WHAT IS COACHING?

What do you personally understand by good coaching? Do you think you are a good coach?
Coaching is defined as an activity that provides comprehensive sports training and prepares a sportsperson (sports man or sports woman) on a multi-level basis for participation in competition. Coaching objectives are a set of guidelines developed to help coaches in developing effective winning philosophy and to educate the athletes on the importance of having a philosophy to be embraced in ensuring victory. There are several objectives of coaching, and these may vary depending on the specifics of the coaching process. For example, a coach working with disabled individuals such as special Olympians would have different objectives from a coach working with non-disabled participants. Likewise, the objectives of coaching in a team sport are slightly different from those of coaching individuals. Nevertheless, we can summarise the objectives of coaching
as being:
(a) to identify practical methods for enhancing athlete performance by developing sport
confidence through effective coaching techniques;
(b) to develop training plans for the athlete to adhere to in the long-term;
(c) to improve the fitness of an athlete, both mental and physical, with emphasis on
endurance, strength, flexibility and nutrition; and
(d) to provide a safe and sustainable environment in which the athlete can train and
perform.
Many sports researchers feel that the primary objective of coaching in a successful coach is capable of making every individual under training to always be cheerful and possess high-spirit. We should conduct training programme which is always fun, dynamic, practical and should be alert towards the needs of their athletes under training. As a coach, you should always be creative with various practice sessions in preparing your team to face small as well as big tournament. The approaches taken in your training programme should
be varied to suit changing current situation. The liveliness will be felt by all the people including the coach, athletes, manager, and audience. The ability to develop cheerful and joyous surrounding will be more meaningful if the subjects of your coaching are young athletes. Children and youths engage in sports activities as a form of recreational activity and winning is considered as secondary objective. However, as a coach, you should be able to play your role to make sure that the athletes under your care will not lose their
concentration and to be too overjoyed that the objectives of the training would be jeopardised. Apart from being able to develop lively environment in the training, a coach should also be
able to:
(a) improve the athletes in terms of physical fitness and skills;
(b) bring forth positive behaviour;
(c) develop sporting spirit; and
(d) train athletes to respect fellow team players as well as the opponent team members.
As a coach, you should possess the necessary skills and knowledge about the work as a coach and are always eager to improve and enhance your knowledge to ensure you are not lagging behind in terms of current issues and development in the field. In addition, as a successful coach, you need to be able to realise the goal and aspiration of the athletes. Coaches are given the responsibility to mould, guide and steer the athletes towards success. As a coach, you should always have an open-mind, respect other people, possess confidence in the ability of your athletes, be sensitive to the surroundings, and be able to cooperate as a team member. You should also possess up to date information and constructive ideas in terms of the training system, creative mind and do not lose interest by the conducts of the athletes. These values are needed in developing a winning philosophy of a coach.