Coaching

[Kaci]

I'm interesting in becoming a full time coach. I'm planning to go to uni next year to study coaching and sports studies or something along those lines. Can anyone give me some advice?

[Unfit]

my advice is get some experience - volunteer for free at your local club. go along and watch other people teach and coach. qualifications are definitely important but there's nothing better than experience because what works with one kid won't work with another!

[little splash]

you could ask ur local club coach for a copy of the training sets he/she has set for background reading.
good luck
*little splash*:angel:

[Conrad Cawley]

If you want my advice...don't do it!

[Kaci]

Thank you for the advice Conrad, but I'll give it ago anyway. No doubt I will regret not taking your advice one day.

Looks like experience is the way then :)

[BigFish]

I would have to agree with Conrad -- to an extent. I wouldn't recommend relying on coaching as a primary income. There just aren't enough full-time positions to go around, and you really need to be extremelly good to have any chance of staying in a post over an extended period.

Of course, others around here may have other opinions which I'd be interested to hear, especially our resident full time coaches.

[lane4]

Originally posted by BigFish
you really need to be extremelly good to have any chance of staying in a post over an extended period.


You saying I'm an extremely good coach BigFish?

[mammamedley]

From what I've experienced - full time coaches aren't necessarily (spell check please Chris!!!) good coaches!

Spelling sorted :D (<i>Chris</i>)

[BigFish]

Originally posted by lane4


You saying I'm an extremely good coach BigFish?

Don't know, how long have you been in your current position? What are your thoughts about swim coaching as a career anyway?

Mammamedley


full time coaches aren't necessarily good coaches!

Wrong word maybe, how about extremely lucky?

I would go along 100% with the need for experience though. How do you know you'll even enjoy coaching if you haven't experienced it on the deck (rather than from a book or lectures/seminars).

Experience of more than 1 club would be useful too. I've been coaching/teaching for most of the past 13 years and enjoyed it thoroughly (2 or 3 clubs), but the last club I coached at was an absolute nightmare.

[Kaci]

I would be coaching in Guernsey though, therefore my situation is slightly different. There are only 2 clubs 1 run by full time coaches and swim school staff the other by volunteers.

I coach trampoining at the moment (which I know is very different), I've done GCSE physical education (A*) and I'm halfway through my sports studies A level course and I love it. I feel I could do a lot for swimming in Guernsey.

As for the money, my other half will provide the main source of income.:D

[Swim21]

A ScUK Working Party is currently looking at the roles of professional coaches and is likely to conclude with recommendations to put 2000 professional coaches into sports clubs accross UK.

However only a small proportion of these will go into swimming.

[Unfit]

kaci - i'm jelous. i'd love for my other half to earn enough for me to be a full time coach! unfortunately, i don't think that's ever going to happen so i guess i won't be giving up my day job!