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Good Practice Case Study
Introduction
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) in Buckinghamshire does not have a problem recruiting and qualifying new coaches – the challenge is supporting and maintaining the interest of its more highly qualified coaches (Level 3 and above).This case study details how, through a combination of local partnerships and consultation with coaches, an innovative continuous professional development (CPD) programme for Level 3 rugby union coaches was established.
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Good Practice Case Study
Background
When Bucks RFU and Bucks Sport met to discuss regional coaching support, they both discovered that while there was a comprehensive CPD system in place for Level 1 and 2 coaches, no specific CPD opportunities existed for higher level coaches.
These higher level coaches are recognised as playing an essential role in the rugby environment. Not only do they support club players and teams, they also provide guidance and support to newly qualified and existing coaches within the club (eg through mentoring programmes).
Next Steps
The first step was to find the Level 3 coaches using the RFU’s data management system and the Rugby Development Officer’s (RDO) local knowledge.This identified only a handful of sufficiently qualified coaches, so the county sports partnership (CSP) decided to expand its project to the neighbouring county of Oxfordshire. Acknowledging the advantages for all parties, Oxfordshire CSP and the Oxfordshire RDO were keen to be involved.To make sure the support would meet coaches’ demands and needs, a couple of Level 3 coaches were invited to be part of the planning team. Some principles agreed by the team included:
• to start simply and gradually – as opposed to offering too much, too soon
• to base the support on previous coach experiences of formal workshops – it was important the CPD content was highly technical, yet delivered informally, to entice Level 3 coaches to attend
• event timings had to be considered to avoid clashes with club and coach commitments
• having a central venue location, to encourage as many coaches as possible to attend.
One of the most interesting ideas to emerge from speaking with the coaches was that the tutor/facilitator should be respected and recognised for their knowledge and experiences. It was felt such a person could pass this on to meet the needs of coaches.
It was therefore agreed that the event should be delivered by a recognised figure from rugby union, so the RDOs used their network of contacts to secure the best speakers.To emphasise the unique nature of the events and the speaker, the programme was marketed as ‘An Evening with...’.
Initial themes that were agreed on included:
• video analysis • periodisation
• tactical and technical awareness
• athlete psychology.
Roles and responsibilities were established; the CSPs were to identify a suitable venue and provide promotional information, which the RDOs would then promote with identified coaches. Thanks to their relationships and prior experience, RDOs would also identify speakers and facilitators, and cover the expense of the events. Both the CSP Coaching Leads and RDOs agreed on the overall programme and its processes for evaluating CPD opportunities.
Good Practice Case Study
What Happened?
‘An Evening with...Gareth Rees’, a former England under-17s coach, was one of the first events to take place, with ‘Laying the Foundations for Success’ as the underlying theme. The evening was attended by 10 Level 3 coaches from across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, some of whom had not attended CPD for a long time, but bought into the project and the idea.
What Was the Impact?
Although it is too early to identify the project’s real impact, all coaches believed the workshop would impact on their practice and provide ideas for future events.
When asked to explain its potential, one coach said the workshop would have an impact ‘by challenging existing ideas and making me think more about future sessions’.
Another coach gave this valuable insight: ‘During the presentation, Gareth was able to pass on his thoughts and ideas, and relate them to the level of coach who attended the evening. His session was thought-provoking and made us think about how we
develop our coaching and the way we approach games.The video clips Gareth showed were an excellent way of illustrating how successfully his ideas and concepts work.’
For the RFU, it was a great opportunity to bring a large number of Level 3 coaches together in one room to provide them with important CPD based on their needs.
For both CSPs, the event supported the overall work of the coaching offer to governing bodies of sport and, more specifically, contributed to increasing the number of active rugby union coaches accessing CPD in line with developing talent plans.
The RFU National Training Manager has been made aware of the project with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire CSPs and has shown significant interest and asked for feedback and evaluation from the next couple of sessions.The RFU will then decide if this is a valuable offer to extend to its Level 3 coaches across the country.
Another ‘An Evening With...’ event has been organised.This one is to be delivered by an academic from Oxford Brookes University who has experience of working with elite rugby union athletes and coaches.The theme for the session will be ‘Athlete Psychology’.
LESSONS LEARNT Don’t be afraid to think beyond your geographical area, and work in partnership to take advantage of economies of scale.
If you want to engage coaches in learning, you may need to think about different ways to deliver and market your product. Using a recognised name adds a sense of importance to the event, which, in this case, encouraged coaches to attend. When establishing a new project, start at a simple, manageable level. Once your project is up and running and is being well received, expand it to meet more demands and needs of coaches.
At the outset, agree on roles and responsibilities (including how the project will be evaluated) and engage with the target audience to get buy-in. Also ensure the proposal is relevant and needs-led.
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© sports coach UK, 2013