Why you should develop your people

Coaches teach athletes what to do (the skills) and when to do it (the tactics). People often get help from a coach if they want to get to a place they can’t get to on their own. The coaches’ job is to work with the athlete and help them get the results they came for. To ensure this happens the best thing your club can do is start developing your people.

People are always keen to attend the coach learning modules as they always want the latest tips and tricks. Over the past 7 years, more than 1,400 people have taken part in at least one of the available modules… and this number is still growing!

Time and creativity are necessary in creating coach development opportunities – not money. The range of coach learning modules are proven ways to create team spirit and foster commitment to excellence in your club’s coaches. These take between 2-3 hours and can be completed in an evening or during the weekend. The Districts are given CoachForce investment funding to help cover the costs to run the modules for you. It is also possible for your club to access coaching resources at little or no cost (e.g. apply for a grant; or use the online videos created by Squash NZ).

The benefits

• Developing your coaches increases the likelihood of your members receiving a fun, safe and quality experience that either meets or exceeds their expectations. This encourages greater member retention and greater word-of-mouth referrals.
• Developing your coaches helps you foster a winning culture – one of constant improvement. If you stop developing your coaches your club will stop growing and you will find it harder to keep up with the other clubs.
• Developing your coaches creates a better team spirit. Your coaches will share their new knowledge, experiences and work together to deliver results for your members. This will keep your courts packed and the facility buzzing.

What your club can do to up skill its’ coaches

• Appoint a coaching coordinator to organise opportunities for coaches improve
• Ensure that all your members have completed the FREE online modules.
• Encourage your coaches to become familiar with and sign up for the range of opportunities that exist on the Coach Development Framework.
• Send the CoachForce Club Questionnaire to your coach database to get feedback on what modules they want to do and when.
• Contact your regional CoachForce contact to schedule a coach learning module that your coaches want to up skill in – they can come to you!
• Order and have copies of the Coaching Resources available.