always will be.

WHAT?

When coaches start they tend to point out 30 things that are wrong. They consider it useful that they can name 30 technical things that are essential for a skill. As they develop they realise that it is actually more important to simplify.

HOW?

Then they learn about training design. About drills and methods to train.

WHEN?

Over time coaches develop an understanding of when players are open to learning and that you don't have to correct everything every time. This is usually the point where coaches stop thinking that it is the athlete's responsibility to learn, and start to think that it is the coach's responsibility to teach.

WHERE?

Eventually coaches realise that they don't have to tell someone they're wrong to 'fix' them. Sometimes they can just create situations where the athlete will require modification to succeed and they will fix something without even being told they were wrong!

WHY?

At some point coaches start asking questions like: why do I do it like this? And if the answer is, 'because that is how I've always done it', an investigation is immediately commenced to work out the best way to do it. Could it be done faster, more efficiently? Could it be taught better in a different way? It might end up being the same, but there always has to be a good reason.

QUESTIONS

What links all the coaches above is the questions. They are always questioning.

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