Support for Coaches

Mentoring is an effective and powerful learning opportunity for both mentor and mentee (coach) and one we believe will form part of a wider coaching development drive in both the immediate and long term future of the sport.

As part of our mission to develop a world-leading coaching system, we have made considerable strides forward in the development of coaches in recent years. We are now considered as one of the leading sports in the development and delivery of coach education, both nationally and internationally.

“Coach mentoring is seen as a critical component of the coach’s development pathway. Evidence would suggest coaches who are supported post-education are more likely to stay and progress within the coaching pathway, and less likely to drop out of the sport and indeed coaching” 

                                                        Paul Moss, Coaching Development Manager
 

Mentoring can be a highly effective way for coaches to learn the art of their role, and apply theory that they may have learnt in a classroom or through indepented study. Mentoring relationships can be formally structured, with mentors assigned to coaches, or they can grow out of a chance encounter with a like-minded person and remain very informal.

Mentoring is not a new concept, but it is effective. Skilling mentors in their role can only enhance the mentee’s experience, being able to provide quality feedback in a manner that empowers the mentee and allows them to develop in their own time and style is a key skill mentors need to have.

A team of coach mentors is being set up around England in the initial stage of this project, to support coaches at all levels within the club environment.

Benefits of having a mentor

A mentor can:

• Help a coach to reach his/her coaching goals
• Support a coach to identify his/her personal strengths and areas for development
• Help to increase the confidence in someone new to coaching
• Help a coach to put the theory of coaching into practice
• Provide a coach with the opportunity to improve his/her own coaching by observing other coaches
• Help a coach to develop coaching-related skills, such as communication, analysis, observation and feedback skills
• Help a coach to develop his/her own coaching beliefs and philosophy
• Give a coach the benefit of his or her perspective and experience.
• They can help you assimilate to a new position and give you an insider’s view on how to adapt to a new way of working.
• Help you look at situations in new ways. He or she can ask hard questions and help you solve problems.
• Be a great sounding board for all issues – whether you are having difficulty with a particular athlete, technical aspect of your role, or a member of the club, an ethical dilemma, or need advice on how to tackle an issue outside of triathlon coaching
• Be a strong champion of your positive attributes and an ally during any moments when you try to affect change in a coaching session or programme. This can have a positive effect on your self-confidence as a coach.
• Help expand your network of contacts, and put you in touch with someone else who may be able to help you.
• Be a strong inspiration for your work as a coach.
• Help you to work more efficiently with a clearer view of the future you are trying to achieve. This helps you feel more confident in your coaching role, which leads to better performance and more success along your chosen pathway.

A mentee’s view of the benefits of mentoring

“Having an experienced coach mentor look at my individual needs has been such a positive experience. He has helped me to develop as a coach, and as a person, and is always happy to offer support, advice or just an impartial opinion. I honestly think the amount I have developed in the last six months or so working with my mentor would have taken me several years without his support."

“This is something new to me, and the club mentor gave me the confidence that I needed to get involved and has enabled me to develop my own skills that I didn’t know I had and has even made me want to get more involved with coaching.”

"I’m really grateful that my mentor has given me the confidence and the drive to believe this is something I could do."