Back in the classroom for the first CPD module with Northumbria University today! These CPD modules combined with a couple of coursework based projects count towards a higher education certificate/award and depending upon your existing experience, a BSc Tennis Coaching Management degree.
The topics covered in the first two day session are financial management and business planning and evaluation. I appreciate both topics sound a little dull and to an extent the content of financial management is never going to be particularly sexy, but if you relate the theory to your own business or even your own personal finances it all starts to come to life and bear relevance.
Regardless of the size of the venue you work at or the programme you manage, it is a real bonus to have this basic business knowledge. I would have really benefited from having these sorts of CPD modules when I first started as a centre manager, given I hit the ground running and had to learn on the job; sometimes, in fact most times the hard way!
In terms of entry level, my experience as a coach, manager and development manager have been credited by the University, which fast tracks me straight through to Level 6 (a full degree requires 3 years of learning Level 4, 5 and 6). This final year of academic input through the MCC course and CPD modules provides me with the theory to back up my practical experience and knowledge; and if I successfully complete the projects, an honours degree.
It is great to be learning some theory to support what I have aleady experienced. It is also reassuring to find that a university values and awards credit for your real life experience.
'Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous' - Confucius
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Friday, 16 September 2011
Back on court...
Funny how you get used to focussing your attention on your own game when you are not coaching, so going back to focussing on the person the other side of the net was the first challenge!! I had already done this in a previous life from young player to coach, now I need to do it again!
We covered a little bit on communication on court today, with a view of encouraging competence and autonomy from the player. After spending quite some time in primarily off court roles, it was certainly nice to get back on the court and start coaching again. Whilst the terminology has changed, the basic coaching principles have remained the same and if anything, what I have learned off the court from managing coaches, committee members and volunteers has helped me to develop my people skills and communication skills in a variety of ways.
On reflection, I am now a lot more competent at reading people, understanding their motivations and getting the best out of them; something that I can take back on the court in a coaching capacity. So...time to put the hours in and put my newly learned theories into practice - anyone for tennis?
To further support our learning, part of our course involves some external placements; some within a performance tennis environment and others within other sporting bodies and even non sporting businesses related to our own interests and learning areas. Tennis Australia in the New Year sounds appealing, but may need to read more about what expenses I can and can’t claim before booking the flights!!!
We covered a little bit on communication on court today, with a view of encouraging competence and autonomy from the player. After spending quite some time in primarily off court roles, it was certainly nice to get back on the court and start coaching again. Whilst the terminology has changed, the basic coaching principles have remained the same and if anything, what I have learned off the court from managing coaches, committee members and volunteers has helped me to develop my people skills and communication skills in a variety of ways.
On reflection, I am now a lot more competent at reading people, understanding their motivations and getting the best out of them; something that I can take back on the court in a coaching capacity. So...time to put the hours in and put my newly learned theories into practice - anyone for tennis?
To further support our learning, part of our course involves some external placements; some within a performance tennis environment and others within other sporting bodies and even non sporting businesses related to our own interests and learning areas. Tennis Australia in the New Year sounds appealing, but may need to read more about what expenses I can and can’t claim before booking the flights!!!
We are sailing...
Today we looked at skill acquisition and received a very interesting talk form the National Sailing Coach, Harvey Hillary. Everyone took a clear interest in the presentation, which talked about segmenting the process of learning into four key stages; components, shaping, diversion and automatic.
It was fascinating to know about how they implement this coaching methodology with their performance sailors and whilst it was not wholly relevant to me in my role, it did make me consider how people learn and take on information in a broader sense. He went on to talk about planning and the importance of reviewing plans; plan, do, review!
I am certainly guilty of spending much of my time planning and doing but little on reviewing progress. It always feels a little bit of a luxury to look back on a project and assess the outcome, especially when the next project has already started, but from what we learnt today, invaluable in terms of understanding what you did well and what could be done better.
'...the more that's measured, the less that is left to chance!'
It was fascinating to know about how they implement this coaching methodology with their performance sailors and whilst it was not wholly relevant to me in my role, it did make me consider how people learn and take on information in a broader sense. He went on to talk about planning and the importance of reviewing plans; plan, do, review!
I am certainly guilty of spending much of my time planning and doing but little on reviewing progress. It always feels a little bit of a luxury to look back on a project and assess the outcome, especially when the next project has already started, but from what we learnt today, invaluable in terms of understanding what you did well and what could be done better.
'...the more that's measured, the less that is left to chance!'
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