Learning New Coaching Techniques While Coaching = Lab Time
Gary Koskinen
Goal Statement: While focusing on technology and learning is a priority to me, I feel there are valuable qualities that can be gained from the Sport Leadership and Coaching concentration. As I was growing up, I was always involved with athletics. My opinion is that participating in an extra-curricular activity in high school helps improve the students experience. I am currently the head coach for the Freshman Girls’ Basketball team at Troy Athens High School.
This program will allow me to better myself as a coach and to find ways to get the maximum out of every player on my team. Not only will I be able to use the techniques that I learn from this program as a coach, but I will also apply them to the classroom. As the coach of the classroom it is my responsibility to provide the best atmosphere for students to succeed. The number of players on my team and the varying levels of students in the classroom can be hard to deal with at times, but I know this program will allow me the opportunity to learn different ways to approach helping all of the students and athletes that I have the privilege of mentoring.
This program will allow me to better myself as a coach and to find ways to get the maximum out of every player on my team. Not only will I be able to use the techniques that I learn from this program as a coach, but I will also apply them to the classroom. As the coach of the classroom it is my responsibility to provide the best atmosphere for students to succeed. The number of players on my team and the varying levels of students in the classroom can be hard to deal with at times, but I know this program will allow me the opportunity to learn different ways to approach helping all of the students and athletes that I have the privilege of mentoring.
http://www.avca.org/education-resources/coaching-education/
Reflection and Growth: I learned much more than just coaching in this program. I had to create recovery meals, make a professional network, learn how to deal with negligence and hazing, what a decompetitor is and how to respond to a decompetitor, and how to deal with young athletes. One of the hardest parts I came across when taking the courses was in my Physical Bases of Athletes course, I had to learn the location of bones in the body while also learning the material. Since I am not an Anatomy or Kinesiology person I was behind in this course.
Athletics can improve experiences growing up, but the person in charge has a lot to think about. For example, the coach has to make sure they warm up correctly and not hurt themselves, the coach has to make sure the game is safe and the environment they play in is safe, and depending on the age, the coach may need to correct the technique in order to prevent the athlete from getting hurt. When coaching my team I have to be careful because they are in a very critical time of their life when they are developing and I don’t want to affect their development by doing something incorrect during practice or a game. As freshman basketball players it is hard to tell which athletes are developed fully or, more importantly, who might develop more fully. This has led me to not cutting any of the athletes who have tried out for the team and each of them got a chance to play in every game.
Two very important lessons I learned from this program is if I want to be the teacher/coach on the sports team I have to know the referees are doing the best they can to enforce the rules of the game. Even though they might get something wrong, how often do they turn around and criticize what you are doing as a coach? The other lesson I learned is that winning is not everything; you want to compete against teams that will make you better.
Athletics can improve experiences growing up, but the person in charge has a lot to think about. For example, the coach has to make sure they warm up correctly and not hurt themselves, the coach has to make sure the game is safe and the environment they play in is safe, and depending on the age, the coach may need to correct the technique in order to prevent the athlete from getting hurt. When coaching my team I have to be careful because they are in a very critical time of their life when they are developing and I don’t want to affect their development by doing something incorrect during practice or a game. As freshman basketball players it is hard to tell which athletes are developed fully or, more importantly, who might develop more fully. This has led me to not cutting any of the athletes who have tried out for the team and each of them got a chance to play in every game.
Two very important lessons I learned from this program is if I want to be the teacher/coach on the sports team I have to know the referees are doing the best they can to enforce the rules of the game. Even though they might get something wrong, how often do they turn around and criticize what you are doing as a coach? The other lesson I learned is that winning is not everything; you want to compete against teams that will make you better.