Specialist Development Coach
The club is giving consideration to the appointment of a part time Development Coach.
The key role of the Junior Development Coach would be be:
- Providing a player development program for all junior players of the club
- Working with all junior team coaches to ensure their development needs are identified and addressed
- Provide an advanced training program for junior players choosing to take their hockey to the next level
A Development coach will move the focus towards developing practical coaching skills and self-development and therefore ensure we have better trained coaches to meet the demands of the game.
Quality coaching has a significant influence upon players and their hockey experience, hence the recommendation for all coaches to be accredited at an appropriate level.
Hockey is a game of skill!
The level of skill players reach is dependent their exposure to the game. Players at Greensborough Hockey Club range in age from under six years to over 70, all with various skills. The earlier they are exposed to the game, the more likely it is that the player will gain a high level of understanding of the game.
Skill development is a key component of developing great hockey players. Skills can be divided into three components:
- Technical skills: ball movement, passing & receiving
- Tactical skills: how a player uses their technical skills in a game
- Social skills: how a player connects with their teammates
- Temperament: dedication to the task, must not give up easily and keep trying to execute the skill correctly
Coaching Philosophy
Junior development starts with our coaching philosophy:
- Why we play hockey
- Having fun is important
- Our coaching methods will be based on coordinated and structured skill development for all junior players
- We will provide access to specialist coaches
- We will support our junior team coaches by recognising coach education is central to a successful junior development program, the club will reimburse coaches for successful completion of an approved coaching course
- We will manage the transition between juniors and seniors by working on what is in the best interests of the individual player
- Every player will be coached with a similar methodology (small games, individual skills within those games, some drills within that session)
Principles we follow!
- Children’s sport should be fun!
- Children need lots of opportunities for unstructured play, a broad range
of activities and the opportunity for creativity - Early sports specialisation is not recommended for young children
- The social aspects of sport are highly valued by children
- The focus is on skill development and individual improvement, not winning
- To give all children time and attention, not just the most talented
Inclusive Coaching
Our coaches will adapt and modify their coaching to create an environment that caters for individual needs of the children, allowing everyone to take part and experience success within the activity.
The basic skills of good coaching, when applied with an inclusive philosophy, will ensure that all participants can participate.
Core Goal
The program’s core goal will be setup to allow all players to maximise their potential for whatever level of hockey they are striving to achieve. There will be no restrictions for any player wishing to be involved in the program which will be set up to maximise each player’s opportunity to develop their hockey skills.
Benefits of a Junior Development Focus
- Increased learning opportunities for everyone
- Coordinated management of training loads
- Improved positive player feedback assisting with ongoing skill improvement
- Players are assisted with setting realistic goals
- A greater focus on planning practices according to the age and skill levels of the players
- Fun and enjoyable experience
Small Group Skills Based Instruction with groups based on skills and not teams
With small-group, skills-based instruction, players receive explicit instruction and guided practice in specific skills they need to develop and to advance their hockey.
Players will be allocated to a group based on their skill levels and each group will be under the direction of one or more group leaders. Group leaders use modified games and activities to involve players safely and with enjoyment.
Group leaders will work under the supervision of the Development Coach.
Teams Based Coaching for players involved with the Hockey Victoria competition
Each junior team playing in the Hockey Victoria Competition will have a coach appointed and the team will practice together once per week as preparation for a weekly game. Players in the team will be based on their age and skill level (when the club has more than one team in the age group) The coach is appointed to the team for the duration of the competition season.
We are particularly focused on ensuring that a qualified coach coaches every junior team, helping to nurture a positive learning environment that is fun and encourages juniors to continue to play and learn hockey.
There are four levels of qualification:
- Community coach
- Level 1 coach
- Level 2 coach
- Advanced coach
Level 1 Coaching Courses
The Level 1 Coaching Certification course teaches you the foundation skills of an organisational coach, including the models and structures that provide a robust process for high performance coaching sessions that get results.
Learning the skills of a coach is for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned player or the parent of a future hockey player. You don’t need to be an expert, all you do need is a positive attitude and a community spirit.
This course is suitable for coaches of all levels looking to gain a deeper understanding of how to plan a season, structure a training session, and build in individual and team skills. The course is also suitable for parents just wanting to learn and understand the game so they can provide positive support as their child progresses in hockey.
Success
Success is many things
- enjoyment or satisfaction
- Growth or development
- Winning
Winning is a component of success but it is not the only way to measure success. We want players that are competitive and that want to win. But this cannot be our only focus.
