Methods of coaching

A coach has many roles during their time , from being a trainer , supporter , teacher and leader , to being a first aider , managing admin and managing people. For most of these roles there is a simple approach to the job that is effective and efficient. However for the coaching side of the job there a number of ways in which a coach can apply themselves. We call these methods 'methods can be viewed not as a set of strategies which can be successfully or not unsuccessfully implemented by a coach. They are more like a set of beliefs about the way certain types of learning can be best achieved. They are about valued forms of knowledge as they are about procedures for action' (Tinning 1993) . The method of a coach can say a lot about themselves , their abilities and confidence. However it can be all so a reflection of the group as often certain coaching styles have to be adapted to suit particular groups often for safety reasons where control is needed. Mostun and ashworth created a method continuum which displayed how certain sports and activities require differing levels of responsibility on coach and player. An example of which is below.


Kirk went on to split this spectrum into 5 methods of coaching.

Directive - A control of information to participants , this limits progression and means the coach is the center.
Task - Designing the session so that the participant can sometimes work independently on a task or problem.
Reciprocal - This requires the players to work with one another rather than the coach ,designed for them.
Guided discovery - Gives the players more independence. Allows them to develop their own problems and then they can understand better solutions.
Problem solving - Offers more than one basic solution , again can be adapted for a better fit for individual needs - Differentiated needs.

As I touched on earlier , the method that you choose as a coach should be within your own personal capabilities but all so inside the abilities of your group. It would be unwise as a coach of for example a reception class or a similarly young group to let them go off and do what they want , this would both be dangerous and unproductive , although all decisions shouldn't be made for the players (this is one of the problems with English footballers , they are all coached to death, never allowing them to develop their own style of play) but they need to have some structure in the session so that they can meet aims and objectives.

For a situation such as this a directive approach would be more appropriate , ensuring that the players are kept on track and under control, guiding them through the session safely whilst meeting objectives is important , however if aims of the session are not met and perhaps you are running out of time do not feel you have to rush through. It is always better to ensure you have the fundamentals of a sport successfully implemented rather than rushing on to coach shooting. What use is being able to shoot if you can control a ball , the ball is never going to stop perfectly in acres of space for you to run and hit it however you want , coaches must ensure that they produce rounded players. I personally coached football at a local club and along with the other coaches often encountered children unhappy because we were doing dribbling activities when all they wanted to do was play a game , I am all for them learning to develop their own skills in a game but with a group as young as they were 6 and 7 year olds , a game often turns into a unproductive swarm chasing a ball and getting stuck in a corner , with the less advanced players standing around. For this reason I preferred to use skill based activities which allowed all players to be involved and work at their own level. These were not drills , as being a player myself I am aware of how boring, repetitive and time absorbing drills were. For example making players dribble round cones for 15 minutes , when in a game are you going to run at 4 stationary defenders on several occasions. Most of the activities I did as a player were irrelevant to games situations and ability in a game. So now when coaching i attempt to remove drills as much as possible and allow time for developing other skills and bits of personal flair using a task approach where they can sometimes work interdependently and even sometimes work reciprocally perhaps copying each others turns.

Coaches too often like to take control of sessions with their whistle and tracksuit feeling all important , in the development of the players however it is often better to allow the players find their own way and develop their own styles. If a player develops a way of kicking the ball that is not how you would normally do it , this doesn't mean its wrong , players are not clones they all have their own style , let them grow it.