Coaching

Coaching of all orienteers highlighted in new coaching accreditation structure

WORDS BRODIE NANKERVIS

In 2020, Orienteering Australia sought expressions of interest in updating the current orienteering coaching accreditation syllabus documents. Orienteering Victoria’s Brodie Nankervis was appointed to complete the project, gathering a group of keen orienteering coaches from each state to develop a brandnew coaching accreditation structure.

Influenced by the direction of Sport Australia to acknowledge the need to develop coaches working with participants at all levels of sport, not just high performance, the new structure highlights pathways through coaching in orienteering as a matrix.

This matrix shows the progression of coaching practice on a horizontal axis and the experience domain of participants a coach is working with on a vertical axis. Note that the coaching practice axis is progressive in nature, as orienteering coaches may progress their coaching practice over time. In contrast the vertical axis is multidirectional, reflecting the fact that coaches may decide to apply their skills to different participants at different times in their career.

This change in the coaching accreditation structure has led to 4 new “levels” of coaching practice which will be the backbone of accreditation programs:

Support/Level 0 Coaches: can both (1) support other coaches in their activities and (2) support participants to have a positive experience with orienteering (i.e., by debriefing after an event)

Session Coaches (previously Level 1): can deliver individual training sessions focusing on the physical, technical, tactical and/or psychological aspect/ s of orienteering.

Lead Coaches (previously Level 2): can lead a series of training sessions for an individual or group and are able to incorporate all aspects of orienteering. They may lead several session coaches to deliver this program.

Coordinate Coaches (previously Level 3): can coordinate a group of orienteering participants and/or coaches. This could be on a training camp, competition tour or by coordinating a coaching committee.

Within each of these accreditation programs there will be 3 streams, depending on the level of participant that a coach plans to work with:

Learn and Play: Work with beginner orienteers, providing opportunities to develop basic orienteering skills, and supporting social participation for health and wellbeing.

Compete: Work with orienteers who participate regularly, at any level, helping participants to develop competition skills with the key objective of doing their personal best.

Perform: Work in high performance, supporting athletes of all ages in the Orienteering Australia talent pathway to develop and compete at a state, national and international level.

More information on how the new coaching accreditation structure will be rolled out will be coming soon! If you are interested in being involved with coaching in the future and/or keen to become an accredited coach, please contact the Victorian Coaching coordinator at coaching@vicorienteering.asn.au