Course Description:
This three semester hour graduate course is intended to provide the foundation for those who coach sports at any level. Through a series of video taped presentations, readings, Internet activities and discussions, the learners will gain insight into the many intangibles of coaching that, until now, could only be learned through the trial and error of experience. The course addresses the differences in levels of competitive sports, the personal roles that coaches should exhibit, the professional roles expected and the organizational influences on the world of a coach.
Purpose of Course for Prospective Students:
As a result of enrollment in Theory of Coaching, students will be able to explain and defend the role of the coach and the appropriate coaching behaviors to utilize with various age groups. Students will be able to apply the instructional techniques and theories presented directly into their classrooms and sport programs.
Course Goals - Unit I:
A. To explore the different types of competitive environment in youth sport, interscholastic and intercollegiate sport.
B. To distinguish how coaches at different levels of competition should be aware of the issues related to various competitive environments and athletes, parents and community.
C. To discover how a coach’s self-awareness is essential to his/her responsibilities within the various levels of the athletic competitive arena.
D. To identify and compare the personal and professional “roles” of coaching.
E. To present and promote the youth sport athletes’ “Bill of Rights.”
Major Objectives - Part I:
1. After viewing the videotape, identify three person-oriented actions that are essential to effective coaching.
2. After viewing the videotape, describe the four variables which characterize the different levels of competitive sports environments.
3. Using the four variables which characterize the different levels of a sport’s environment, construct a profile of an ideal competitive environment at each of the three levels of competitive sport.
4. After viewing the appropriate segments, list and explain the professional and personal roles of coaches. Explain how these roles impact your coaching philosophy.
5. After viewing the videotape and reading the Youth Sports “Bill of Rights”, write a letter to the parents of your team outlining team members’ rights and responsibilities. Be sure to make your letter appropriate to their competitive level.
Course Goals - Part II:
A. To investigate the health related and skill related components of physical fitness.
B. To apply the eight exercise physiology principles of physical training.
C. To explore the multi-conceptual nature of fitness programs which address the individual training needs of athletes.
D. To identify developmentally appropriate physical considerations within conditioning programs for athletes at all levels.
E. To appreciate the proactive nature of identifying athlete’s individual weaknesses in order to minimize them.
Major Objectives - Part II:
1. After viewing the videotapes, explain the health-related and skill-related components of physical fitness and apply them to your program.
2. After viewing and reading, identify the eight exercise physiology principles of physical training and utilize FIT acronym to apply these principles to everyday training.
3. Using the components of physical fitness and principles of training, construct a ten item Goals of Conditioning statement for all your athletes and parents.
4. After completing coursework, describe and design two drills to be utilized in your sport for each skill-related component of fitness.
5. After viewing the videotapes and reviewing the articles, complete an essay that would convince your athletes that they need to identify and consistently address their individual fitness weaknesses, (e.g., muscular strength, power, agility, flexibility)
Course Goals - Part III:
A. To investigate the relationship between arousal and motor performance in athletic settings.
B. To explore how task characteristics and individual differences influence the relationship between arousal and motor performance.
C. To establish the process utilized to estimate an athlete’s optimal level of arousal for successful athletic performances.
D. To identify how relaxation and energizing techniques help regulate arousal for optimal athletic performances.
E. To summarize how a variety of cognitive strategies can be applied to enhance athletic performance.
Major Objectives - Part III:
1. Diagram the outcomes of performance within the inverted-U theory under two conditions: demonstration of a well-learned skill by an accomplished athlete and attempt at learning a new skill by a novice.
2. Explain two factors known to modify the shape of the inverted-U model.
3. Contrast the arousal and performance rate of two athletes in markedly different sports.
4. Identify the concepts of athletic arousal and athletic anxiety and analyze the conditions under which a relationship between these concepts occurs.
5. Correctly compute how the type of task disrupts the effects of arousal on a task complexity scale.
6. Discuss three ways relaxation skills are vital to athletes.
7. Compare and contrast the two major types of relaxation techniques: muscle-to-mind and mind-to-muscle.
Major Tasks:
During the course each student will complete the following tasks:
1. View and review all videotapes that accompany the course.
2. Read assigned articles selected from theory, sociology, and strength and conditioning research.
3. Complete all assignments in Theory of Coaching Study Guide including response questions, essays, practical applications, interviews, communication plans and lesson details.
4. Complete Internet assignments on the World Wide Web as directed in the Study Guide.
Evaluation and Grading Plan
Students enrolled in Theory of Coaching will be graded on a 300 point system with 100 points to be earned for each of the major components of the course. At the end of the course, the points earned will be converted to a letter grade. The grading scale to be used is as follows:
270-300 A
240-269 B
210-239 C
180-209 D
179-000 F
Theory of Coaching - Instructional Staff:
Theory of Coaching was written by Dr. Pam Richards, Associate Professor and Chair, Exercise Science, Central College, Pella, Iowa. Mr. Lynn King, athletic director, Drake University serves as the lead instructor on the tapes. A regional advisory board directed the project and helped to select a cast of national, regional and local coaches and athletes. The nationally known presenters include:
- Ricardo Patton, Head Basketball Coach, University of Colorado
- Tara VanDerveer, Head Basketball Coach, Stanford University and coach of USA women’s Olympic basketball team
- Dr. Jay Coakley, Sport Sociologist, University of Colorado
- Mr. Harvey Newton, Exec. Director, National Strength and Conditioning Association
- Mr. Karlos Kirby, Olympic Athlete
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