Irish Cycling News 2000

COACHING

Underage Coaching Strategy Plan for the future, A report on a meeting with underage representatives to discuss the development of strategy plan for underage coaching.  (Your Views are welcomed)

See report Here

17-6-2000 West County Hotel Dublin, Meeting with D Curtin Kanturk, M Concannon Killorglin CC, P Fox Athlone, Noel Kelly Leinster, Board members C McKenna, P Doran

The purpose of this meeting was to investigate the current situation regarding coaching at underage level and look at strategies to improve coaching at this level

Questions for strategy coaching underage 

Current Strengths and weaknesses

Areas to look at:

Beginner coaching

• How to maximise strengths

• How to improve weak areas

Club rider coaching

• Co operation of clubs

• How to make this happen?

• How to get this info to more people for feed back

Training coaches

How can we encourage clubs to train more coaches -

Regional squads

National Squad

one thing that will make a difference

Strategy to:

• Get more coaches trained

• To co-ordinate coaching

• For coaching squads

Conclusions

Strengths

• Enthusiasm of people involved at underage level

Weaknesses

• Not enough experienced coaches working in the Clubs

• Need for more Coaches for when riders progress to junior grade

• How to improve Coaching at beginner level

• Emphasis should be on Fun and social element

• Develop the skills programme

• Bring back a National Skills Championships

• Positive Direction from club

• Include MTB as a lot of young people have MTB's

• Better coaching education for everyone involved

• More availability of Resources - materials - booklets - Bord Na Mona Book or similar- tapes - Coaching information on web site etc

• Use Professional - elite riders as role models at training camps, seminars

• Avail of the NCTC mobile unit at underage Coaching Competition - web site questions and answer

• Discount on coach education courses for underage club members with good numbers of underage members,

• National Coach for underage. With responsibility for development of all underage coaching, working with other coaches.

Squads

• National underage Squads 15/16 years only with coach & manager.

• More training camps

One or two things that will make a difference

1. More training camps & coaches

The meeting was concluded with this question. I feel that this was a very positive meeting with people directly involved at underage level. The strategies recommended generally call for changes in structures and positive changes that will impact on clubs and riders motivation to participate for example a National skills championships up to 14 years of age.

I recommend that we circulate this document to all involved in underage cycling for feed back and refine if necessary. I would also request that we ask an experienced board member to prepare any motions etc that are needed for the AGM to bring back a Skills National Champs.

Paddy Doran
ICF Coaching