Coaching Qualifications

[Janice]

I met a 19 and 20 year old recently who were qualified senior club coaches in general gym. I know how the qualifying system works, enabling people to do one qualification per year, but really does a 19 year old have the maturity, experience and responsibility to hold such a qualification?

I think that attitude and the skills and qualities displayed during the training courses should be taken into consideration when deciding if candidates should qualify, and not just the results of a practical or written exam. It only takes one bad coach or one coach with bad attitude and lack of respect for BG policy to give the rest of us a bad rep! Is BG that desperate to expand the number of coaches that it is prepared to accept the first person with a half decent exam result?

and why is it all under 21's seem to think they know everything?

[Gingerheid]

Do you think it needs to make a difference?

I'm not an SCC, but it's nothing to do with age - I'll probably never be one!

[Jasmine Lee]

I don't think age should be a consideration at all! people that age are obiviously dedicated to attain those qualifications and work hard with the performers to enable them to show the skill levels they have passed on enabling them to be on the course in the first place. I am a trampoline CC so I only know for my discipline but I had to work with the children I took and build that level up, showing experience not just anybodies performers who can already do the move, and my friends recently did their SCC and one did a HPC they worked incredibly hard, the HPC was 24 yet definately attained the standard required to be at that level.


I could meet a 35 year old trampoline coach with 17 years worth of experience who may not want to become a CC just because they are older doesn't mean they would be a better candidate or have the desire to increase their knowledge.A younger person would have shown the determination to progress and improve their knowledge, coaching and performers.

I think it is a huge achievement for younger people who want to gain more qualifications and increase the levels of coaching within a growing sport, hopefully their dedication and commitment will be around for generations and inspire the gymnasts of today to be the brilliant coaches of tommorrow, reducing th bad coaching elements and continually improving the already high standards in most clubs.

[Kelly Jordan]

Agree with Jasmine - no further comment!
Hehehe!

[Jasmine Lee]

Thank you Kelly, I need to do my SCC within the next year to replace a coach at our club who will be sadly missed, I hope no-one will feel negatively towards me as I am only 20 and may only be 21 when I hopefully qualify, I have not taken the decision lightly and will carefully select members of the squad I teach with the most potential to increase my skills and theirs whilst being observed by my SCC coach. I will begin this process before I find SCC courses in my and surrounding regions, have not decided upon the desision lightly as I am well aware of the dedication required to such a qualification, particularly as I am also a full-time university student.

[Kelly Jordan]

Well Good Luck to you Jasmine - i am sure you will sail through with your understanding, maturity and professionalism, along with all the other qualities you hold both as a coach and a person!!!
I am doing a judging course in July, hopefully it will extend my knowledge and understanding and help me improve myself - hope i'm not too young to understand simple maths and make judgements on a sport i have been involved with for quite a long time!!!
(I am very proud to have known the tariffing of upto many twisting double somersaults at the age of 13!!!)
As you can see i am a very modest person!!!
-x-

[Gingerheid]

I've been thinking about this more... a nineteen year old coach could have up to 15 years relevant experience. That's a lot more than most people have of their work.

When I go out from my work I've got the potential to make a pretty big and possibly very negative impact, and I started doing the job on my own after training delivered (not continuously) over 4 months.

[Lucy]

Go for it Jasmine if you're ready to do it why should age stop you. I'm a club coach too and would like to train for SCC at some point but not just yet. I want to build up my experience at CC first. I've only been back in the sport for a couple of years after a long time out (15 years +).

Janice, age is no guarantee of suitable or relevant experience. During tramp coaching courses (I would assume gym courses are similar) you are assessed on your practical skills and ability, it's not just written exams. Plus at the end of the course you sit down and talk to the examiners who will give you a recommendation on whether you should take the next course or if they feel you should gain some more experience and which areas you need to work on. Maybe someone with experience of Gym courses can clarify if there is a similar set up to put your mind at rest.

[Jasmine Lee]

Good point Lucy all the trampoline coaches I know shared that experience when we finished our examinations, I have been a CC since September 2003 and only just starting to plan for the SCC (i.e work with performers and learn from my coaches before I even enrol) this is to test if I am ready without totally commiting myself. Hopefully I will have two full years as CC before I am on a SCC course and by then 5 1/2 years of trampolining experience, I have excellent coaches who are more than happy to explain technical points and answer all my queries.

[Janice]

I take it everyone thinks age is unimportant. how about the attitudes displayed during the course, I obviously enraged everyone under the age of 21 with my question that they forgot about the behaviours displayed during the coaching course.

I have no doubt their are many committed, experienced and valuable coaches out their, particulary those that have been participating in the sport for numerous years.

What do you all think about the pass rates on the written papers, are you happy with a pass mark of 60% or should this be rasied to help BG increase the standard of coaches in the UK (regardless of their age)

[Jasmine Lee]

May I ask which behaviour patterns displayed by under 21 year olds you have observed during any coaching course. I would be personally very interested in your response.

Also did you attain 100% pass rate on your coaching examinations as the practical is pass/fail you can naturally assume any candidate who passed the practical element has displayed safe and entirely adequate coaching methods, as for the theoretical side, everybody learns with actual experience so their knowledge can only increase and improve over time.

[Gingerheid]

While wrong answers to certain questions on the theory paper I took should be instant referrals to the social work department, I don't think I'd want to see the overall pass mark increased.

Coaching is an immensely practical thing, I would say that most of the skills you need to do it well are different from the skills you need to sit a written exam paper. I think the most important thing is how it is all put into practice - there wasn't any post course mentoring when I did my TC - has that changed now?

(I presume some of the young 'uns on the course you were on acted in a way that you didn't regard as suitable or most appropriate at some stage or stages?:confused: Go on, spill the beans:D... we'll keep anything you say here quiet!:rolleyes: )

[DJC]

their are many committed, experienced and valuable coaches out their
Lower your chances in an argument today! (http://www.badspeling.org.uk./)

Anyway, the pass mark is fine. As long as they are safe it doesn't matter how good they are. If they're pants no-one will employ them/be coached by them.

[Gingerheid]

Don't worry about DJC - he didn't even get the link right ;)

As I was saying, the skills you need to sit a written paper are different from the skills you need to...

[Janice]

No, I did not attain 100% when I did my TC or CC. I was between 82% and 96% on my written papers on both courses. The question did not relate to age, it was a raise in the pass mark in general.

Its interesting that now I could answer all the TC questions on the recent course without having to give them a second thought. I don't profess to be an expert, I enjoy learning and finding new or different ways to coach or deal with coaching situations.

In terms of under 21's behaviour patterns, I have observed many (not just on the recent TC course but at other venues not related to TRA who think they know everything and can't be taught anything new which is sad. I personally think this is a fear of change because we get confortable with what we know, and it can be scary moving into unknown teritory (a bit like entering this forum, not knowing anyone personally, adding comments and opinions that others may not want to accept or agree with)

Bouncing thoughts and ideas off of others is a great way of coming up with resolutions to problems, new ideas and even changes of opinon, its great to hear someone elses view as it makes you think about your own.

I have now been thinking more about the pass mark and wonder what the average pass mark is, it would be interesting to know.

[Gingerheid]

It's a bit worrying when you meet people that won't open their mind to any new ideas. I love to watch other people coach, even for ideas of different ways of saying the same thing that might work better!

The world must be a very boring place to people that already know everything .... but ... there's people of all ages like that!

[Janice]

I've just read your entry about my safe but poor spelling.

Is it surprizing the BG forum only has a few regulars, you forum bully you.

I wear specs as well if you'd like to have another personal attack before home time.

If you don't play nicely, I'll tell my mum.

[Gingerheid]

:D

(Plus at least 10 characters because the board wouldn't accept only the above as a message)

[Sarah]

I have to say, in my opinion the pass mark is a bit too low. Considering that the questions are quite straight forward and are multiple choice I think the pass mark mark should be a bit higher. I'm at uni at the moment and whenever we have multiple choice tests there is negative marking. For each question wrong you lose 1/3 mark. This stops people from guessing and tests if you really know the answer. Maybe BG could try this system?

As for the comments about young coaches, I'm 20 and a club coach in women's. When I took my exam, the examiners were very strict about who passed and were failing people for quite small things. So I think if a young coach has passed you can be sure that they deserve to and have the maturity and experience necessary.

[Kelly Jordan]

I think it's interesting Janice that you find young people not wanting to change their ways - fair enough if you have witnessed this - but i've been told "older" people are more likely to be stubborn and not want to change the ways they have been used to for so long! :p
This is making a very interesting and amusing thread :D

[sazza1989]

Janice im only 15 and have completed my assistant gymnastics coach course. I really dont understand why you dont think younger people e.g under 21's are capable of running a club. They have maturaty and can probably relate to the children better than older people!!!

You ask why do under 21's seem to know everything because we do!!! ( In my own personal opinion which you probably wont agree with!)

Could we start some happier conversations and stop with the continous moaning?!?

Sarah :p

[Sarah]

I think Janice does have a point about some younger coaches thinking they know it all. However old you are and whatever qualifications you have there is still a lot to be learned from more experienced coaches. I think it's really important to work with more senior coaches sometimes to make sure you keep learning and improving as a coach.

[Janice]

Its true what they say about getting old make you wiser.

I too thought I know everything about everything when I was 16 years old. A couple of years later at 18 yrs I was surprised at how little worldly experience I had, but still thought I knew everything there was to know.

Since then I have matured somewhat and realised how little I actually thought I knew, and now realise I have so much more to discover and find I am learning and growing as a person everyday. Its good to interact with others old and young as everyone has so many different experiences which we can all learn from

There have been some real thought provoking comments on this thread and I must say that my views have been swayed on the behaviours of under 21's. Maybe its just the experience of those I have been exposed to that have given me this impression. I dont tar everyone with the same brush, just those that appear to be acting inappropriately. Its true older people are generally thought of as stuck in their ways, fish on fridays, pork chop on tues etc

I still think the pass marks should be rasied if BG wants to increase the standards of coaching in the UK, not so that its incredibly difficult to become qualified as I think post course experience and guided mentoring is a very important part of the process.

(please dont mistake this as continious moaning, forums are for discussions and those threads that raise so much feeling and comment obviously effect everyone and each one has their own unique point of view - we may not like it or agree with it, but we are entitled to it.)

And on a brighter note the sun is shinning, it looks like its gonna be a nice day.

[Jasmine Lee]

I just have to say someone could study really hard to obtain the qualification (scoring high marks) but when they get into their own gym clubs chuck it straight out the window and teach how they want to. I've been to clubs where safety rules have been totally abandoned but due to my age felt stupid questioning this, as you assume the older coaches know better!

I don't just mean jewellery and poor spotting but children blatently not ready to try certain skills "giving them a go" because someone is willing to push a suppport mat in.

At the end of the day I believe coaching is about the continuous learning journey, so you improve yourself and the standard of coaching of the club you teach at, rather than the exam mark you received in the past. I would be very upset with myself if I was still coaching at the same level/standard as when I passed my first trampoline coach (aged 17). You learn through experience and asking senior coaches around you how to improve, anyone who believes that once they have the qualification they are fully competant and do not need to constantly update methods of coaching and relating to individuals is very ignorant.