Ulster Badminton Coaching System Development [Year] Plan 2015-2021 Ryan Prentice Club and
Introduction. The Olympic sport of Badminton is one of the UK s top six participant sports, with a well established network of clubs, coaches and volunteers. It is one of the most inclusive sports, appealing equally to both sexes, as well as a wide range of minority groups. Throughout the province there is a lot of great work going on, on a weekly basis by coaches of all levels and experiences and we as a Governing Body understand the value of this work in getting players started in the sport and providing them with help and advice to improve and develop. The purpose of this Coaching Plan is to identify as a Governing Body how we can support and develop coaches at all stages of the playing pathway, shown below. The plan will focus on the 4 year period, April 2015 March 2019, and will set out targets and actions on how these will be achieved over this period. 1. Primary schools 2. Secondary schools 3. Junior Clubs 4. Adult clubs 5. Raw Performance Squads 6. Emerging Performance Squads 7. High Performance Squad 8. Ireland/GB National Centre As an organisation we believe that good coaching is all about the participant or player and the process to deliver the support they need to enjoy their sport and fulfil their potential at whatever level that may be. To be able to deliver on this we need capable coaches at all stages of the playing pathway. This plan will look at our current position with regards to coaching, our strengths and weakness, gaps in the area and how we can look to address these and move the coaching system on for the betterment of the players, both current and future. Consultation A number of people have been consulted during this process to inform this plan. They were representatives from the following groups: Ulster Badminton Badminton Ireland
Sport Northern Ireland Club and Coaching Consultation Group Club officials Active Coaches Mike Woodward, Badminton World Federation Coaching Tutor Current Position In September 2012 Ulster Badminton began a process of self evaluation and benchmarking to establish where the organisation currently sat in regard to the following different systems across the association: Club Development Talent Coaching High Performance Governance This Sport Northern Ireland process was to help the Governing Body with strategic planning for the funding period, known as Performance Focus. This system saw each Governing Body system ranked against a number of different areas on a 5 stage marking process. This process is outlined below: 1. Not yet Established Best practice has yet to be established 2. Emerging Best practice has partially been produced 3. Established Best practice has been partially produced and partially applied 4. Embedded Best practice has been fully applied and managed 5. Excellence Best practice has been fully applied and is world leading. The diagram below shows Ulster Badminton s Coaching System position as of the self evaluation in 2012 and the target for 2017. Develop & Planning ID & Recruitment Education &Training Mgment & Support Reward &Profile Talent / HP Development Overall System Rating 2012 Emerging Emerging Emerging Established NYE Emerging Emerging 2017 Established Emerging Established Established Emerging Established Established Coaching System prior to 2013: No designated person responsible for the overall development of the system. Work on the system and organising courses fell into the remit of Ulster Badminton staff and Badminton Ireland coach tutors. No long term plan in place.
Coach Education courses were limited with Introductory and Level 1 course available but limited opportunities beyond this. Limited coach development opportunities available. Coaching System post 2013: Full time member of staff within Ulster Badminton responsible for the development of the coaching system Sport Northern Ireland support through the Coach Legacy Programme to allow Ulster Badminton to carry out a 2 year project developing a small group of talent coaches. Ulster Badminton s ongoing commitment to delivering coach development programmes. New Badminton Ireland coach education pathway through the Badminton World Federation from Introductory level to Level 2 with a Level 3 due to be available from September 2015. Badminton Ireland coach licensing programme, for all active coaches. The changes listed above have begun to address some of the issues around the development of badminton coaches within Ulster and the other three provinces. Coaches now have the opportunity to attend education and development courses both regionally and nationally. A start has been made but there is still major work to do done to produce a coaching system that caters for the needs of all that are involved in the playing pathway. There are still many gaps that need to be addressed, these are highlighted in the diagram on the next page, and the remainder of the document identifies certain gaps and sets out an action on how these issues will be addressed.
Areas for Development within the Coaching system: Qualified Coaches across the country to meet the demands of the organisation Lack of 'Specialists' at each level (school/club/talent) Regional Coaching Forum - Communities of Practice - Culture Acessibile Education pathway, Shuttle Time to Level 3 A minimum of 1 representative from each county attendng the Coaching forum Communication In the 4 year period between 2015-2019 we will look to make a positive impact on the following areas through a variety of workshops, programmes and partnership initiatives We will look to target the following areas: Development of Specialist Coaches Coach Education and Licensing Recognition of Coaches These areas will also impact on other areas mentioned above and will have a positive impact on the coaching system as a whole. Development of Specialist Coaches It is crucial for Ulster Badminton as an organisation to ensure we have effective coaches working with the different populations of players within our playing pathway. For the pathway to be fully effective we need to ensure we have the right coaches, coaching the right things at the right time throughout the pathway. It is important that players are supported at each part of the pathway and are given the best possible opportunity to move on and progress to reach their potential whatever level that may be.
As an organisation we need to develop a specialist workforce at each stage who have the skills and knowledge to work with these players. We also need to ensure this workforce is given the correct development opportunities to they continue to have all the necessary attributes to provide for the players. Ulster Badminton s current long term player development model is currently under review. In 2016 the Badminton World Federation Level 3 Coaching Award will be available and we will use the information in this programme to help update our player development model. We see the development of coaches falling into 2 main categories, Participation and Performance. Both are equally as important and without the correct coaches in both areas it will be extremely difficult for players to reach their maximum potential. PARTICIPATION Those coaches specialising on the participation side will focus their work in schools and junior clubs and it is here that most players will take their first steps in the sport. These coaches need to instil a love of the sport in the young players and need to ensure the child is at the centre of their coaching and that practices are suitable to the participant age and ability. Ulster Badminton envisages a network of clubs and schools where players are welcomed and supported to fulfil their ambitions and coaches are one group of key people that have a huge role to play in this. We need all our coaches working at a junior level to understand Long Term Player Development (LTPD), the different stages and their role within each stage. We need them to appreciate the different learning styles of children and how they can change their coaching style to support each child, and of course we need knowledgeable coaches that can teach the correct technical and tactical skills to young players. As a Governing Body we need to lead and support the coaches with this, supporting them in improving and updating their knowledge. Through learning workshops and signposting of courses as well as creating coaching forums we hope we can offer all our participation coaches with opportunities to develop themselves and in turn their players. PERFORMANCE Performance coaches within our pathway will primarily focus on the work in Raw and Emerging Performance squads. As mentioned previously the work of the Coach Legacy programme has started the process of talent coach development and it is from this that we can develop and grow this programme to create a legacy of skilled and knowledgeable coaches. We need to ensure our coaches are supported in their role. Performance stream coaches will have access to innovative high quality learning experiences that in the short term will improve their coaching and longer term prepare them to effectively support and develop high achieving players. As well as improving the coaches on court skills and knowledge we will also focus on developing their leadership skills to help them in their role with managing players, motivating them, and providing feedback and support. Outside specialists will be used to deliver parts of the Programme as well as Ulster Badminton s High Performance Coach who will also provide direction on the Programme as they have first-hand experience of the developments of play at an elite level. It will also be crucial that coaches have the opportunity to put their learning into practice and to learn from experiences and to support this we will ensure coaches have the opportunities to observe national and provincial training sessions, assist high performance coaches and experience working with players at competitions.
COACH MENTORING Mentoring is a powerful tool in the development of coaches at all levels and will form an important part of our coach s development journey. Historically coach learning has taken place through education courses and workshops and while these will always remain important mentoring offers coaches more individual support to increase their knowledge and accelerate their learning. As an organisation we have already embarked on the use of mentoring to support a small group of coaches. The Coach Legacy Programme saw us use an experienced coach educator and developer from England and through the use of one to one sessions and video recording of session s coaches where able to receive individual feedback highlighting their how to coach strengths and development areas. We feel this is a crucial aspect going forward in supporting our coaches and improving their skill set. As an organisation we will look to invest time and resources into mentoring and look to fully utilise our staff workforce, including our High Performance coach, Talent coaches and coach education tutors. It is a long term ambition of Ulster Badminton to recruit and develop a team of coach mentors from our own pool of coaches. These mentors would be experienced specialists in their own area of the system and would be identified and given the appropriate training required to support the next generations of coaches coming through. MINIMUM STANDARDS It is important all coaches operating within the playing pathway meet the necessary minimum standards required to ensure the safety of themselves and of the players. All coaches should meet the following criteria: Completed a Badminton Ireland coaching qualification Passed an Access Northern Ireland background check (or Garda vetting) Attended a Safeguarding Children and Young People workshop Be First Aid trained Completed and signed the Badminton Ireland coaches charter Be listed on Badminton Ireland s coaching register (from September 2016) These standards are in place to ensure each coach is suitable for the role they are in as well as providing the coach with the skills and knowledge both on and off court to ensure they deliver safe, enjoyable and progressive practices at all times. The level of coaching qualification will vary depending on what part of the pathway the coach is operating. Introductory level (Shuttle time) coaches can assist a Level 1 at club level however coaches operating at a Performance level should have a minimum of a Level 2 qualification to act as a lead coach. Many of these qualifications and checks require updating on a regular basis and ongoing development of all coaches will be important to ensure minimum standards are always maintained. CONTINOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) It is important for coaches to have an internal desire to improve and development themselves and to support this Ulster Badminton as an organisation need to provide relevant opportunities for the
coach no matter what level they are involved at. Our LTPD will be the guide to the type or development opportunities we provide for the different levels of coaches, as will individual development plans for certain coaches. We will look to ensure all coaches receive the appropriate development opportunities and support to help them help the players in attaining and surpassing the benchmarks set against each stage of the development model. All development opportunities will support the targets and aims of our Long Term Player Development model and all 5 of the Performance factors listed below with be focused on: 1. Technical 2. Tactical 3. Physical 4. Psychological 5. Lifestyle As an organisation we want to help create and grow a culture of learning within our coaches at all stages of the pathway. We want our coaches to be proactive in identifying opportunities for themselves to improve. We want to ensure they are aware of the different forms of learning available to them, formal, non- formal and informal and to help support them in these different areas. As an organisation we will continue to look at different opportunities for coaches but we want coaches who want to do more in their spare time away from the court to improve themselves. We then want to use forums and other opportunities to allow these coaches to share this information with others and to help with growing this learning culture. Action Plan Development of Specialist Coaches Performance Coaches: Responsible: Timescale: Coach should be leading or assisting in the delivery of performance squad sessions within the Ulster Badminton programme Talent ID and Development Officer Individual analysis of each coach working with a performance squad, completing a competency profile focusing on strengths and weaknesses. Use the audit information to develop an individual development plan for each coach Provide each coach with 1-1 mentoring Ensure all coaches are knowledgeable with each stage of the Ulster Badminton Player Development model and their role at the stage they are working Coaches will have access to working with players at high level High Performance Coach Talent ID Development Officer High Performance Coach Talent ID Development Officer High Performance Coach High Performance Coach Talent ID and Development Officer High Performance Coach September / October 2015 September 2015
competition, with and without their mentor / more experienced coach Observe National squad training sessions Participation Coaches: Audit of participation coaches to find out workforce information and challenges they face. Number and level of qualified coaches Review of workforce numbers, breaking information into fields (male/female etc) and looking at supply and demand of coaches Regional workshop programme in 2 different locations to support the work of the participation coaches led by an experienced coach from within Ulster Badminton. The workshops will provide help with issues the coaches have and also offer them access to advice and support from the lead coach. Experienced club coaches, Ulster Badminton staff and tutors will be used to deliver the programme Coaching forum, linked with the workshops above but will allow coaches to share experiences and examples of best practice with each other to allow for continued learning On going support for club coaches through workshops, roadshows and club visits Observe provincial / performance squad training Ensure coaches have knowledge of provincial Performance programmes and entry routes into them.. Ensure regular opportunities throughout each season December 2015 January 2016+ Coaching Talent ID and Development Officer September / October February / March each season 2/3 per season Coach Education and Licensing Badminton Ireland as the National Governing Body for the sport have overall responsibility for all coach education courses within the 4 provinces. As a provincial body Ulster Badminton are committed to this process and to supporting the national body with all Ulster based courses. From 2016 Badminton Ireland will introduce a new licensing requirement for all active coaches in all 4 provinces that will see them register with the national governing body. Coach Licensing is important to help ensure all coaches, paid or voluntary, are keeping up to date with qualifications, news and development opportunities and it is our aim to support Badminton Ireland in getting all
coaches to join the Coaching License system. By 2016 it will be compulsory for all active coaches to complete CPD hours to remain a registered coach. The register will allow Badminton Ireland to ensure all coaches qualifications, checks and certificates are kept up to date and coaches complete the relevant number of CPD hours and to also improve communication with coaches and ensure they can support them in their needs. Ulster Badminton will commit to supporting Badminton Ireland and local coaches in ensuring they have access to the licensing system and ensure appropriate and sufficient courses and workshops are held within and across Ulster to ensure our coaches have development opportunities to gain the required number of points without the need to travel to Dublin. The licensing scheme will aim of improve the standards of players across the 4 provinces through helping to create a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce. IDENTIFICATION AND RECRUITMENT As a sport we need to ensure we always have a suitable number of qualified coaches to meet the demands of the sport. Players, ex-players and volunteers all need to be encouraged to take formal coaching qualifications. Identification, recruitment and then development of coaches is crucial to ensure there is always new blood coming into these roles. The majority of this recruitment will take place at club level. Clubs through parents of young players and junior players who are becoming too old for the junior club are the two greatest opportunities to get new people involved. Members of a senior club are also another group to attract potential junior club coaches. Club officials should actively approach these groups with the idea and also provide them with a role description so they know what is expected from them. (See Appendices A and B) Another important area for coach identification and recruitment is targeting performance players. Performance players will have spent time in the system and will understand its structure and the level and commitment needed to be part of a performance squad. They will also have experienced working with performance coaches and the environment they have created and therefore will have a good level of technical and tactical knowledge. Performance players, once they reach 16 years old, should be encouraged to attend coach education courses while they are still in the programme and encouraged where appropriate to spend time working with younger players, whether in a younger performance squad or in a club setting. As well as the areas above it is also important for Ulster Badminton and our clubs to consider other ways in which volunteers and potential coaches can be recruited. Ways could include, students requiring experience as part of a degree programme, community groups where members may have spare time to commit to a local club, young people on an award scheme such as Duke of Edinburgh and also volunteer schemes within local areas. These are just some examples of other areas where recruitment may be possible as the traditional way of recruiting people may not always prove successful therefore it is important to look at alternative ways where support can be added to our sport. It will be also be important for us as an organisation for us to ensure we offer development courses across the province so current and potential coaches have the opportunity to attend locally based events, further helping to create a workforce that is province wide.
Action Plan Coach Education and Licensing Responsible: Timescale: Identify potential coaches from current and ex players, club volunteers and parents for all stages of the player development model. Once identified can individually speak with each of the players so to their suitability for the different areas. Talent ID and Development Officer High Performance Coach Provide access to Shuttle Time (Introductory Level) and Level 1 courses within Ulster each season. Signpost coaches to suitable courses both regionally and nationally for their continued development Support the work of Badminton Ireland in delivering a professional coach education programme across the 4 provinces Work with Badminton Ireland to ensure all active coaches are joining the coach license scheme and all coaches on the scheme are availing of its benefits To support all Ulster coaches on the coach license scheme to ensure they can avail of CPD opportunities locally and regionally to ensure their qualification remains up to date and they remain eligible for the scheme Coaching Tutor Talent ID and Development Officer Coaching Tutor Talent ID and Development Officer (Talent coaches) Minimum of 6 courses held annually in Ulster, spread out around the counties September 2016 Recognition of Coaches May 2015 saw the launch of Ulster Badminton s own awards programme. As a Governing Body we have developed this annual programme to recognise the amount of work that clubs, coaches and volunteers from across the province carry out to support the development of players, clubs and the sport as a whole. The programme will cover five different areas, three of which will focus on coaches: Junior Club Coach of the Year Young Coach of the Year Talent Coach of the Year This will be a completely new area for Ulster Badminton going forward. It is vitally important our current and future coaches feel valued and feel that their hard work is being recognised and
highlighted by their peers and the Governing Body. The area is not simply about an annual awards programme but the work should act as an inspiration to others to get involved in coaching. By using positive examples of local people and highlighting their work on the Ulster Badminton website, social media outlets, local press we are acknowledging their work and hopefully inspiring others to follow their lead. We want the passion and love of the sport that our coaches have to help attract a new generation into the sport, whether they are other club members, volunteers, parents or current players that the coach is working with. Coaching should be seen as a respectable and rewarding job that has progression routes for those individuals willing to work hard and develop themselves. As a governing body we want to acknowledge the work of dedicated coaches to support them in their coaching careers to help them to develop, progress and to reach their goals within coaching, whether this is a part time or full time coach. Action Plan Recognition of Coaches Responsible: Timescale: Launch of the Coach of the Year May 2015 Awards programme in May 2015. The programme will seek to highlight and award the great work being carried out by coaches across the province at the different stages in the player development model Increase awareness of the awards programme and the nomination process on an annual basis, through use of the website, social media sites, club visits and at local and regional competitions Use the Ulster Badminton website for regular features on Ulster coaches and the work they are carrying out Work with Sport Northern Ireland and Badminton Ireland to ensure coaches are recognised in their respective programmes Create a culture within Ulster that recognises and appreciates the contribution of all Ulster based coaches to ensure they feel valued and supported in their roles and work Website Co-ordinator Talent ID and Development Officer High Performance Coach December 2015 and then on an ongoing basis annually. Nominations to close in February each year from 2015/16 season Annually
APPENDIX A Badminton Club Roles and Responsibilities Head Coach Name of Coach: Responsible to: Club Manager / Club Committee MAIN DUTIES To take full responsibility for the club s junior coaching sessions at Badminton Club. To maintain high ethical standards in coaching, ensure they keep up-to-date with their knowledge, skills and qualifications and prepare all coaching sessions in advance. To undertake training appropriate to the role e.g. Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport. To work with and include Club Assistant Coaches in the preparation and running of each session. To attend club meetings and report on progress. To offer the club feedback on the organisation and degree of success of junior coaching and competitions. To assist in the selection of club teams. If and when appropriate to travel to competitions with junior club teams. To inform the Club Manager / Club Committee in advance of any sessions that cannot be attended. Signed: Date:
APPENDIX B Badminton Club Roles and Responsibilities Assistant Coach Name of Coach: Responsible to: Club Manager / Club Committee MAIN DUTIES To take full responsibility for the club s junior coaching sessions at Badminton Club. To develop and maintain high ethical standards in coaching, ensure they keep up-to-date with their knowledge, skills and qualifications and prepare all coaching sessions in advance. To undertake training appropriate to the role e.g. Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport. To work with and include Club Head Coach in the preparation and running of each session. To attend club meetings if required. To offer the club feedback on the organisation and degree of success of junior coaching and competitions. To assist in the selection of club teams. If and when appropriate to travel to competitions with junior club teams. To inform the Club Manager / Club Committee in advance of any sessions that cannot be attended.
Signed: Date: APPENDIX C JOB TITLE: Raw Performance Squad Head Coach- Lisburn REPORTS TO: Talent ID and Development Officer, Ulster Badminton JOB BASED: National Badminton Centre- Lisburn Terms & Conditions The post is on a self employed basis with an average of 4 hours per week Job purpose To produce and implement training and competition programmes for Raw Performance Squad players. Main duties Direct, monitor and evaluate the training & competition programme to all Raw Performance players including: weekly schedules & Tournament programmes. Provide direct coaching input to squad players and support to other coaches and players as required. Ensure that the training and competition plan of the performance players is aligned to the Ulster Badminton Player Performance Stream Goal & PDM. Set players specific development goals and monitor the progress of each individual player towards their goals and targets. Take the lead for the RPS players annual player review and record evidence against the different performance factors in their player profile. If and when appropriate to travel to competitions for player observation. Work with the TID Officer to ensure the coaching practises within the Performance squad are in line with National Standards. Responsibilities Adhere to the Ulster Badminton Coach Code of Conduct in particular: Sell Badminton, with an enthusiastic and positive approach to the sport, other coaches and the National Governing body.
Provide an effective Role model for players. Contribute to ensuring a safe and equitable working environment for all people within the coaching environment. Adopt coaching practises that follow Ulster Badminton s Guidelines for safeguarding children and Young people in Sport. Essentials BWF (or Badminton Ireland) Level 2 in coaching Badminton (or commits to achieving this in 18 months) A Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport certificate (within last 3 years) Commitment to the Ulster Badminton Coaching Legacy Programme Evidence of successful coaching within one of the following: Children, Participation, Gifted, Talent or Elite. Personal Qualities Committed Good Communicator Energetic Ambition to progress in coaching Reliable Motivated and a motivator Open to new Ideas and working practises. Signed: Date: