Briefing Document: SISSSCO001 - Conduct Sport Coaching Sessions with Foundation Level Participants

Date: 2023-10-27

1. Introduction and Purpose of the Guide

This document provides a detailed review of key themes and ideas within the "SISSSCO001 Learner Guide". The guide aims to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively conduct sports coaching sessions for foundation level participants. It covers preparation, execution, and completion phases of a coaching session, as well as important aspects like communication, feedback, and self-reflection. The overall emphasis is on creating a safe, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. The guide states, "Sport is all about coordinating and performing as a team…Sports are vital in a person’s life because they help them stay fit, healthy, and strong." It also notes that sports coaching requires an understanding of athlete development and effective communication strategies.

2. Key Learning Objectives

The guide identifies four main learning areas:

Preparing for sport-specific sessions.
Conducting sport-specific sessions.
Completing sport-specific sessions.
Reviewing sport-specific sessions.
These objectives are further broken down into specific actions and responsibilities throughout the document.

3. Chapter 1: Preparing for Sport-Specific Sessions

This chapter focuses on the pre-session planning and setup required for effective coaching.

Confirming Duties: Coaches must confirm their assigned duties with their supervisor (1.1). This ensures clarity and avoids miscommunication regarding expectations.
Interpreting Session Plans: Coaches need to understand and interpret sport-specific session plans, verifying setup requirements with supervisors (1.2). A session plan is described as a "document that explains the purpose of a meeting, what is required to have the meeting and the major points and tasks that must be performed during the meeting". Session plan elements include:
Location: Details of the venue, such as address and specific location (e.g., "court 6," "top oval").
Conditioning: Understanding fitness needs of the athletes, incorporating workouts for the sport.
Equipment & Resources: Ensuring availability of necessary items, considering things like "parents, blowing whistles, and serving refreshments."
Refreshments: Planning for food and drink, including awareness of allergies. Pre-game snack suggestions include whole-grain bread, crackers, cereal and fruit. Half-time snacks should focus on carbohydrates and hydration, e.g., dried fruit, yogurt.
Preparing Facilities, Equipment and Refreshments: Setting up facilities and ensuring required equipment and refreshments are available before the session begins (1.3).
Selecting and Checking Equipment: Coaches must select equipment, check for wear and tear, and report any issues to the supervisor (1.4). The guide includes lists of various types of sporting equipment:
"Sports that use nets include badminton, tennis, table tennis, and basketball."
"Hockey sticks, bats, clubs, cricket bats, baseball bats, and golf clubs."
Reporting Setup Problems: Promptly reporting any issues with the setup to the supervisor (1.5). Common problems could include overspending or insufficient funds and an inadequate amount of equipment. "The session plan may necessitate using more equipment than is currently accessible."
4. Chapter 2: Conducting Sport-Specific Sessions

This chapter focuses on delivering effective coaching during the session.

Communicating with Participants: Coaches must effectively communicate session activities, instructions, and safety requirements to foundation level participants and confirm their understanding (2.1). It emphasises that not everyone thinks, feels or talks the same way, and coaches must take this into account to ensure the message is received.
Modelling Behaviour Standards: Coaches must communicate and demonstrate sport-specific participation behaviour standards (2.2). This includes acting as a role model and setting the tone for positive conduct. The guide says "Treat everyone in your sport the way you want to be treated. Do not intimidate or take advantage of a competitor unfairly." This extends to assistant coaches, who must use "acceptable language" and be "arriving on time."
Presenting, Sequencing and Pacing Activities: Coaches must present activities in a logical sequence, pacing them to meet the objectives of the session plan (2.3). The "coaching presence" is defined as "being conscious of themselves, the current dialogue, the coachee, and having faith in the coachee's ability to change." Coaches can follow the "ACAE" approach: Agree, Ask, Create, Explore.
Instructing and Demonstrating Techniques: Coaches must demonstrate safe and appropriate sports techniques and equipment usage (2.4). Proper equipment use, including protective gear, should be taught (e.g. "baseball helmet cannot be worn by a bicycle"). Also detailed are appropriate warm-up and cool-down techniques, with a general warm-up described as "5 minutes of light (low intensity) physical activity". Cool-down activities help the body to return to resting levels, as well as removing metabolites like lactic acid from the muscles.
Providing Feedback: Coaches must provide feedback to encourage positive interaction and participation (2.5). Positive feedback is given when "a performance achieves the desired result". Negative feedback happens "when performance does not attain the desired result." The guide suggests feedback should be "frequent while learning, less often when mastered" and be "sincere".
Addressing Poor Behaviour: Coaches should address poor behaviour within their job role responsibilities (2.6). The guide suggests strategies include ignoring the behaviour when appropriate, using positive interactions to decrease misbehaviour and using effective verbal reprimands that are "clear, firm and well-timed". Time-outs can also be given.
Seeking Support: When difficulties arise outside of the coach's responsibilities, they should seek support from their supervisor (2.7). "Create a list of things you tried and potential solutions" before seeking help.
5. Chapter 3: Completing Sport-Specific Sessions

This chapter covers the necessary actions after a coaching session.

Seeking Participant Feedback: Coaches should seek feedback from participants to identify further coaching needs and report this to supervisors (3.1). Feedback helps coaches to understand what they’re doing well and where they can improve. The guide recommends reflecting on the goal of feedback and "identifying the right people to ask for feedback". The coach must also "prepare the right questions" and "take notes".
Describing Follow-Up Plans: Coaches should describe plans for future sessions to participants as instructed by their supervisor (3.2).
Checking Equipment: Coaches should check equipment for wear and tear and report any issues to supervisors (3.3). The guide advises that coaches should do "a visual assessment" and "feel each piece of equipment".
Packing Up: Coaches must pack up all equipment, resources, and refreshments according to organisational policies and procedures (3.4). This also includes cleaning up facilities so that they are in the same state as they were found.
6. Chapter 4: Reviewing Sport Specific Sessions

This chapter focuses on the importance of reflection and evaluation. It notes that "analysing coaching success entails more than just a win-loss record" and that feedback is "critical data that will be used to make important decisions." It also says, "feedback is a tool for growth" and that "feedback is one of a supervisor's or manager's responsibilities." The following common methods of self-reflection are recommended:

Keeping a reflective diary or journal, including a brain dump of incomplete tasks, three positives from the day and things that didn’t go as planned.
Self-talk: using this to improve self-criticism and make it more valuable.
Self-evaluation forms: this helps to look at the whole picture and rate oneself in a quantifiable way.
7. Key Themes and Concepts

Safety First: Ensuring a safe environment and proper use of equipment is a recurring theme.
Effective Communication: The importance of clear, appropriate, and tailored communication with foundation-level participants is emphasized throughout.
Positive Reinforcement: The document stresses the need for positive interactions, encouragement, and feedback as a means of improving behaviour and performance.
Self-Reflection and Improvement: The guide promotes self-evaluation and feedback from various sources as key for continuous improvement.
Professionalism: The importance of professionalism is highlighted through requirements to be well-prepared, punctual, and to follow instructions and policies.
8. Key Takeaways

The role of a coach extends beyond just teaching technical skills. It involves planning, communication, behaviour management, and ongoing evaluation.
Foundation-level coaching requires special attention to safety, clear communication, and positive engagement.
Feedback is a two-way street. Coaches should seek feedback from participants and supervisors alike to enhance their effectiveness.
9. Conclusion

The "SISSSCO001 Learner Guide" provides a comprehensive framework for conducting sports coaching sessions with foundation level participants. By understanding and applying the principles outlined in this document, coaches can create a positive, safe, and effective learning environment for their athletes.