Getting Into Coaching

[Gavster]

My partner Liz was an avid junior archer and has always wanted to get into coaching. She's just got back into the sport after a ten year gap and getting me hooked in the process.

My question is how do you go about becoming a coach, how much work is involved and how much experience do you need? Any additional advice/ experience would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Gavin.

[dino1300]

Taken from

http://www.gnas.org/coaching/index.cfm -> Coaching Scheme.pdf

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LEVEL 1 COACH
Level 1 is the entry grade into the GNAS Coaching Scheme.
A Level 1 Coach will be a member of GNAS and will teach beginners to shoot within local GNAS clubs and coach developing archers.
The course duration will be a minimum of 25 hours with additional time for supported practice and external assessments. The organisation of a course leading to this qualification is a local matter, to be dealt with by the County Coaching Group or Regional Coaching Committee, but must be within the regulations agreed by the NCC.
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When I did my course it was 12 saturdays, about 2-3 hrs each + weekend exam at Lilleshall. Not sure about the set up now, but contact GNAS.

[napolienne]

Talk to your county organisation - they should know when level one courses are being put on in your area.

The level one qualification (equivalent of the old assistant coach) is the entry point for most club coaches (there is an archery leader qualification too, but it seems to be aimed at commercial companies). It should take less than a year to complete the course and assessments, I did in about 4 months. Depends on the availability of assessors.

You have about 4 days tuition, submit written work (nothing major, just a few bits and pieces) and maintain a log of the coaching you've done. The latter two will be checked by your assessor. Finally, when you are ready, you have two assessments. The first is an internal one - by someone (qualified to conduct assessments) at your club. Pass this and you go on to a second, external assessment. The assessments are practical - you are observed coaching a beginners first lesson.

Oh yes, and you need to do a child protection course, but again the county should organise one.

[Barndoor]

The Archery Leader qualification is for non GNAS archery leaders/instructors. It is for community sports leaders - commercial or voluntary. Hence you will see sports / activity centre staff but also many "ordinary" Scouts, Guides instructors (they are not paid you know!)

The level one qualification is the entry point for club coaches.

You need to talk to your own club (as doing it without their support will be difficult in real terms even if it is not impossible) and your county as the courses are run at County level for L1.

As of yesterday my wife and I hold both . We started L1 with the "theory" sessions in November had a slight gap (as we already held CP certification) and then did our practical stuff over the last 4 weeks locally. You actually have 12 months to complete the supported practice and assessments.

You have a mentor (probably your own club) to bounce ideas off, a tutor (probably not your own club) who is there to answer the questions and generally ensure you are progressing to the standard. When the tutor is happy they arrange an internal assessment (a tutor/manager on the same course) then there is an external assessor who comes to basically ensure that the standard in one county is the same as another.

That is more or less how it is supposed to work everywhere as I understand it.

[Gavster]

The club we are a member of is very small circa 20-30 members with a very slow intake think I was the only beginner last year. Is this going to cause problems?

[napolienne]

She'll need to be coaching beginners - but can always do that at other local clubs.

[Trunkles]

A very small club should grab a coach volunteer and propel them rapidly in the right direction. No one else has mentioned costs yet. We had to pay £85 for the materials and towards the venue costs. Talk to the coaches in your club (if there are any) otherwise find out who is the County Coaching Organiser and start the ball rolling. This thread should give you a lot of reading http://www.archery-interchange.com/f...ead.php?t=1681
Good luck

[dino1300]

Is what going to cause problems?

Most clubs are crying out for qualified coaches, as otherwise people have to get it wrong all by themselves.

I think there is a GNAS Coaching manual to give you the 'standard' way of shooting. This is what you are expected to demonstate that you can teach.

it will also help to read as much technical stuff as possible from quality sources. e.g. Total Archery, Heritic Archer, The art of repetition.

It can seem like hard work at times, and certainly a lot of time to invest, but if you like to see others getting better then go for it.

Enjoy!

[Barndoor]

Originally Posted by Gavster

The club we are a member of is very small circa 20-30 members with a very slow intake think I was the only beginner last year. Is this going to cause problems?

That is the sort of size (on a good day) of our club and we have 4 x L1 coaches but no one "holding a ticket" any higher. Trunkles mentioned cost, we are fortunate the club paid the fee (£80 each I think) and apart from fuel to get to the classroom stuff we did not have any other costs. County would have helped out with a course to teach at another club if needed but we actually taught a "pukka" GNAS Beginners course to Scouts doing their Master at Arms badge then told them where the local clubs were so hopefully everyone wins as at least one wants to go further.

[flamingbladerider]

I and a few other people were on the Gnas Level 1 coaching course last year and i'm afraid to say it was the biggest waste of time i've ever done. Gnas instructors themselves on the course were ok. Once the schoolroom sessions were over, zilch. Left to to your own devices, thats all well and good if its a freebee course, but it wasn't. IMO dont waste your time.
You dont have to be an archer to be an archery coach (Gnas coach's words), a piece of paper dosent make you a good instructer, the ability and personality has to be in you to start with.