Real Coaching Syllabus
EDEX 170

Course Description

REAL COACHING is a three semester-hour graduate course that guides participants through a series of interactive exercises and activities designed to study sport and coaching's place in sport in a contemporary society from the informal to the "corporate" level. Through these activities, exercises, and analysis of coaching topics, participants will gain information, organize it for personal and professional use, and apply it to their particular programs. In addition, REAL COACHING also helps the participant to define goals, values, needs and determine where they are on the sport continuum.

The learning format for this course is 15 instructional programs formatted on 9 video tapes using a Study Guide, related readings, and exercise and activity worksheets.

Course Outline

The following outline includes viewing of video tapes, related readings, discussion questions, worksheets, and classroom and individual application of exercises and activities.

Program 1: "Introduction to REAL COACHING"

Objectives: Participants should recognize that

• Athletics and education influence each other
• Benefits of athletics are perceived differently by various people
• Athletics has its "positive" and "negative" aspects
• Athletics and coaches have lifelong affects on participants

Program 2: "Sport Philosophies: Elements of Development" and

Program 3: "Sport Philosophies: Implementations & Styles"

Objectives: Participants should understand

• The importance of developing a sound coaching philosophy
• Self-awareness for developing a sound coaching philosophy
• Identify and clarify coaching objectives for a sound coaching philosophy
• A coach's philosophy impacts many other people
• Coaching philosophies need to be evaluated and modified over time

Program 4: "Sport Psychology: Motivation & Success" and

Program 5: "Sport Psychology: Pressure, Character Building, Communication & Coaching"

Objectives: Participants will have explored the following concepts

• There is no single factor linked to motivated athletes
• There are distinctive characteristics of motivated athletes
• Motivational characteristics can be nurtured
• Athletes can be taught to handle pressure
• Character development in athletics is a process
• Communication is the core of coaching
• Coaching philosophies, styles and types are interrelated

Program 6: "Sport Physiology: Recognition, Care & Prevention of Athletic Injuries"

Objectives: Participants will recognize and understand

• Athletic injury recognition, care and prevention are an essential part of coaching
• Proactive health care enhances athletic performance and success
• Drug and alcohol problems exist with athletics and must be addressed

Program 7: "Sport Pedagogy" and

Program 8: "Sport Physiology: Drugs, Alcohol & Nutrition"

Objectives: Participants will understand the importance of

• Coaching centers on the teaching of athletic skills
• Teaching an athletic skill involves the use of Learning Theory
• Visualization, actualization and evaluation is a proven methodology for teaching athletic skills
• Teaching of athletic skills has its "pitfalls"
• Coaching should also include teaching morals, ethics and values
• Drug and alcohol problems exist within athletics and must be addressed

Program 9: "Sport Management & Leadership" and

Program 10: "Sport Evaluation: CQI"

Objective: Participants should comprehend the following issues

• Sport management involves the supervision of athletics at all levels of the athletic hierarchy
• All athletic supervisors have common duties and functions
• All athletic supervision requires basic leadership skills
• Successful athletic supervisors have common leadership characteristics
• Four basic types of sport management
• Need for a systematic means of evaluation in athletic programs
• Continuous Quality Improvement can be implemented to evaluate athletic programs

Program 11: "Sport Law"

Objectives: Participants should recognize

• The legal implications associated with athletics
• Athletic lawsuits are founded on basic legal premises
• Coaches must be aware of the legal aspects of their actions
• Coaches need to be proactive in their legal affairs

Program 12: "Sport Sociology: Internal Groups" and

Program 13: "Sport Sociology: External Groups"

Objectives: Participants should be cognizant of

• The ability to communicate
• Relationships between coaches and various groups within and outside the school must be recognized and addressed
• Honesty and "being yourself" are vital to a coach's success

Program 14: "Things They'll Never Tell You About Coaching"

Objectives: Participants should understand

• Athletics is seen by some as a business
• "Winning" is a high priority in athletics
• Gender equity and diversity are changing athletics
• The media and violence are playing an increasing role in athletics
• Coaching pitfalls and burnout are real possibilities

Program 15: "Athletics, Coaching & the Future"

Objectives: Participants should understand

• Athletics, athletes and coaching have changed over the years
• Athletics, athletes and coaching will be different in the future
• Coaching can be proactive in the development of athletics and athletes in the future

Course Requirements:

Each student enrolled will complete summaries of 10 articles that extend and define the information presented on the video tapes. The journal articles and informational articles are provided in the Study Guide. Participants evaluate and comment on those readings for one-third of the course points.

As students view and finish each unit of study, they are asked to complete related action assignments. These assignments include interviews at their respective schools, preparation of actual lesson plans, and teaching a new technique to a student, Those enrolled will also apply case law, look for local Title IX policies and write about the future of sports. By completing these activities students earn the remaining 200 course points.

Upon completion of all learning activities, the student 's work is mailed to Drake University where qualified instructors read and score each lesson. All work is returned to the student with instructor comments and the assigned grade.

Evaluation and Grading:

Participants will be evaluated using the following scale:

Grade Points

     A 300-270

     B 269-240

     C 239-210

     D 209-180

    F  179-000

Course Materials

Presenters: (Addresses available in Study Guide.)

Program 1

Mr. Bernie Saggau
Executive Director
Iowa High School Athletic Association

Programs 2 and 3

Mr. Dennis Green
NFL Minnesota Vikings Football Club

Mr. Lou Holtz
Former Head Football Coach
University of Notre Dame

Ms. Angie Lee
Formerly at the University of Iowa

Ms. Gwen Strother
Teacher/Coach
Mason City Community Schools

Mr. Steve Hugo
Head Women's Basketball Coach Teacher/Swim Coach
Mason City Community Schools

Programs 4 and 5

Dr. Thomas Tutko
Professor of Psychology
San Jose State University

Program 6

Mr. Scott Kerr
ATC-Trainer
Drake University

Ms. Denise Harklau
ATC-Trainer
Iowa State University

Programs 7 and 8

Mr. Rob Ash
Head Football Coach
Drake University

Ms. Lisa Bluder
Formerly Head Women's Basketball Coach
Drake University

Ms. Gwen Strother
Teacher/Coach
Mason City Community Schools

Mr. Steve Hugo
Teacher/Swim Coach
Mason City Community Schools

Mr. Ron Heitzinger
Executive Director
Heitzinger & Associates

Programs 9 and 10

Mr. Lynn King
Athletic Director
Drake University

Dr. Carl Miller
Executive Director
Hamilton Business College

Dr. Michael Morrison
Vice President of Academic Affairs
North Iowa Area Community College

Mr. Bill Marolt
Athletic Director
University of Colorado

Mr. Rick Neuheisel
Head Football Coach
University of Colorado

Program 11

Mr. Bruce Tucker Smith
Attorney
Preferred Risk Insurance Company

Programs 12 and 13

Mr. Tom Lee
Principal
Weeks Middle School

Mr. Bill Marolt
Athletic Director
University of Colorado

Mr. Rick Neuheisel
Head Football Coach
University of Colorado

Rick Wulkow
Administrative Assistant
Iowa High School Athletic Assoc.

Mr. Rick Brown
Sports Writer
Des Moines Register

Mr. Mick Trier
Sports Announcer
KRNT Radio

Program 14

Mr. Dan Delaney
Athletic Director
Mason City Community Schools

Mr. Steve Duncan
Athletic Director
Valley High School

Ms. Connie Shafar
Girl's Basketball & Softball
Pleasant Valley High School

Dr. Vivian Fuller
Athletic Director
Northeastern Illinois University

Mr. Gene Smith
Athletic Director
Iowa State University

Mr. Dan Mason
Coach Men's Basketball Coach
North Iowa Area Community College

Program 15

Mr. Troy Dannen
Assistant Executive Secretary
Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union

Dr. Ray Pugh
Professor of Education
Drake University

Mr. Bernie Saggau
Executive Director
Iowa High School Athletic Assoc.

Dr. Helen Smiley
Athletic Director
Western Illinois State University