The new level one coaching award will be launched on February 1, 2018. Following feedback from coaches across the country, the course has been revamped to better equip coaches with the skills they need. Great news for players and teams who should be able to improve their skills and get better performances on court! Here are the most important changes to the course which will help coaches:
1. It’s about coaching six versus six
The old course was aimed at how to teach volleyball to beginners, using smaller-sided games to teach people how to play. The new award focuses on how to teach players six versus six, as this is what a survey found most coaches wanted and needed.
2. It is game based
The course focuses on developing players through sessions which replicate match conditions. None of the hours and hours of drills practising a skill players will never use. Coaches will be shown how to encourage players to analyse game play and make good decisions in real time.
3. It is for people who want to coach
That might sound ridiculously obvious. However, previously the level one had seen people come along who had no interest in volleyball but just wanted to gain a qualification. The new level one course is about developing essential coaching skills.
4. It’s a two-day course
The previous level one was a three-day course. Now with content of the course more focused on what coaches need, it is only a two-day course with some online work required too.
5. There is no formal assessment
You don’t have to pass an exam or one-to-one assessment to complete the new level one award. The course tutor will assess whether a learner has engaged with the course and taken on board the key learning outcomes.
6. The Art of Coaching Volleyball resource
As part of the course, coaches get access the Art of Coaching Volleyball, a leading online resource with aspects on mentoring in all aspects of the game. Tutors will be able to sign post relevant sections of the site throughout the course and coaches will have access to the resource after they have completed the course, meaning they can continue to develop their knowledge and practice sessions.
7. There is more focus on players wants and needs
As well as practical based skills, coaches will explore how to identify what their teams want from their volleyball experience. Is the team looking to compete at the highest level it can reach? Are the players more interested in having fun? Understanding the players’ needs is a key part of understanding how to get the best out of them.
8. It explores the coach and player relationship
Coaching players how to play volleyball cannot be done from a text book. Each player is an individual. How a player thinks and acts will affect how best to approach coaching them. So the relationship between the coach and their players is vital. The course looks at how to manage your relationship with your players in a way that best gets your message over.
9. Courses should be easier to organise
With the level one award being shorter, it should make it easier to host courses. The sports halls are not needed for as long and the minimum attendance has been reduced to 10 people, compared to 12 people on the old level one.
10. It’s about developing creative coaches
The aim of the new course is to produce coaches who reflect on their methods. It’s not just about telling them what to do. The idea is to encourage coaches to be creative and look at ways to improve their methods through experience and develop their own coaching philosophy.
from VE Web site
