This presentation is on Coaching Philosophies

1. By Rewa Gonzalez-Granda Inder
k0517329
COACHING PHILOSOPHY

2. Aims
 To understand coaching styles.
 To understand the factors affecting coaching
styles.
 To understand the different coaching
philosophies.
 How to improve ones philosophy
 To understand the rules in coaching

3. Definitions
 Coaching:
 The organized provision of assistance to an individual
athlete/group of athletes to help them develop and improve
the performance of their chosen sport. (Kent, 2005)
 Philosophy:
 The pursuit of wisdom helping to answer fundamental
questions about what, why and how. (Martens, 2004).
Describes a process or method (Hardman & Jones, 2008)
 Coaching philosophy:
 A coaches belief and guide to become the best coach
possible (Clarke, 2008). Basic beliefs that guide every day
behaviour (Vealey, 2005).

4. Coaching
 Participation coach:
 Is considered to be a coach that focuses on
the “taking part” rather than the preparation of
a specific sport.
 Performance coach:
 Is a coach that focuses on long-term goals
preparing athletes for sporting competitions.
Cross & Lyle, 2003

5. Coaching
Participation
Performance
Goals
Clark, 2008

6. Coaching Style
 Coaching style is defined as a descriptive
categorization of the individuals
aggregated coaching behaviour
 Can also be described as a leadership style
 Could be a useful mechanism for
describing and analysing coaching
practice or it may be a superficial way of
caricaturing the most obvious elements of
the coaches behaviour
(Cross & Lyle, 2003)

7. Coaching Style continued
 It reflects the coaches value framework
 It is an analytical tool
Lyle, 2006

8. Factors affecting coaching styles
 Kuklinski (1990), Douge and Hastie (1993)
stated that factors affecting coaching styles
were:
 Gender, team/individual sports, age and type of
sport
 The athletes aspirations
 Abraham and Collins (1998) provided a
review of literature of factors affecting
coaching styles and similar findings were
seen
Cross & Lyle, 2003

9. Factors affecting coaching style
 Rogers (2007) did a report on coaches
behaviour and found several factors that could
influence behaviour:
 Competitive experience as an athlete
 Hours of coaching per week
 Individual/team sports
 Nevertheless, a better understanding in the
relationship between coaches and athletes is
needed.
 A coach can change their style at will, however,
there is little evidence supporting this statement.

10. Coaches behaviour study
 Research into coaches behaviour and
athletes self-talk was studied.
 243 subjects had to take the athletes‟ positive
and negative self-talk scale, to asses how
much they use self-talk (positive or negative)
 Coaches positive and negative statement
scale and Coaching Behaviour Questionnaire.
 Results state that a coaches behaviour
and statements have a direct impact on
athletes self-confidence.

11. Balancing the triad
Optimal
Optimal
development
performance
Optimal experience

12. Coaching Philosophy
 Autocratic coaching style
 Democratic coaching style
 Humanistic approach

13. Autocratic style of coaching
 Autocratic:
 Coaching behaviour
involving independent
decision making and
stresses the personal
authority of the coach
but not the athlete.
Lyle, 2006

14. The Intense style
Advantages Disadvantages
 Performers put of by the
 Coach supports hard
demands
work
 Emotional outburst from
 Coach works hard
coach
Prepared for any type of  The less motivated
competition performers are
overlooked
Lyle, 2006

15. Democratic style of coaching
 Democratic:
 Coaching behaviour
allowing high levels of
participation by the
athlete in decision
making, goals,
practice, game tactics
and strategies.
Cross & Lyle, 2003

16. The Nice-Guy style
Advantages Disadvantages
 Cohesive team  Coach may be seen as
weak
 Relaxed atmosphere
 Socially inhibited athletes
overlooked
Lyle, 2006

17. Autocratic vs. Democratic
 Coach makes all decisions  Athletes are able to
participate in decision-
 Directive and dominating
making
approach to interpersonal-

behaviour There is an inter-active
communication process
 The exchange of

knowledge, teaching and Athletes values
learning assumed to be incorporated into goals and
one way evaluation
 The coach determines  Coach involves athletes in
rules, rewards, standards teaching-learning process
and applications  Flexibility, empathy and
 Lack of personal empathy support in personal
relationships
Lyle, 2006

18. Is an „authoritarian‟ or „democratic‟ style
established by experience and a
psychological nature or is it a learned
capacity (perhaps through coach
education)?

19. Humanistic approach
 Are the beliefs and values focusing
predominantly on the athlete‟s personal
growth through an active engagement in the
coaching experience (Cross & Lyle, 2003).
 Is a person-centred philosophy or ideology
that emphasises the empowerment of the
individual towards achieve personal goals
within a facilitative interpersonal relationship
(Lyle, 2006).

20. Humanistic approach
 It is significant as it is inclined to be used
as an indicator for the evaluation of
coaching behaviour (Coakley, 1993).
 The potential of the humanistic approach
is to provide a set of principles to guide
coaching practice (Cross & Lyle, 2003)
 The whole process is used to aid
individual athletes growth and
development in a positive way.

21. Humanistic approach
 Hogg (1995) stated that the relationship
between the athlete and coach should
start as a more directive relationship,
gradually sharing relationship and
eventually, independence for the athlete.
 This increase provides opportunities for
personal growth and development.

22. Hogg‟s model in the evolving
relationship between coach and
athlete
Authoritarian Power sharing Humanistic approach
16-17 18 years &
12 years & 13-15 years
years over
under
• early experience • developing and • empowerment
• coach collaborating • athlete independence
•Athlete/coach
dependence
dependence

23. Humanistic approach
 Cross (1990) describes the humanistic
approach as „collaborative‟ and „non-
manipulative‟.
 Cross (1991) characterises suitable
behaviour as producing an „open‟ and „no-
blame‟ culture using five specific features:
 Understand the athletes
 Adapt to the athletes needs
 Communicate well
 Be a motivator
 Be consistent

24. How to improve own philosophy
 Know strengths and weaknesses
 Recognize values and beliefs
 These two aspect will help the coach to
adapt to their own style

25. How to improve own philosophy
Confidence in oneself Help others develop
High self-worth
Martens, 2004

26. Coaching and ethics
 Rules are set to provide a logical
framework for coach behaviour.
 This framework influence the „how‟ of
coaching and some elements in a „code of
ethics‟ are related to coaching
philosophies.
 The sense of right and wrong
Cross & Lyle (2003)

27. Coaching and ethics
 Athletes and coaches have to recognize
that codes of ethics are socially
determined and reflects on a particular
ideology, in addition to legal concerns and
matters of human and civil rights.
(Cross & Lyle, 2003)

28. Conclusion
 To develop a successful philosophy two
main factors are needed:
 Major objectives
 Your beliefs or principles
 Get to know ones strengths and
weaknesses
 Understand coaching context better

29. Conclusion
 Get to know athletes better therefore the
coach can tailor the training to the athletes
needs.
 On the whole, all coaches have some kind
of philosophy whether it is natural instinct
or formally documented.
 Coaching is all about helping the athlete to
achieve their dreams.

30. References
 Clark, N. (2008) Coaching Philosophy . Lecture notes
 Coakley, J. (1993). Social dimensions of the intensive training and participation in youth
sports. Intensive Participation in Children’s Sports (Cahill, B.R. & Pearl, A.J. Editors)
Human Kinetics
 Cross, N. (1990) Insight into coaching philosophy. The Swimming Times. 68(11) 17-19
 Cross, N. (1991) Arguments in Favour of a Humanistic Coaching Process. The Swimming
Times. 68(11)17-18
 Cross, N. & Lyle, J. (2003) The Coaching Process: principles and practice for sport.
Edinburgh: Butterworth-Heinmann
Jones, C & Hardman, A (2008) „Philosophy for Coaching‟. In: Jones, R., J., Hughes, M, &

Kingston, K. (Ed) An Introduction to Sport Coaching: From Science and Theory to Practice.
USA: Routledge
 Kuklinski, B. (1990) Sports Leadership: An Overview. New Zealand Journal of Health,
Physical Education and Recreation. 23(4):29-39
 Lyle, J. (2006). Sports Coaching Concepts: A framework for coaches; behaviour. New York:
Routledge
 Martens, R. (2004) Successful Coaching. (3rd Edition) USA: Human Kinetics
Rogers, W. (2007) Factors that Influence Coaches‟ Use of Sound Coaching Practice.

International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching. 2(2)
 Vealey, R., S. (2005) Coaching for the Inner Edge. USA: Sheridan Books
Zourbanos, N (2007) A preliminary Investigations of Relationship between Athletes‟ Self-

Talk and Coaches. International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching. 2(1) 57-66