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COACHING

State Coach WAJames Cooper

Reviewed: 21/10/2005

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GFA Requirement for Coach Level 1

300 hours 3 x 300k or 1 x 500k flight

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Maintaining currency

In last two years 40 hours solo or coaching– This is not instructing

At least 2 coaching events or flights

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Role of State Coach

Training of coaches Conduct of coaches Maintaining register With coaches identify and develop talent in the

competition field Provide periodic reports Attend national coaching panel meeting Assist coaches Supply reference info www.jamescooper.com.au

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Training Units

The role of a coach nutrition/hydration /drugs Weather analysis Preflight preparation Flying with other gliders Lead and follow Physical conditioning Sports psychology Planning a training program

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Reference material

Beginning Coaching - Australian Coaching Council

The Gliding Coach Manual - GFA Flying further and faster - GFA MOSP part 4 (Sporting) - GFA X-Country Soaring - Reichmann Meteorology for Glider Pilots - Wallington Soaring Australia Articles - Eckey

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This Course

Attend lectures rather than read Beginning Coaching

Assess with questions 1,2,8 Assess with flight units Give a Lecture

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What is a Coach?

A teacher passing on information and ideas

Trainer improving athletes fitness

Motivator instilling a positive attitude

Advisor and Councilor Friend Scientist Student Sets an Example

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Additional Coach’s roles

Disciplinarian Organiser Public relations Planner

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Personal Characteristics

Are you?Always Frequently Sometimes Rarely Never

Confidence Building          Constructive         Encouraging         Enthusiastic          Good Communicator          Honest          Knowledgeable          Likeable          Motivator          Organiser          Patient          Polite          Positive          Potential Developer          Respectful          Sense of Humour          Sensitive to needs          Showing interest          Understanding          

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Personal Characteristics

Fill in the attributes that are valuable to be a coach It is highly unlikely that you will score well for all so Consider where:

o you can be best usedo you are best to step backo you should improve

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Style of coach

Authoritarian Business-like coach Nice guy Intense coach Easy-going coach What are you?

– How can you use your style to help and – Where should you step back and pass to another

coach?

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Who are you coaching?

I just like flying and staying up I want to fly cross country I want to go round the clubs and get badges I want to win championships and set records(The information given is assuming pilot wants to

achieve.)

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The coach needs to be able to coach all these groups

Or pass the athlete on to a coach who can Remember that the pilot who just wants to fly

a little more than local will enjoy their flying more with coaching – as they will be more reliably staying up

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All coaches must be

Positive and Encouraging

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Two skills required to function effectively

The knowledge of the sport Understanding of coaching technique

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Communication

Perhaps the most important ability to help the athlete improve performance is for the coach is to communicate to the athlete.

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Communication

Verbally Diagrams (overheads, slide shows or charts) Cheat sheets Demonstrate Logger traces Videos

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Comments

Sandwich Praise “your speed control was good” Criticise “your lookout needs working on” Praise “your radio calls were excellent”

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Observing

The coach must continually observe the athlete

This will allow the coach to change the program

And attend to individual athletes needs When flying write down issues otherwise you

will forget– Use a notebook

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Analysing

The coach needs to analyse student so as to Look for repetitive problems Work out reason for error If multiple errors exist

– determine if they are linked Look for new techniques Observation and Analysis will dramatically

help improve performance

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Goals

Measurable Observable Challenging Achievable and Believable Short term and Long term

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Goals Purpose

To plan and monitor your progress Be a motivator Help in the 7 P’s Prior preparation, practice and planning

prevent poor performance

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Goals Measurable

Athletes will achieve a Speed or Distance The team will score in inter-club and fly round

the task Good angle of bank is constantly achieved Saw tooth graphs are created on logger

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Goals Observable

Athletes are enjoying their flying Athletes flying more regularly

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Goals Challenging

Goals push athletes more, so perhaps more outlandings– this shows the athlete that they are trying,– an outlanding is NOT a failure but signs that the

athlete is trying.

Goals are to inspire the athlete Have a goal to land out more than 4 times a

year?

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Goals Achievable and Believable

Goals should be within the bounds of the athlete’s ability – if not they become a failure in their own eyes. – A 750k the year after a 500k is not generally

reasonable.

The goals may be set for the athlete both by the athlete and the coach, – these may be different

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Goals Short term

Act as stepping stones to achieve long term goals– 50k 100k 300k 500k

Performance segments like– Constant angle of bank 45°– Concentration– Social goals– Competition strategy

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Goals Long term

Generally come with a string of short term goals

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Coaching Females

Females are lighter – Ballast

Shorter – Specific aircraft issues (dive brake operation)– Firm cushions– Seat adjustment

Strength– Assistance with rigging and derigging– Technique for ground-handling glider

Toilet issues– Equipment available for women

Social attitude– In the minority, easily don’t feel like they belong– Avoid using gender specific language written and spoken

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Coaching Veterans

Reduced cardiovascular performance Reduced flexibility of the muscles ligaments and

tendons Bones more brittle Reduced muscular power and strength Slower nervous system Reduced vision

– Lookout Basal metabolism

– Weight increase

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Cardiovascular

The heart is less efficient and weaker Blood vessels may become narrower Lung function declines less flexibility

– thus less efficient delivery of oxygen to the tissues including the brain

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Slower nervous system

Allow athletes more time to react – this may need reacting to preliminary weather

inputs Allow time for athlete to comprehend what is

happening Extra training of lookout be aware of

evenings Be patient Shorter flights

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Coaching Veterans

Exercise Should perhaps replace runs with long walks

or jogs Less high impact

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Smoking

Will have many of the effects of aging particularly cardio vascular and vision

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Nutrition

Advise your athletes on Nutrition priorities Prevent heat injuries Counsel on common drugs

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Basic Food Guidelines

Dairy Meat Cereals Fruits Vegetables

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Eat More or Less

Complex carbohydratesPasta, Bread brown, Potatoes, Fruit, Veg

Eat Less sugarSoft Drinks, Chocolates, Sweets

Eat Less FatFatty Meat, Butter and Margarine, Deep fried foods

Use less salt Use less alcohol

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Eat normally

Eat in principle what you would eat on weekdays

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Glider pilots need

Slow release energy - Complex Carbohydrates – Wholemeal, Pasta

Not sugars that give a sugar low Protein is necessary but not too much

– 1g of protein per Kg of body weight is a good guide.

Plenty of water and a means to get rid of it Not too much food in one go makes you tired

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High Energy Foods

High energy foods may be good for sprinters– but they have the pitfall of having a short term

effect followed by fatigue

The only time to consider these foods may be on final glide

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Heat injury

Be aware of using energy in hot conditions– Prepare early

Loose fitting clothing, light in colour Permeable clothing Be aware of heavier athletes

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Liquid intake

Hydrate well before an event Keep hydrated during the event Hydrate after the event

– guidelines urine is clear and does not smell

If drinking fluid replacement drinks dilute more than recommended

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Drugs

Performance enhancing Tobacco Alcohol Pain killers

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Drugs

We are obliged not to use performance enhancing drugs, stimulants etc in line with the Olympic codes

This is not only drugs but also masking agents

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Tobacco

Tobacco decreases the athletes ability to intake oxygen

Oxygen should be used earlier than a non smoker, performance will start reducing at 8000ft as a guide

Do not expect you student to perform as well at altitude

Do not expect to teach as well at altitude

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Alcohol

Effects hand eye coordination Accuracy and balance

– Thermalling

Complex coordination Body temperature regulation Cardio-vascular Brain function Are you prepared to be coached by or coach

someone who is slightly alcohol affected?

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Painkillers

Depression of respiration Euphoria Sedation Nausea

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Caffeine

Caffeine is a diuretic Caffeine is a stimulant so may help

overcome short term tiredness

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Physical fitness

A physically fit pilot has better cardiovascular system

When physically fit athlete will be mentally fitter

When physically fit will be able to last longer tasks and longer competition

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Break

Back on time Still lots to get through Psychology Next

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Psychology

The key to mental preparation is to think about things under your control

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Psychology Arousal

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Psychology Arousal Increased

Worry Pressure from coach, self and team Last minute changes Psyching Landing out Home Mood fluctuations Self talk Visualisation

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Psychology Arousal Decreased

Preparation Home Team mates I’ve done it before Self talk Visualisation Over motivation

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Psychology Arousal

An athlete with practice can manage their own level of arousal

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Psychology Control

Coping with School work or home Friends at the club Attitude to training Mood particularly at comps Routines at Comps and training Pre-event distractions & Nerves Visualisation Planned approach to each segment Self talk Strategy Post event emotions

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Psychology Coaches Job

Learn the self control skills just like thermalling Help the athlete become more skilled at the thinking

side There is no quick fix Athlete needs to learn to be positive about

themselves You can only think about the things you can

control

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Dealing with winning and losing

Sport involves winning and losing Losing is not failure Success is trying to do your best A pilot who outlands regularly is not a failure

– perhaps one who is learning the limits

On losing – analyse how your athlete lost

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On winning

On winning – analyse how your athlete won

Opponents’ efforts Team mates’ support Coaches’ skill

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On losing

On losing analyse how your athlete lost Look forward via goals to the next

opportunity to compete

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Competition coaches job

See that athlete does not concentrate on things that they can not control

See that the athlete looks at the individual items that make up the whole performance

Don’t look at the aspect of winning – this comes from piecing items together

Winning is not the be all and end all

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Checklists

Check lists are the greatest inhibitors of stress

They could be used for a full array of situations in gliding for example– Prior to leaving home,– Going to comps– Glider preparation– Outlanding– In the car for crew– Task setting

www.jamescooper.com.au

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Lead and Follow Goals

For the student to fly a task by themselves– a twin following is possible

For the student to see how it is done For the coach to observe how the student

flies

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Flying with other gliders

Mid-air collisions are one of the most dangerous situations for gliders

Flying with other gliders of equal competence will assist dramatically in increasing cross country speed and reliability

Fly predictably

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Lead and Follow Briefing

Lookout Keep good radio communication Radio frequency at start appears to be one of the

biggest initial failures Joining up, the best is for the coach to launch first then

join the students Where required the students job is to follow and see

what is being done, not try to show the coach how to fly Pair thermalling No cutting inside Having their own cut off height and sticking to it If you can not see waggle wings

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Lead and Follow height

Always keep to the same height as the student

This stops them being demoralised Makes lookout easier particularly when more

than one are following Allows the coach to see the flying skills Final glide it is good to fly side by side

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Lead and Follow glider performance

Fly with undercarriage down Fly with negative flap Don’t fly too fast

– say keep to 80 knots

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Lead and Follow

DOUBLE BLIND

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Pair Thermalling

Flying in pairs helps increase rate of climb

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Following in thermals- no cutting inside

Follower must open out when leader does

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Lead and Follow Length

Keep the task not too long - 3 hour max.

This allows perhaps 2-3 flights in the day

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Weather

A coach needs to be able to obtain the weather forecast

From the forecast – set a task – knowing thermal strengths and reliability

Be able to predict unsafe conditions Pass this information to students www.jamescooper.com.au

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Coaching Exercises

Getting into the real stuff Arranging a training schedule

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Stage 1 Pilots

The first priority for any cross country pilot is the ability to:

– hold constant 45° bank, – constant speed and – correct yaw string position.

This can be checked in a two seater. If the pilot is having difficulty due to thermal activity

– do an early morning flight to 3,000 ft plus and– just turn tight.

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Stage 1 Pilots

To assist put straws on the canopy. Always have straws and blue tack in your

gear to give to athletes. Pilots can practice solo Try to turn accurately at 60°

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Stage 1 Pilots

Once the pilot can fly tight – they can be informed how to find the core of the

thermal on the first turn by feel Practice for this can be done by seeing how

many 1000ft climbs can be done in a given period of time.

2 hours is plenty enough This can be run as a competition

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Bank and speed

Before taking an athlete x-county they need to be able to – Fly at 45°– Accurate speed– Yaw string correctly positioned

Until this is done there is little point in lead and follow

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Stage 2 Pilots

Time to go cross country

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Stage 2 Pilot Check Lists

Pilot needs to be able to create and use a check list

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Stage 2 Pilot Thermalling

Describe the thermal structure Having indication of thermal sources Enter thermals Maintain the core Leave the thermal at correct speed

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Stage 2 Pilot Cruising

Describe McCready theory List the pitfalls of McCready Height bands Wing Loading Final Glide

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Stage 2 Training

Confidence in gaggle thermalling Practice can be done with one other student

of similar ability locally

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Stage 2 Training

This level of training can be done either lead and follow or in twin.

Also consider two students in a twin, this may bring some camaraderie with pilots of similar ability

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Stage 3 Pilot

Getting faster and more reliable

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Stage 3

Obtaining Weather and prediction Map reading Turning points Psychology Thermal streets Daily thermal cycle

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Stage 3 Weather

Get the athlete to obtain the weather – Charts– F160– Use Soarcast or similar packages– Predict thermal strength– Assess wind problems

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Stage 3 Weather

The athlete should then be able to: – Suggest a flight distance for the day both

for a safe or a maximum distance– Suggest any dangers that may occur– Predict sea breeze

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Stage 3 Map reading

Be able to mark on the map the course Indicate major landmarks as guides Indicate wind drift Predict final glide steps

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Stage 3 Turning Points

Be able to fly both a beer can TP and an FAI TP

Practice at the club Ensure that the athlete has good lookout

during the turn

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Stage 3 Psychology

Understand the need to consider the need for psychology

Self talk Visualisation Reducing stress

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Stage 3 Streeting

Describe the principle of streets Be able to assess thermal drift Be able to feel the street Move across the sink to the next thermal Be aware of wave induced streets

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Stage 4

Becoming competitive

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Stage 4

Personal preparation Recovery Sports Psychology Competition planning Establish practice regimes Learn the rules

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Stage 4 Continued

Instrument and glider preparation Using Gaggles Competition tactics Routine Self regulated training

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Debriefing

Direct debriefing is where the coach tells the athlete what they have done– No guarantee that the athlete takes ownership

Indirect debriefing is where the coach encourages the athlete to discuss what they have done by using open questions, what, why, when.– Athletes have more ownership as it comes “out of

their mouths”

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Debrief

Indirect debriefing helps the pilot analyse themselves– this is vital for them to be able to improve

themselves

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Have at all times

Equipment to lecture – white board markers

Spare maps Straws and bluetack

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Note Book

Each athlete should have a note book to note all flights comments for their own review.

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State Coach Support

If you have any questions Require any help Call me 042 999 2468 james@jamescooper.com.au

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Safe Flying

Lookout Set an example Learn from the job Enjoy the coaching

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The End