Would coaches like more training opportunities? - Focussing mainly on competition

The place to discuss slalom development issues specific to England
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Would coaches like more training opportunities? - Focussing mainly on competition

Yes - I have never received any formal training
2
18%
Yes - I have had training in the past but could do with a refresher
4
36%
Yes - I have never been trained in any of the competition disciplines
4
36%
No - I am already fully trained and don't need a refresher
1
9%
 
Total votes: 11

Mark Shaw
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Location: Lancaster

Post by Mark Shaw » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:24 pm

Canoe clubs should already be providing basic training for their coaches but sometimes they need additional encouragement to become trained in the competition disciplines.

Junior paddlers thrive on competition in any form and so a healthy canoe club will be one that supports at least one competitive discipline.

The Canoe England Slalom Committee would obviously like this discipline to be slalom and so it might be possible to organise training sessions for canoe clubs where the focus is on how to encourage and support junior development in Slalom.

P.S. Can you please post a reply when you vote so that I know which clubs/individuals have responded to the poll?
The above is the personal opinion of Mark Shaw and does not reflect the views of either the BCU or England Slalom Committees.

Munchkin
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Location: Hertfordshire

Post by Munchkin » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:38 am

As mentioned on a previous post we (Baldock & District) don't have official coaches just very nice volunteers that pass on what they have picked up from competing themselves. I think that a training weekend for those involved in passing on their knowledge (whether or not qualified coaches in instances where clubs do not have a formal coaching scheme) would be very welcome.

jke
Posts: 119
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:33 pm

Post by jke » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:20 pm

Mark Shaw wrote:The Canoe England Slalom Committee would obviously like this discipline to be slalom and so it might be possible to organise training sessions for canoe clubs where the focus is on how to encourage and support junior development in Slalom.


We would welcome this support – see my entry in Junior section.

John Kent
Frome Canoe Club
John Kent

Alison
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Location: Cheltenham

Post by Alison » Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:06 am

What's happening with slalom coaching anyway within the new UKCC coaching scheme? I was under the impression that there would be modules that were discipline specific that we could use to help us progress to the next level and braoden our skills base.

I know things are coming out very slowly at the moment but I've heard nothing about what's happening with slalom and knowbody has known the answer when I've asked at coaching up dates. Mind you they've not been able to answer questions about training to assess four star either.

Alison
Cheltenham

Anne
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Location: Somerset

Post by Anne » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:02 am

See the slalom committee minutes coming out in a week or so. For more information contact [email]keith.hampton@bcu.org.uk.[/email]

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Geebs
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Post by Geebs » Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:33 am

Alison wrote:What's happening with slalom coaching anyway within the new UKCC coaching scheme? I was under the impression that there would be modules that were discipline specific that we could use to help us progress to the next level and braoden our skills base.

I know things are coming out very slowly at the moment but I've heard nothing about what's happening with slalom and knowbody has known the answer when I've asked at coaching up dates. Mind you they've not been able to answer questions about training to assess four star either.

Alison
Cheltenham

Alison

The changes within the BCU regarding discipline specific coaching have not been finalised in (sorry) low participation disciplines like slalom & polo and several others, plus Alan Edge who was putting all this together has now left the BCU. To be honest the slalom coaches qualification is obsolete, it is so outdated and does not take into effect the new coaching ethos. People interested in coaching should go down the new UKCC L1-2 and then go discipline specific, that way you should have a basic good knowledge of paddling skills, rather than the old award that meant if you turned up and answered all the questions you passed.

To assess 4 star all the details are on the BCU website and have been for awhile, the first courses were in October last year.

Cheers

Graeme
Paddle fast,,,Paddle safe Yorkshire Canoe Coaching

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Geebs
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Post by Geebs » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:32 am

Further I believe that the next generation slalom coaches should be able to deliver informed training including the FSRT (as you cannot ask a competitor to act as safety cover at the finish line unless you have given them the tools and safety brief to enable them to conduct a rescue safely) insure safe practice, work towards LTPD, have the ability to session plan, set reachable targets, teach WW skills and river running, the ability to break down a stroke to its component parts and teach good paddling, posture, etc.

Many coaches are good at telling people how to get a gate, but they never teach them how to read a river or course water conditions, if there is a pole you go for it, but there is any easy and hard way of doing it!

Perhaps a revamp of the current coach criteria is very much needed? I for one as a qualified slalom coach would welcome it as would some others I have spoken too.

Cheers

Graeme
Paddle fast,,,Paddle safe Yorkshire Canoe Coaching

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Spiderman
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Location: Bedfordshire

Post by Spiderman » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:19 pm

I have not voted in this topic as none of the buttons were applicable to me. I needed a button that said - I have not had any formal training and I do not want any.

I have been running a weekly slalom training session at VKC for just over a year and a half now and I have been delighted to see many attendees significantly improving their skills and making their way up the divisions. VKC recently obtained the top notch services of a BCU coach in Helen Reeves who worked alongside me and that was great for a few months. However, very sadly, Helen has now left the BCU and I am wondering if she will be replaced. As a Club, we have been proudly attracting new members and saying we have an Olympic class slalom coach. But now the members are here, the coach is not so it is now all a bit embarassing for the Club really.

As an untrained volunteer coach, the feedback and attendees results seem to suggest my services are worthwhile and so I am happy with this. I have limitations of course and I know these. I do not do anything to do with safety. Whilst I am a qualified First Aider, I expect that all attendees have had safety training on the other initial courses that they have attended before coming to me. I do not have anything to do with diet or personal fitness training. Both those areas can be dealt with by other specialists. I simply assist paddlers on the water and this seems good enough to get them up to Div 1 in this very sadly depleated and low attendance discipline.

Whilst I recognise the need for well qualified coaches, and I do not claim to be one obviously, there will always be a need for people like me who simply wish to pass on what they know to those who wish to learn. As a volunteer, my time is limited and I have neither time nor enthusiasm to go on any formal courses to learn a whole bunch of stuff that is not related to what I am currently doing. I suppose that in this absurd nanny state of government, the days of us mean-well volunteers is numbered as we will soon not be allowed to coach unless we have all the paperwork. Part of me sees some justification in this but the majority of me strongly resents it. The blame and claim culture is very scary but I live in hope that maybe one day we will revert to "Ok, that was dumb! My fault, nobody elses!" and no finger pointing will result. Surgeons being prosecuted for deaths on the operating table when all they are doing is their very best to save a persons life....madness. I make mistakes in my job but as nobody dies, nobody minds. Why should they be considered any differently? Why do others fail to recognise when someone is just doing their best?

So, until some legislation says I cannot do what I am doing without lots of training and a certificate that will make no difference to what I am actually doing, my plan is to continue doing my best for paddlers and the discipline in general as a volunteer coach/trainer/whatever. Maybe the legislation will be loosely worded so I can continue as a Mentor or demonstrator or something. I'm sure I will find a way round it somehow.

The above is just my opinion ok. Right or wrong, that is all it is. :-)
Peter Parker - 12 gate courses are plenty long enough!

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Geebs
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Post by Geebs » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:24 am

Spiderman, you do a great service to the paddlers you train, by giving up your time and passing on your experience to others, it is a shame you have lost Helen as a club, but keep driving it after the results of some of your members and the smiles on their faces at Cardington last weekend believe me it is worth it, well done.

I am surprised by your comment "I have not voted in this topic as none of the buttons were applicable to me. I needed a button that said - I have not had any formal training and I do not want any." as to why you do not think that you would not benefit from some formal training is that a time/cost issue? The new L1 UKCC course is a great grounding for all aspects of the sport, although not discipline specific it has good grounding modules to help develop LTPD etc.

Cheers

Graeme
Paddle fast,,,Paddle safe Yorkshire Canoe Coaching

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Geebs
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Post by Geebs » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:34 pm

After 4 months and only 8 votes and very few comments either no one wants any training or are not interested in coaching.

So this begs another question,,, is it worth having a new BCU/UKCC Slalom coach award? or does this just die a natural death?
Paddle fast,,,Paddle safe Yorkshire Canoe Coaching

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