1. Introduction to Coaching Children
DRAFT
Introduction to Coaching Children
Pre-workshop guide

2. OUTCOMES This pack should help you to:
identify the capabilities children are able to develop through their participation in sport
explain the positive youth development movement
describe the 5cs in the context of children’s sport
describe child growth and development issues at different ages
explain how children are motivated
examine communication styles relative to children’s age
review your own coaching practice.

3. TASK
1 What are all the capabilities (capacities, abilities, competences) that children can develop through their participation in sport?

4. PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PHYSICAL TACTICAL MENTAL
TECHNICAL
PHYSICAL
TACTICAL
MENTAL

5. Positive Youth Development
CARING
CONFIDENCE
CONTRIBUTION
CHARACTER
COMPETENCE
CONNECTION

6. 5Cs through Sport
Respect for rules, sense of right and wrong, empathy
Being able to do things
5Cs
Self-worth and self-efficacy
Being able to find own solutions to problems
Positive connections with people and environment

7. 3 ‘ages’ of the child Chronological age: actual age from birth
Developmental or biological age: physical, emotional, social, cognitive age compared with a typical child of that age
Training age: number of years in serious training

8. Coaching session or activity
SPEC MODEL
SOCIAL
COGNITIVE
Coaching session or activity
EMOTIONAL
PHYSICAL

10. Physical Literacy Children who are physically literate have
competence and confidence in their:
fundamental movements skills
fundamental sport skills
ability to read the environment and make decisions

11. FUNdamentals continuum Foreman and Bradshaw, 2009
Sport specific skill eg rugby, netball, tennis, cricket
MULTI SKILL
FUNdamental sport skills invasion, net/wall, striking and fielding, athletc/gymnastic
FUNdamentals continuum Foreman and Bradshaw, 2009
FUNdamental Movement skills eg run, jump, hop, throw, catch, kick, skip
FUNdamentals of Movement
balance, agility and coordination

12. ACTIVE START
Birth – 6 years
Fitness and movement skills developed as a FUN part of daily life
Development of sound FUNdamentals of movement: balance, agility and coordination
Development of FUNdamentals of movements skills: eg run jump, throw
Minimising sedentary behaviour
Encouraging participation in daily physical activity

13. FUNDAMENTALS
6-8/9 years
Continuing to develop the FUNdamentals of movement (balance, agility, coordination) and the FUNdamental movement skills (eg catch, kick, roll, swim).
Integrating mental, cognitive and emotional development as well as overall physical development
Starting to include FUNdamental sport skills (eg invasion sport, net and court games, gymnastic skills)
Encouraging daily physical activity and strength exercises using own body weight , medicine and swiss balls

14. LEARN TO TRAIN Focusing more on sport skills
8/9 -11/12 years
Focusing more on sport skills
Encouraging participation in a range of sports rather than specialising in one or two.
Skill development is a strong focus
Continuing emphasis on using sport to develop cognitive, emotional and social skills as well as physical and sport skills
Encouraging regular involvement in sports most days of the week

15. Key concepts:
the cognitive, social emotional as well as physical needs of individual children
physical literacy and the fundamentals
developmentally appropriate training and competitive structure
sport as an agent of transformation

16. Introduction to Coaching Children
THANK YOU
Feedback on the value of this pack would always be most welcome.
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Introduction to Coaching Children