Performance coaching
How do you view Performance Sports Coaching? What is it? Where does it take place? Who does it? Whose involved? Questions, questions questions…!
You might think the answers are simple and that posing the above is a bit pointless? Well let’s see, is it as simple as one might think? Does everyone see performance coaching the same way? Do Governing Bodies have different views to individual sports coaches? What’s your view?
Performance Sport is the hi-gloss, high profile, headline grabbing, money end of the end of sports coaching profession. It includes coaches linked to the Olympics, to Premiership Soccer, to Rugby’s Academies toWorld Class programmes and National teams like England Netball. But is it exclusive to these arenas?
What is performance sports coaching?
For years coaching was coaching was coaching. Whether with the local U9s Rugby team or a national teamyou were a sports coach and that was it! John Lyle (1999) highlighted the notion that ‘participation’ and ‘performance’ coaching were different, suggesting that ‘participation’ coaching concerned ‘initiating, improving and maintaining participation’ while ‘performance’ coaching was ore intensive and ‘involves specific preparation for the performance of sport’. In particular he suggested that performance coaching was essentially a:
“cognitive activity, with contributory elements of (skills-based) craft, which are related to interpersonal behaviour, managing the training environment, managing the competition environment and specific sport expertise” (Lyle, 1999, p7)
It’s important to note is that, regardless of whether which you’re talking about, sports coaching is about a ‘process’ and one that is managed/led/driven by the sports coach. John Lyle (1999) further defined the coaching process as:
“the purposeful improvement of competition sports performance, achieved through a planned programme of preparation and competition”
But consider now where, within the UK sports sector, does ‘performance’ coaching take place? Is it exclusively:
- Where a coach works with a high performance athlete?
- Where a coach works with any participants at a defined high performance facility/club? (e.g. EIS, Sheffield)
- When coaches work within a GB defined performance programme? (e.g. RFU Rugby Academy)
- Where coaches, athletes and others concerned work towards achieving performance goals?
What do sports Governing Bodies think?
It’s unlikely all governing bodies of sport have the same view! Some may be more informed than others and take a more inclusive open and positive approach… while a few will be negative, elitist, closed and exclusive?
Governing Bodies of sport provide, through systems and structures, sports coaching for participants preparing for national and international competitions. Within such systems two elements are in play linked to performance coaching; ‘Talent Identification‘ and ‘Talent Development‘. While knowledge, understanding and research into the former is well evolved and, in many cases, applied effectively the same can’t be said for the latter. Current research highlights the difficulties in identifying & selection the next generation of talented sports performers.
So should performance coaching be limited to ‘official’ GB performance programme only?
While luck plays its part in ‘selection’ to elite performance systems access to performance sports coaching sports will continue to be a hit and miss affair. Should that really be the case? Should performance coaching be restricted to the few selected by representative sport programmes? If not what’s the solution? Well either:
- Radically improve the knowledge, training and objectivity of selection systems, train those involved refine the approach taken or
- Spread the net of ‘performance coaching expertise wider to catch a greater number of the real long-term talented!
Problems with talent identification
Talent identification is currently a hot topic for organisations like sports coach UK (see their Performance Coaching Breakfast tour) and current research, at present, shows how problematic the process is. With many GB systems based on ‘luck’ at best and, at worst, on ‘subjective guess’ work or ‘personal bias’ there has to be another way
If Performance coaching is to be restricted to GB systems or programmes only then the failure to identify talent is amplified. If Talent Identification so hit or miss options include improving recruitment process, ensuring the right participants are identified, or spreading the performance coaching approach wider. Restrictive GB practices, keeping performance coaching in-house, keeps GBs in the driving seat enabling the select few to enjoy their view from national ivory towers.
Ideal perspective
Reviewing the questions above, Lyle (1999, p11) suggested that performance coaching was the appropriate term where the “coaching process involving athletes who are preparing for competition and who set longer-term goals…. characterised by detailed planning, monitoring or progress, and their commitment, in terms of time, effort and emotion”. Key within performance coaching is the inter-relationships between athlete – coach – others. Performance athletes seldom engage with just their ‘performance coach’! They access support from a range of individuals, including physio’s, medical & conditioning support.
Matching performance athletes with performance coaches is a challenge and, if Talent Identification is so unreliable, then the greater the network/spread of performance coaches, with the skills, knowledge and understanding of what performance coaching is, the better then chance of identifying real talent!
Peter Coe, father and coach to Lord Sebastian Coe, developed his knowledge and understanding as his son developed through his teenage years up to, and including, his achievements on the international stage. He was not a performance coach when he started, but he adapted and grew as a coach! Every high performing athlete starts their sporting career in grass roots programmes and the ‘system’ relies on coaches recognising talent and either adapting their coaching or pass their talented athletes on.
If performance coaching is a defined approach then, regardless of the facility your working, the GB programme your working on, the club your working for it is the approach taken by the coach that defines whether coaching sessions are performance orientated or not! Maybe it’s time for some GBs to open their eyes and let go the kudos strings they keep so close to their chest for reflected glory and start to develop a wider network of performance coaches throughout their sport!
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