Communication

A major element of successful coaching is effective communication, this means passing on and getting back information. They are equally as important. How a coach communicates and builds relationships with players determines their coaching style.

Some coaches do a lot of telling and showing and in the past did very little checking of the players understanding. Good modern coaches will tell and show but also do plenty of questioning and listening. Understanding the different ways that players learn will help the coach to differentiate their approach to ensure that the best learning opportunities are offered.

Learning Styles

• Visual. Players who learn better this way get greatest benefit from seeing things. At school they make best use of Learning posters, cue and prompt cards, mental rehearsals, memory maps, visual aids, pp images, diagrams, labels, colours, shapes. For players it would mean demonstrations and repetition of movement.
• Auditory. Some players learn better using this method. At school they would use lots of paired or small group discussion. These players can grasp a coaching point by being told and listening to others as well as seeing it.
• Kinaesthetic. This group of learners prefer physical examples, they learn by doing and experiencing the situation themselves. For these the repetition of the technique / skill with lots of rehearsing  and repetition will be best.

Recognising and understanding the different learning styles can help the coach to shape the sessions to be totally Inclusive. Obviously an awareness of safety is paramount in all coaching sessions and competitions, irrespective of whether there are players with a disability or non-disabled players. Similarly all coaches need to be aware of any personal conditions, which may influence what is included in the session or how it is managed.