FITA Basic Coaching Manual

joetapley · #1 (**permalink**) 11-08-05, 03:40 PM

Anyone read/using the following for beginners courses. Any feedback appreciated.

http://www.archery.org/clients/fita/...4?OpenDocument

joetapley · #2 (**permalink**) 17-08-05, 11:26 PM

Guess no one has bothered reading this yet. Surprising with so many coaches apparently around.

cliveanne · #3 (**permalink**) 18-08-05, 05:17 AM

Quote:

joetapley - 17/8/2005 6:26 PM Guess no one has bothered reading this yet. Surprising with so many coaches apparently around.

I guess I'll stick with the GNAS version, that cost enough thank you. Although I have not seen this book, I'll bet there are a lot of things there I already have in my book of words.I have no great yearning to go to any higher qualifications than I already have. Most of my time is spent introducing new folk to our sport, if they take it up... great, I can then move on to the next beginner(s).

#I can, & still coach some of my old pupils toward the level they want to reach, but there are archers/ coaches in our club who can do a better job than I. If I have given the new archer a good grounding on which to build upon I am a happy chappy

#

joetapley · #4 (**permalink**) 18-08-05, 02:18 PM

I guess I'll stick with the GNAS version

Understandable but we're trying to get away from the sad, bad old GNAS.
My club is in the (maybe fortunate

) condition of not having any GNAS coaches so beginners courses are run by archers. Problem with this is that it leads to inconsistencies as well as variations in quality of training. You pick up on someone half way through the course and have a 'what the !!!!' reaction. The Fita manual (put together as the consensus of international level coaches rather than a bunch of local yokels) aims at standardising beginners' training. If used as the basis for beginners training (granted with some club archers no chance) then at least most would be singing from the same hymn sheet and the core training would be compatible with future archer development.

My interest in not so much the content but how the manual is structured in terms of running a six week introductory course.

cliveanne · #5 (**permalink**) 19-08-05, 06:34 AM

Quote:

joetapley - 18/8/2005 9:18 AM I guess I'll stick with the GNAS version Understandable but we're trying to get away from the sad, bad old GNAS. My club is in the (maybe fortunate

) condition of not having any GNAS coaches so beginners courses are run by archers. Problem with this is that it leads to inconsistencies as well as variations in quality of training. You pick up on someone half way through the course and have a 'what the !!!!' reaction. The Fita manual (put together as the consensus of international level coaches rather than a bunch of local yokels) aims at standardising beginners' training. If used as the basis for beginners training (granted with some club archers no chance) then at least most would be singing from the same hymn sheet and the core training would be compatible with future archer development. My interest in not so much the content but how the manual is structured in terms of running a six week introductory course.

Our (Club)#courses are run with archers as assistants we have 7coaches, (I guess that could mean 8 opinions there

) I was always under the impression that courses could only be run by a qualified coach, insurance issues, if you get my drift.#

#"Problem with this is that it leads to inconsistencies " I think I would have to agree there, as each archer has his/her own idea of how to do the job, plus, the beginner may have a diferent "Coach" each week, & then has to unlearn what was shown the last time,. Surley, this can not be good for the beginner.#If all "Coaches/Instructors" have been trained by either GNAS or FITA, there has to be some form of continuity as you say, the same hymn sheet, so who is it to be then, GNAS? FITA? Some clubs say one, some, another.So I doubt you will get the continuity whilst there is this "Us & Them". Two roads, one destination.

#As I have stated in the past, I get the "Archers" into the beginners. It is then up to them to follow the sport as they see fit. I have to admit, that the courses#I run are based on the club courses, but I do add my own twist to various lessons which the archers do enjoy, but sad to say, the Club coaches do not agree with ( Blind shooting "Dangerous practice&quot

, but if the archer enjoys the session & comes out feeling good... I'll keep it in. I think it has been ingrained to stick with what we know then we can't go wrong (Old dogs...New tricks?) With new materials, techniques, diets & whatever else you can think of, we have to move on.

#"My interest in not so much the content but how the manual is structured in terms of running a six week introductory course." True, but what is the alternative?

We did have a "Coach the Coaches" session (Sat' afternoon)#some time ago, I#guess you could say that it was a glorified beginners course...Nothing new there.

As I see it, each beginner has his/her own needs, reality dictates to me that the course should be taylored to that individual's needs, this is what I try to do, even to the extent of taking out an individual for 5-10 min's for a 1-1 session within the lesson. It works for me & the beginner.#

If I am wrong in my method, please tell me, or throw me some ideas to try out. I am a "Coach". The paper I have tells me that. But I am still learning, & so far, my best teachers are the beginners themselves.

Barry C · #6 (**permalink**) 19-08-05, 07:12 PM

The main benefit of the new FITA manual is it is very up to date and written by the best coaches in the world who all agree that one particular method is best for teaching beginners. This can't be said for the GNAS books. Times have moved on as have scores. Teaching a beginner in many ways can hinder them more than help them.#Look at how many start with awful form and then find it so hard to live with clickers... This is evidence of the wrong form being taught at the start. I wish coaches had as open minds as archers. Archers are always reading books and trying to learn and understand the most up to date proven mothods. This can't be said of coaches who are stuck in their ways and are reluctant to change methods to meet the demands of the day.

If you like a country full of people flinging arrows down the range all say then thats great. If we want a country of proficient archers then its not. Winning is fun, shooting all your arrows just where you want them is fun even if you are not into competing; the joy of mastering your chosen sport and controlling your body is a special feeling. Much more fun than flinging arrows. It doesn't take any more practice time, just doing it right not wrong. If you are going to hop the 100m you will never go faster than someone who knows how to run.

English Bowman · #7 (**permalink**) 19-08-05, 10:29 PM

I won't argue about the FITA coaching book with you, I haven't read it, I can't afford to buy it at the moment, if it was available as a download (like "the backward" GNAS have made the rules etc available) I'd read it. The best coaching manual for beginners that I have read is the NAA manual and I would like to see GNAS adopt a modified version of this. (Unless the FITA one is better, which I'll judge when I do get around to reading it)
I will argue with your opinion of coaches in the UK. Most coaches in this area do have open minds and are willing to learn. I know that there are exceptions to this, and I wish I could do something about them, but remember most coaches are only there because they want to help, and most of them (at least in my experiance) do a very good job. Please don't tar all coaches with the same brush, as I have said before if you can't find a good coach, you aren't looking hard enough, they are out there.
The other thing to consider is that not every archer has an open mind, nor does every archer wish to improve. This is one of the things that it is hardest to accept as a coach. I have had archers insisting that they use poor technique, or equipment entirely unsuitable because they like it. Even when it is proven to be detremental to their scores. I have also seen archers tell coaches to leave them alone because all they want to do is throw a few arrows at a target, and don't care about the results. As a coach I find this very frustrating, but know that I am wasting my time trying to help these people and leave them to it.

Daniel

Barry C · #8 (**permalink**) 20-08-05, 01:00 AM

Daniel, you already mark yourself out as different from most coaches. You took the time to investigate and realised that the NAA manual was good. But you must realise that you are in the minority. It may not sound like it but its a compliment.

English Bowman · #9 (**permalink**) 22-08-05, 04:55 AM

Thanks for the complement.

I am more or less average in my standard of coaching and opinions in Hampshire. There are regular coaching workshops organised where the latest ideas are discussed, and our County Coaching Organiser is keen on mentoring and will put new coaches (or those wanting a refresher) in touch with good practicing coaches with a proven track record. This is why I find it hard to see the problem. Perhaps Hants is the exeption, or perhaps your CCO could take a leaf out of the Hampshire book.

Daniel

joetapley · #10 (**permalink**) 22-08-05, 04:02 PM

EB if the availability of Level 1 tutors on a county basis reflects the actual level 1 coach density ( http://www.gnas.org/coaching/announcements.cfm ) then there is considerable variation across the country. Hampshire comes near the top of the list. My own county (Middlesex) isn't even on the list

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