Coaching Process Notes - SG-Coach Level 1 Theory Chapter 5

The Coaching Process (SG-Coach Level 1 Theory)

  • The Coaching Process is introduced as an initiative by Sport Singapore (SG-Sport) and the course is titled SG-Coach Level 1 Theory.
  • The coaching cycle is organized into three core stages: PLAN → DELIVER → REVIEW, forming a continuous improvement loop.

PLAN

  • Core idea: Planning involves understanding your athletes, identifying what they need, and setting SMART goals.

  • Key outcome of PLAN: Develop a structured map to guide sessions and progress toward goals.

  • The planning phase emphasizes two notions: knowing the athletes and knowing the sport, plus aligning activities to bridge the gap between baseline ability and goals.

  • The 5 key coaching skills used in PLAN to deliver an effective coaching session:

    • Build Relationships
    • Instruct & Explain
    • Demonstrate
    • Observe & Analyze
    • Provide Feedback

  • These five skills are used across sessions to optimize learning, performance, and development.

  • The RAMS concept appears in several slides as part of Safe RAMS and a Supportive Learning Environment. RAMS is tied to creating safe and supportive learning conditions (the exact acronym expansion is not fully spelled out in the transcript).

  • End-of-lesson review question: At the end of each lesson, answer: "What went well & what needs to improve?" to reflect and adjust for the next session.

  • The Planning Process is described as systematic and iterative:

    • Step 1: Know the Sport and Athletes
    • Step 2: Determine the Goals
    • Step 3: Plan to Bridge the Difference

  • The planning process supports establishing a baseline for athletes’ abilities, and it relies on several inputs:

    • Research or technical articles on the sport (possibly via National Sports Associations) to understand sport demands (energy, strength, mental, techniques, tactics)
    • Baseline assessments through observation, interviews, and testing protocols (e.g., time-trials, skill tests) to understand current capabilities
    • RAMS and Safe Learning Environment principles to ensure inclusivity and safety
    • Special considerations for Special Needs Group and Persons with Disabilities (refer to Module 4 for guidelines) in STEP 1: Know the Sport and Athletes

  • The Planning Process details (expanded):

    • Step 1 – Know the Sport and Athletes: Gain understanding of sport demands and athlete baseline
    • Step 2 – Determine the Goals: Goals can be long-term or short-term; they provide focus and direction for progression
    • Step 3 – Plan to Bridge the Difference: Develop activities to close the gap between the baseline and the goals, guided by RAMS and Safe Learning Environment
    • The process emphasizes testing and evaluation embedded in plans to adjust for efficiency and measurement of progress

  • Expanded content in planning steps includes:

    • Methods to establish baseline: Observe, Interview, Test, each with concrete examples:
    • Observe: identify observable movement patterns with an observation plan
    • Interview: questions to identify learning and adaptation factors (through questionnaires, interviews, informal chats)
    • Test: identify sport/activity demands; apply testing protocols (time-trials, skill tests, etc.)

  • The content also highlights the importance of preparing for the needs of special groups (e.g., Special Needs Group and Persons with Disabilities). The guidance references Module 4 for inclusion guidelines and suggests integrating RAMS considerations.

  • Step 2: Determine the Goals (in detail):

    • Goals can be long-term (e.g., end-of-journey outcomes) or short-term (micro-steps toward long-term goals)
    • Without proper goal-setting, training can be based on hope rather than measurable progress
    • The goal-setting framework supports focus and motivation.

  • Step 3: Plan to Bridge the Difference (in detail):

    • Focus: break objectives into smaller steps (baby steps) in two main categories:
    • Learning (technical, tactical, psychological)
    • Adaptation (fitness attributes: endurance, flexibility, power, speed, coordination)
    • Progression: a sequence of session plans, with progression via training loads and task difficulty
    • The plan should address both the learning and adaptation needs of athletes, aligning with practice tempo and complexity
    • The model emphasizes the need to bridge the baseline with demands of the sport via planned activities

  • The content discusses learning outcomes for planning, including:

    • Enjoyment of sport or physical activity
    • Learning a new skill
    • Refining or optimizing performance
    • Inculcating positive values and attributes

The Game-for-Life (GFL) Framework and Session Design

  • The course references the Game-for-Life (GFL) framework as a structure to plan sporting activities to facilitate character and leadership development outcomes. It can also guide planning processes.

  • The GFL framework actions are summarized as Check, Act, and Reinforce:

    • Check: What you need to check beforehand for coaching activities to be successful (e.g., age/gender appropriateness of activities, skills required, understanding of instructions, performance standards, roles, and skill availability)
    • Act: Actions during trainings/competitions to address performance and character (e.g., feedback, demonstrations during sessions, addressing performance issues)
    • Reinforce: Approaches to reinforce development of values and technical skills; post-activity reinforcement; includes methods like peer discussions, reflections, and transfer to life after activity

  • The framework aligns development platforms (VALUES & ATTRIBUTES; PERFORMANCE; SOCIAL; MORAL) with real activities and life applications.

  • Actions by Coach under GFL include a mapping of coaching skills to the three phases:

    • CHECK: Instruction & Explanation; Demonstration
    • ACT: Observation & Analysis; Providing Feedback
    • REINFORCE: Providing Feedback; Other methods such as peer discussions, sharing, and reflections

  • The session planning emphasizes the four components of a session plan:

    • Objectives: Short-term goals guiding the sequence, content, and duration of the session
    • Duration: How long the session lasts
    • Activities: The sequence and content that will be covered
    • Resources: Equipment needed

  • The sample content mentions a Sample Football Session Plan using the GFL framework and notes the ability to view a sample and a template for practice planning

  • The content also describes the relationship between session planning and the principles of learning and adaptation:

    • Zone of Proximal Development
    • General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
    • Training principles and components of fitness

  • Checklist for a well-designed session plan includes factors to consider:

    • Number of Athletes
    • Motivation & Intention
    • Availability of Resources
    • Competence & Conditioning Level
    • Learning Progress & Preferences
    • Training Load
    • Values & Attributes

  • Additional planning considerations include an action plan to bridge differences between baseline and goals, with focus on two main progressions:

    • Learning progression (technique, tactics, psychology)
    • Adaptation progression (fitness attributes and conditioning)

  • The Content covers the concept of Learning and Adaptation separately and how they feed into planning and progression in practice sessions

The Deliver Stage: Skills for Effective Delivery

  • DELIVER phase focuses on the 'doing' of coaching and the basic skills necessary for effective session delivery. The five core skills are:

    • Building Relationships
    • Instruction & Explanation
    • Demonstration
    • Observation & Analysis
    • Providing Feedback

  • Each skill area is expanded with actionable bullets and examples across slides 38–60:

  • Building Relationships (Skill 01):

    • Confidence in front of athletes
    • Smile and eye contact
    • Show interest and respect for each athlete
    • Know athletes’ names
    • Coach the athlete, not the sport
    • The coach should maintain appropriate confidence to be seen as credible; eye contact should be maintained; recall athletes’ names regularly; avoid focusing solely on top performers; value every athlete's effort; balance attention among all athletes

  • Instruction & Explanation (Skill 02):

    • Plan what to say
    • Gain attention
    • Keep explanations simple
    • Group athletes by abilities, numbers, and activity
    • Check for understanding
    • Visualize and prepare statements to speak clearly and concisely; avoid jargon; tailor language to athletes; ensure all can hear and see; use attention cues (whistle, hand raise) to gain focus

  • Demonstration (Skill 03):

    • Decide the purpose and type of demonstration
    • Position so all can see/hear
    • Focus on one or two key points
    • Use a silent demo from multiple directions
    • Ask if athletes want to try or see again
    • Demonstrations can introduce new skills, simplify or adapt skills, or highlight key points; videos and pictures can supplement live demos; demonstrations can be paused to analyze or correct
    • Use multiple angles to help observation and learning

  • Observation & Analysis (Skill 04):

    • Break the action into phases; Prepare, Execute, Follow-through
    • Observe multiple times from multiple directions
    • Compare with technical model
    • Identify what is correct and what is incorrect
    • Decide on actions to take (if any)
    • Phases defined with examples:
    • Prepare: actions that readies for movement (e.g., backswing in golf)
    • Execute: the force-producing movement or critical moment of contact (e.g., ball-contact moment in tennis)
    • Follow-through: post-execution movements (e.g., form after kick)
    • Observations should be taken from right angles to motion; multiple angles provide better assessment; distance and direction may influence observations
    • Observation supports feedback quality and may lead to demonstrations or corrections as needed

  • Providing Feedback (Skill 05):

    • Feedback is essential for learning; avoid ambiguous or cryptic feedback; foster self-regulation through feedback
    • Self-regulation (intrinsic and extrinsic feedback) are key concepts; feedback can be intrinsic (KP - Knowledge of Performance; KR - Knowledge of Results) or extrinsic (augmented feedback from coach, peers, or environment)
    • Types of feedback:
    • Intrinsic KP: quality of movement
    • Intrinsic KR: outcome/results
    • Extrinsic KP/KR: external cues and information
    • Timing, frequency, and precision of feedback matter:
    • Balance positive and negative feedback; avoid over-emphasis on corrections alone
    • Timing: post-feedback delay should allow adequate practice but not be too long
    • Feedback level depends on athlete's level: beginners require more detailed prescriptive feedback; experienced athletes require more descriptive feedback
    • Feedback should be used to facilitate higher-order learning (problem solving), and should align with athletes' readiness and motivation
    • The aim is to empower athletes to use feedback to improve self-assessment and self-regulation

  • The overall Deliver stage emphasizes that the coach should integrate the above skills into coaching practice, using a holistic approach to develop both performance and character

Communication, Active Listening, and Verbal/Non-Verbal Cues

  • Essential Skills in Delivering Effective Communication underpin four of the five coaching skills (Building Relationships, Instruction, Demonstration, Providing Feedback)

  • Communication is a two-way process, involving sending and receiving messages, and is foundational for motivation and goal-setting

  • Verbal vs Non-Verbal communication:

    • Verbal: word choice and structure; use positive language and encouraging tone; provide precise feedback (e.g., specific compliments with clear suggestions)
    • Non-Verbal: eye contact, gestures, touch (with sensitivity to harassment issues), facial expressions, and voice tone; non-verbal cues can convey confidence and support

  • Active Listening is crucial to ensure athletes feel heard and understood; it promotes willingness to respond and engage

  • Active Listening techniques include:

    • Use verbal and non-verbal cues (nodding, brief verbal affirmations)
    • Paraphrase main points to confirm understanding
    • Use open-ended questions to encourage athletes to talk
    • Examples illustrate how to respond to concerns or motivation issues

  • Clear messaging guidelines (Sending Clear Messages):

    • Be specific and consistent; avoid contradictory messages
    • Distinguish fact from opinion; organize thoughts before speaking
    • Mention one thing at a time; avoid hidden agendas
    • Be supportive; ensure verbal and non-verbal messages align
    • Confirm that the message has been interpreted correctly through feedback cues

  • The section emphasizes the importance of aligning verbal and non-verbal messages and tailoring communication to the receiver’s experience and comprehension level

Checklists, Session Plans, and Evaluation

  • The Session Plan is described as a map for achieving objectives in a single session; components include:

    • Objectives: short-term goals that dictate sequence, content, and duration
    • Duration: length of the session
    • Activities: sequence and content
    • Resources: equipment needed

  • The planning materials emphasize alignment with learning and adaptation principles (zone of proximal development, GAS, training principles, and fitness components)

  • A well-designed session plan should consider:

    • Number of Athletes
    • Motivation & Intention
    • Availability of Resources
    • Competence & Conditioning Level
    • Learning Progress & Preferences
    • Training Load
    • Values & Attributes

  • The Session Plan Template and sample (e.g., football) are provided to illustrate structure and elements

  • A comprehensive checklist also emphasizes the need to consider progression and volume/intensity (training load) to match athletes’ motivation and competence

  • The concept of progression is tied to session planning: each session should progressively challenge athletes while maintaining safety and learning

  • The Session Plan also emphasizes the impact of the environment and adaptability for different learners (multi-sensory approaches, self-pacing, etc.)

The Session Review and Reflection

  • Effective Review focuses on reflection and evaluation after sessions and coaching programs to improve future performance

  • Suggested review components:

    • Self-Reflection: personal assessment of strengths, weaknesses, and overall effectiveness
    • Athlete’s Feedback: participants’ perceptions of the coaching and learning outcomes (e.g., post-session discussions or surveys like a coach questionnaire)
    • Administrators’ Feedback: feedback from school administrators or sport officials to align with organizational goals

  • Self-Reflection prompts examples include: identifying difficulties, areas for improvement, what went well, and whether program goals were achieved

  • The reflective tool often used is a traffic-light approach: Continue Doing, Stop Doing, Start Doing

  • The Athlete Feedback and Administrator Feedback sections reference specific tools or forms (e.g., a coach questionnaire and a specific administrator feedback form) to gather input for improvement

The Session Plan Template and Sample

  • The Session Plan contains four components:
    • Objectives: short-term goals for the session
    • Duration: time allotted for the session
    • Activities: content and sequence of drills, games, or tasks
    • Resources: equipment and materials needed
  • The plan includes an observation plan to evaluate the quality of the session and learning outcomes
  • A football example is mentioned as a sample Session Plan using the GFL framework; templates are provided for planning entries such as main activities, introduction, and conclusion

Character and Leadership Development through Game-for-Life (GFL)

  • The Game-for-Life framework is used to support character and leadership development outcomes within sport and as guidance for planning sessions

  • The framework includes the concepts of CHECK, ACT, and REINFORCE as guiding actions for coaching:

    • CHECK: Ensure that activities are age and gender appropriate, assess skill levels, confirm understanding of instructions, ensure clarity of roles, and verify performance standards
    • ACT: Actions during training that address performance and character
    • REINFORCE: Post-activity reinforcement strategies to embed values and skills; examples include highlighting teachable moments, discussing scenarios, acknowledging good behaviors, peer sharing, and reflection on applying resilience beyond sport

  • The framework maps to Development Platforms with three aspects:

    • VALUES & ATTRIBUTES (e.g., Confidence, Diligence; Harmony, Responsibility; Integrity, Respect)
    • PERFORMANCE (e.g., skill execution, scoring, results)
    • MORAL dimensions (e.g., Integrity, Respect, Responsibility)

  • The framework emphasizes that coaches should focus on the athlete rather than the sport itself, and tailor coaching to each athlete’s needs within the same activity

  • Examples of actions include feedback phrasing that reinforces the athlete’s role and development

Practical Elements of Delivery and Feedback

  • The content provides practical examples of delivery elements including:

    • Verbal examples of praise and instruction
    • Non-verbal cues (eye contact, gestures, tone, positioning relative to athletes)
    • The use of questions to engage athletes during and after drills
    • The use of peer coaching and small-group organization for large groups
    • Methods to check for understanding (e.g., asking athletes to paraphrase or demonstrate comprehension)

  • Demonstrations can be accompanied by videos to supplement learning; multiple angles help learners observe key movement details

  • Observation and feedback practices emphasize identifying correct actions as well as incorrect ones, and the need to reinforce correct actions to support motivation

Special Topics: Character, Values, and Leadership

  • The slides discuss the question: Is sport capable of building character? The response notes that sport can develop character when coaches intentionally teach values as part of the program
  • The Game-for-Life framework is positioned as a tool to integrate character development with sport-specific outcomes
  • The broader idea is to embed values (e.g., resilience, teamwork, integrity) into training activities and to transfer these values to life beyond sport

Numerical References and Examples (SMART Goals and Outcomes)

  • Examples of SMART goals and related criteria include:

    • Specific: clearly defined, not vague
    • Measurable: quantifiable indicators of progress and success
    • Attainable: feasible given context and capabilities
    • Relevant: aligned with the individual athlete's goals and sport demands
    • Time-bound: a defined deadline for achievement

  • Concrete examples mentioned in the transcript include:

    • extRun100extmin11extsecondsext{Run } 100 ext{ m in } 11 ext{ seconds}
    • extBowlatascoreof280ext{Bowl at a score of } 280
    • extBenchpress100extkgfor1extrepetitionext{Bench press } 100 ext{ kg for } 1 ext{ repetition}

  • Additional goal types discussed:

    • Process Goals (mastery of technique or tactics): e.g., relaxed grips when sprinting, follow-through on a shot, full triple extension in a clean, giving your best at every training
    • Performance Goals (targets achieved during performance): e.g., specific times or scores
    • Outcome Goals (final outcomes): e.g., 1st in National Championship, outrun a friend, qualify for Olympics

  • The relationship of goal setting to performance is supported by Locke & Latham (2002), noting that goal-setting has a directive function that facilitates effort

  • Specific quantified examples of SMART goal wording include:

    • Process Goal example: "Master the forefoot pass" vs measurable form: "90% successful forefoot passes in a closed environment" (measurable)
    • Time-bound example: "Improve my 400m by 10 seconds in 1 month" (time constraint)
    • Attainable example: "Improve my 400m run by 1 second in 2 months" (feasibility)
    • Relevant example: "Gain more power through lean mass" for a cyclist (relevance to individual)
    • Not time-bound example: "Gain more mass" (lacks deadline)

  • The progression of SMART goals includes a more nuanced set: attainable vs not attainable, measurable vs not measurable, and time-bound vs not time-bound; examples illustrate how adjustments affect feasibility and measurability

  • The material also discusses how training progression is controlled by training loads and task difficulty, emphasizing gradual, measurable progression over time

The Session Plan: Template and Factors

  • The session planning framework emphasizes four components: Objectives, Duration, Activities, and Resources
  • A well-designed session must consider a checklist of factors:
    • Number of Athletes
    • Motivation & Intention
    • Availability of Resources
    • Competence & Conditioning Level
    • Learning Progress & Preferences
    • Training Load
    • Values & Attributes
  • A sample planning template includes a Sample Football Session Plan (using GFL) with elements like main activities (e.g., small-sided games, drills), introduction (warm-up, briefing), and conclusion (cool down, debrief)
  • The planning content emphasizes the need to observe progress and adapt plans accordingly, keeping in mind the goalkeeper/gate of adaptation and training principles
  • The session plan is designed to be adaptable to different contexts and learners, including the use of peer coaching for larger groups

Final Reflections and Conclusion

  • The content emphasizes that the Coaching Process is iterative and cyclical: PLAN → DELIVER → REVIEW → PLAN (repeat)
  • It highlights the importance of reflection and feedback loops to improve coaching practice, and it references famous educational ideas such as Dewey’s quote: "We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience."
  • It also underscores the ethical and practical considerations of coaching, including the responsible development of character and leadership through sport, the need to tailor communication to individual athletes, and the importance of trust and integrity in coaching relationships

Summary of Key Concepts and Formulas

  • Key concepts:
    • Coaching process model: PLAN, DELIVER, REVIEW
    • Game-for-Life (GFL) framework: CHECK, ACT, REINFORCE; Values & Attributes; Development Platforms
    • RAMS: Safe Learning Environment and inclusive practices
    • GFL and session planning link to character and leadership development
    • Planning steps: Know the Sport and Athletes; Determine the Goals; Plan to Bridge the Difference
    • Planning inputs: baseline, observation, interview, test, and research
    • Learning outcomes in sport planning: enjoyment, skill learning, performance refinement, positive values
    • The 5 coaching skills (Relationship, Instruct, Demonstrate, Observe, Feedback)
    • Demonstration, observation phases, and feedback types
    • SMART goals: S
      ightarrow Specific,\ M
      ightarrow Measurable,\ A
      ightarrow Attainable,\ R
      ightarrow Relevant,\ T
      ightarrow Time-bound
    • Knowledge of Performance (KP) and Knowledge of Results (KR) in intrinsic and extrinsic feedback
  • Examples and numbers:
    • extRun100extmin11extsecondsext{Run } 100 ext{ m in } 11 ext{ seconds}
    • extBowlatascoreof280ext{Bowl at a score of } 280
    • extBenchpress100extkgfor1extrepetitionext{Bench press } 100 ext{ kg for } 1 ext{ repetition}
    • Long-term vs short-term goals (e.g., Olympics qualification as long-term)
  • Relationships and ethics:
    • Character development through deliberate teaching of values (e.g., resilience, teamwork, integrity)
    • Coach should treat all athletes with respect and avoid preferential attention to high performers

Connections to Practice and Real-World Relevance

  • The notes tie into practical coaching tasks: planning training, running sessions, observing performance, giving feedback, and reflecting after sessions
  • The material connects to real-world coaching contexts: football sessions, inclusive coaching, and leadership development through sport
  • It emphasizes evidence-based guidance (e.g., Locke & Latham, 2002) in goal setting and performance

References and Citations Mentioned

  • Locke & Latham, 2002: On goal-setting and directive function of goals
  • We can infer references to Weinish and Gould (2011) in active listening tips
  • Joe Ehrmann quote on character development through sport
  • Singh et al. 2009: Coach and administrator feedback instruments