DORCHESTER  ATHLETIC  CLUB

COACH  EDUCATION  AND  DEVELOPMENT  POLICY

Good coaching is an essential element of a thriving athletics club.  Active coaches will encourage and guide athletes through their development and introduce new skills and techniques.  It is important for Dorchester Athletic club to attract the right people and to keep them.

The AIM of this policy is to ensure a regular supply of active coaches, qualified to uk:athletics standards, who will remain with the club for a reasonable period of time.

Recruitment

There are traditionally two types of person who volunteer as an athletics coach:

• Parents of existing athletes who wish to encourage their children and take an active part in the club. 
• Athletes wanting to learn more about their sport and contribute to the welfare of the club. This type can be further identified as:

-                       - Senior athlete – a club member who lives or works in the area and wishes to pursue a coaching role.

                  - Junior athlete – a club member who has an interest in their event and in helping coach younger athletes.

The club must ensure that its funds are effectively used in providing coaches, so a coach education structure is in place to attract and retain active coaches who can show commitment to developing the athletic skills of the club members.

The Coaching Pathway

Entry

This has been designed with two entry routes that are determined by the age and commitment of a person interested in coaching:

Senior Athlete/Parent and Junior Athlete.

The pathway shows the natural progression between designated UKA qualifications to ensure a logical and purposeful development for the coach.

Finance

Dorchester Athletic Club will subsidise coaches wishing to take courses to develop their coaching skills with the proviso that the coach agrees to commit him/herself to coaching with Club sessions for a reasonable amount of time after receiving the qualification. 

• Coaches will be expected to sign up as members of Dorchester Athletic Club at their own expense.

• A coach will be required to pay up to 50% of the course fee for entry level courses only (i.e. for UKA Leaders Awards and UKA Coach Level One) depending on availability of external funding to the Club.  Each contribution will be reimbursed to the coach at the end of a period of 3 months’ regular coaching at club sessions, subsequent to attaining the qualification.  By the time a coach takes UKA Coach Award Level 2 and above the club will recognise their commitment by paying 100% of the fees.  Other costs, e.g. travelling and time, will be provided by coach at no expense to the club.
• There will be a stated minimum length of time between application for financial assistance for coaching courses to allow the coach to accrue a reasonable amount of experience and to ensure that the Club retains its skilled coaching contingent.
• The Committee of Dorchester Athletic Club may exercise discretion in decisions over financial assistance within the stated coaching pathway.

Mentoring and support

Dorchester Athletic Club will encourage a system of coach mentoring and support to enable continual assessment of coaches.  Existing coaches will give support and advice throughout every stage of the coaching pathway.

• Time will be allowed at the beginning and end of training sessions to provide advice and feedback to novice coaches.

• The supporting coach has a duty to ensure that novice coaches are competent enough to take the expected session, or part session, with confidence.

• The welfare, health and safety of the athlete and coach will remain of paramount importance.

• Informal meetings will be arranged to allow communication between coaches on all aspects of club coaching and education

1^st April 2006

Sprints

Endurance 

Jon Rowe

Ellie Burn