The role of Self-Assessment in Long Term Coaching Development

The Role of Self-Assessment in Long Term Coaching Development

Over the past year or so there has been a great deal of discussion about the Canadian coaching education program and its relative strengths and weaknesses.  Coach education is always an interesting topic to discuss and just sending a coach to a course won’t make them a better coach overnight. There are other pieces to the puzzle that need to be addressed if we are to start developing strong coaches in our soccer community.

Continued education is a key factor in the development of a coach and many clubs and districts are doing a great job in this area and kudos to them. As a learning facilitator for BC Soccer I have had the opportunity to deliver coaching courses for over 10 years and invariably at the end of the course the same things are heard over and over again “That was useful, not enough time and what comes next?” We have to provide the answer to that question for our coaches.

As a learning facilitator for BC Soccer I have had the opportunity to deliver courses across the province for over 10 years. When we get coaches in a room from different clubs and different districts, within 10 minutes we all accept that we are on the same team and face the same problems. Not enough time with the players, how do you deal with the different levels of players in your team, how do you manage player and parent expectations etc...

I believe we have a good certification process but sending coaches on courses isn’t enough and the course itself won’t make someone a better coach. In my opinion the missing piece is a self-assessment process.

Self-assessment is a useful tool for adult learners as it gives one an opportunity to see where their strengths and weaknesses lie and also provides an open and honest critique on ones abilities. It is also useful for prioritizing the next steps in the education process.

I have developed a self-assessment tool for coaches which you will see below. As with any tool it has its faults but it’s an attempt to categorise coaches not by their level of certification or years coached but rather than their behaviours and competencies. As with any tool it has its weaknesses but it’s aimed at grassroots coaches as I believe that grassroots coaches can develop into high performance coaches give the time. I also believe that coaches can also step straight into the high performance arena if they are in the right environment and have strong mentorship. Having said that we can all name coaches who have gone straight into the ‘big time’ and failed miserably!

Of course self –assessment has it weaknesses too, the chief one being that it can be a stand-alone critique with absolutely no context to tie it to the real world. In order to try to add context you will see that I have tried to fit the LTAD stages in their along with some coaching certification and years of coaching.

In my next blog I will expand on the competencies of coaches in each particular stage and how coaches can move through these stages and how to self-assess one of your own practices.

Glossary of terms in the table

POP   - Principles of Play

GAG  - Global Analytical Global-Game, Activity Game method of coaching

YTP   - Yearly Training Plan

LTPD  -Long Term Player Development

LTPD Stage	LTCD Stage	Required Competencies	Expectations of coaching ability	Learning outcomes, gaps in ability	Certification level	Years coaching
Coaching Active Start	Organiser	Enthusiastic energetic descriptive unstructured	Organise a space Keep players moving Activities are fun	Recognise basic faults in athletes technique Be inclusive of all players No flow or plan No methodology	Active Start to Fundamental	0-3
Coaching Fundamentals	Facilitator	Basic organisation and structure. Plans practice to practice Communication skills, develops key words	Plan a session through progressions Effective GAG	Make adjustments to the session to improve learning No LTPD or POP or leadership skills	Fundamental to Learn To Train	2-6
Coaching Learn to Train	Situational Coach	Understands the POP in isolation. Can make adjustments in the session to keep it challenging Leadership abilities	Plan and set season goals. Basic LTPD, Use of various coaching methods	Recognise the playing principles in general play (POP)	Learn To Train Soccer For Life Pre B	4-10
At this point the coach can be considered a MASTER COACH in the ages U6 to U12
Coaching Train to Train and Coaching Soccer for Life	Principles coach	Understands and recognises POP in all areas of the game. Uses lots of possession exercises in sessions Plans practices around basic YTP Aware of mental training	Take small sided structure into the 11v11 in specific situations, ie overlaps, counter attacking	Puts the POP into context for the players. Not yet able to teach the how why and when of play.	Pre B BC Soccer B Provincial	8-13
Coaching Train to Compete	Contextual coach	Put the POP into context within the game. Teaches the how, when, where and why. Plans practices around evolving YTP	Facilitate learning in other coaches Personal Kaizen	Changes philosophy and ideas. Sticks with personal style and system	CSA B National NCCP Comp Dev	11-16
Coaching Train To Win	Cognitive coach	Understands how playing patterns develop and sees this in all facets of the game See patterns in opponent and can adjust and adapt to these	Capacity for honest self-reflection Comfortable in own ability	Does not yet understanding  the different demands between coaching athletes and coaches	CSA B National CSA A National	14-20
At this point the coach can be considered a MASTER COACH in the development of youth players to the age of U18
Coaching Train to Win	Master coach	Understands that the ability to change ideals and beliefs is the key to success. Always looking for the next evolution in training methods	Mentor players and coaches, comfortable with administrative tasks		CSA A National NCI Graduate Med in Coaching	20+

(©) Andrew Latham