Breakout Session Synopsis | Day 1

Session Synopsis

The objective of the session is to offer a disruptive and innovative perspective and approach to the work coach developers do. At the end of this session participants will identify current behaviours they may reconsider in their approach to coach development.

In this session, we will address unique, creative and evidence-informed strategies and tactics coach developers can use to support coaches and their growth. We will examine how a context-first approach combined with relationship building and bespoke plans can maximize the coach’s enjoyment and development.

Session Synopsis

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training." Archilochus

Do you look for talent or develop it?
Do you look for mental strength or do you train for it?
Do you look for goodness of character or do you have a plan to form it?

In our time together we will utilise insights from Mindset research and apply it to developing talent, training the mind and building not just greatness of character but also goodness. We will process real-life situations and share strategies to develop talent, toughness and character, not just identify it. We may even talk about what you are doing to train your own mind and strength of character because in these areas what you model speaks much more loudly than what you say.

Session Synopsis

This session will present a model that incorporates the process and output necessary to develop quality sport programs. The process factor describes three interacting elements: 1) activities (what) 2) social dynamics (who) and 3) settings (where; Côté, et al., 2020). The output factor describes the intended effects of the sport program in terms of immediate, short-term, and long-term outcomes. More specifically, the dynamic elements have multiple layers that positively interact internally, and with each other, to create engaging immediate sport experiences that, when occurring regularly (e.g., over a season), lead to changes in the personal assets of the athletes involved (Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character; 4Cs). Over multiple seasons, changes in individuals’ personal assets lead to long-term outcomes, in terms of Personal development, Participation, and Performance (3Ps). Research that links the three interacting elements of youth sport to positive changes in personal assets (4Cs), and long-term outcomes (3Ps) will be discussed.

Session Synopsis

This session aims to provide coaches with an in-depth understanding of how best to communicate with their athletes. They will be given management strategies on how to structure their training environments to accommodate these new communication concepts. If used correctly, these strategies will cultivate their coach/athletes’ relationships and increase their ability to create a partnership that will improve the athletes’ performance both on and off the field of play.

Session Synopsis

Athlete wellbeing is a contemporary issue in elite sport globally today. This unique perspective of understanding elite athlete wellbeing and considering it as a performance enabler, although relatively an emerging theme, is worthwhile and will add great value to the way investment is made along with providing knowledge and understanding that can guide coaches, administrators and practitioners in the elite sport systems.

There is a need to provide a more holistic perspective to the way athlete wellbeing is defined, captured in a contextual framework and implemented in a systematic yet individual way across each level of the sport ecosystem. Performance is not only achieved but sustained by adopting a holistic development approach to Wellbeing, where athletes will thrive and succeed in sport and life.

The presentation will propose that both Wellbeing and Performance can be achieved and attained in elite sport programs through the following:

Knowledge

• Better understand and define Athlete Wellbeing and the domains of wellbeing
• Relationship of Wellbeing to performance environments
• How Wellbeing can be integrated in high-performance sport system
• Where to learn more about Athlete Wellbeing for staff professional development

Practical Application

• Engender discussions with all stakeholders on a relevant Athlete wellbeing framework and program aligned to strategies for athletes to thrive, flourish and perform
• Strategically and operationally review athlete services and investment to consider provision of Wellbeing programmes relevant to your context
• Integration of Athlete Wellbeing into Individual Athlete Performance Plans and Lifestyle Roadmaps
• Coaches having meaningful conversations with Athlete Wellbeing staff to align Wellbeing and Performance outcomes
• Coaches and athlete support staff have a more holistic approach in their program management and planning process

Session Synopsis A

Coaching is a complex practice where success of coaching is judged by the performance of the Athlete, not the Coach. This presentation provides in-depth information necessary to understand athletes' motivation and enhance their athletes' performance. The applications for enhancing athletes’ motivation from a coaching perspective would also be covered and discussed.

The presentation will:

1. Introduce the motivation framework
2. Share practical applications to improve athletes' motivation

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understanding the elements of motivation framework
• Able to apply the motivation framework and improve athletes' motivation

Session Synopsis B

"3 teachers, 1 coach, 60 students, 4 badminton courts, 6 hours of training per week. Covid somemore."

Every CCA faces challenges. Constraints in budget, space and manpower are at the front of every teacher/coach when developing students for sporting excellence.

Bedok South Secondary School Badminton CCA teachers will be sharing with the participants its solutions on how a team of teachers and coach work within the constraints to build a culture that focuses on student motivation and engagement. Positive culture and routines within the team to develop Excellence is achieved through A-team Built on Cognition, Character & Community. Members become self-motivated, self-organised and purpose drive.

Session Synopsis A

This Covid pandemic in Singapore is here to stay; therefore, we have to learn to accept, adjust, and adapt to this VUCA landscape. Traditional coaching methodologies in such circumstances may not affect just the livelihood of coaches but inadvertently, the development and progress of sports in Singapore. The purpose of this discussion is to share with the coaching fraternity on the advantages and possibilities of remote coaching (RC).

The presentation will:

1. Share current RC practices, enablers, and constraints
2. Introduce a new concept: Blended Coaching (BC)
3. Share BC practices

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understanding the elements of RC and BC
• Gain practical applications of BC

Session Synopsis B

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, most of the educational institutions closed their actual classroom settings and moved to virtual processes in relation to education programmes they can offer. Virtual learning became common during the lockdown period and provided different experiences for students and coaches. With this situation, the demand for the continuity of learning processes was seen in the presence of different online forms and virtual learning experiences. Adrenaline Solutions which is a start-up providing e-learning programmes for coaches in the Philippines and other locations started providing forums, content creation and other related services to different sport associations/federations. With this set-up Adrenaline Solutions engages in another model on Sport Education and Economics. The objective of this paper is to look on the feasibility of a start-up for Coaches Education and assess its impact to its stakeholders. Through presentation of baseline data on the reach of its initiatives, we will provide insights on how the impact of start-ups to different sport associations and present its further aspirations for other ways in providing coaches education in both local and international contexts.

Session Synopsis C

E-coaching has traditionally been afflicted with platform limitations and usability struggles, demanding innovative solutions to address its shortcomings. As usability practitioners and distance running coaches, we combine expertise to illustrate our vision for remote coaching for the near future. In our presentation, we discuss the integration of digital diagnostics on our coaching platform to improve athletes’ remote access to important services such as gait and movement analysis, as well as static posture evaluations. In turn, coaches may derive deeper insights on the individuals and work closely with wider communities of support. Combined with a streamlined interface for athlete programming, we suggest that this may help to free up quality time for coaches to focus on what they do best.

Session Synopsis A

Coaches often try to inspire their athletes to be resilient and to never give up. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihood of many coaches and they now find themselves in a situation where they need to practice what they preach.

Find out how three coaches managed to turn adversity into an opportunity through the Structured Mentorship Programme (SMP). They will share snippets about what they have learned through the SMP in relation to values inculcation, team development, and psychological skills coaching.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognise how the Sports Resilience Package has helped coaches during these difficult times.
• Reflect on how process-focused coaching can improve coaching practices.

Session Synopsis B

This session looks at themes that emerged from a study on disability sport in Singapore. These themes were multi-levels and heavily influenced by individual and the environment. People with Physical Disabilities (PwPD)s' viewed their disability and competing priorities (due to family, school, work) as a challenge. Sports are perceived to improve one's health and wellbeing and are often driven by self-determination and self-interest.

Some PwPDs could either be influenced or be supported by their families, friends and seek out sports as a social avenue. Some are reliant on the caregiver to get involved in sports due to their severity of the disability. A coach who understands PwPDs will encourage sports participation but can be dampened by lack of resources like an experienced coach or lack of adaptive equipment. Participants often cite active referrals via touchpoints through their networks like health professionals and social service agencies. PwPDs' still face social stigma because of their disability. Architectural and infrastructural, education, health, social and sport policies have an overall role and impact on PwPDs' sports participation.

This study points out the need to bridge the weak social link that disconnects PwPDs from realising their full participation in sports making it fun, enjoyable, and inclusive for all.

Session Synopsis C

The purpose of this project was to collect valuable insights from employers of coaches to support coach development in Singapore and improve employment conditions and practices.

27 employers of coaches were interviewed. Results showed that the NROC is less important as a criteria for selecting coaches when compared to referral by others and track record. While employers are generally supportive of enabling coaches to develop themselves, it is difficult to obtain the resources to support.

Increasing the awareness of NROC not only among the coaches, but parents and private employers. People's skill and communication are highly valued by parents and private employers, the NROC Programme could incorporate these kinds of training in the course.

Providing e-learning or distance learning programmes to coaches because setting aside coaching sessions to attend training and workshops is challenging.

Consider moving away from the concept of using a specific number of hours for professional development and upgrade; instead, developing an assessment of coaches’ competency and application of coaching concepts.

Session Synopsis A

This session will highlight the significance of focusing on the development of harmonious working relationships between coaches and sport psychologists to support athletes in their pursuit of sporting excellence. Although the practice of sport psychology may consist and be informed by different disciplines and theories, the central theme shared by our national athletes, was that of a mediator, bridging the gaps (e.g., miscommunication, misunderstandings) between athletes and their entourage, specifically the coach. However, athlete engagement or disdain for sport psychology services is highly dependent on coaches’ perceptions and beliefs of sport psychology and what it has or does not have to offer. If coaches and sport psychologists can develop relationships built on trust, and value each other's contribution to athletic development, both parties can effectively collaborate and draw on a collective breadth and depth of knowledge from multiple sources to maximise the potential support rendered to athletes.

Session Synopsis B

Individuals may come and go but a team's culture lives on through its values, beliefs, and behaviours. Hear about the culture that Coach Neo Beng Siang built with the Singapore National Team and the Singapore Slingers and how it led them to two SEA Games Bronze medals and three ASEAN Basketball League Finals.

You will also learn about his leadership philosophy and how he managed to bring different individuals together to forge a common team identity and create a high performing team culture. You might even pick up a few tips on how he managed the challenges of coaching at the top level. These lessons apply both in sport and in business so if you aspire to be a leader at the top of your field, this is a session that you cannot miss.

Session Synopsis

Currently, the emphasis on the affective domain in coaching practice is not widely practiced amongst the coaching fraternity in Singapore. Hence, CoachSG initiated the first formal structured mentoring programme anchored on the SportSG's Game-for-Life (GFL) framework as the approach for the intentional design to facilitate Character and Leadership Development through Sport (CLDS) outcomes, with the aim to develop and certify coaches who are competent in using sport as a platform for character development.

This practical workshop is put together by CoachSG's character & development team and four excellent coaches from the pioneer batch of the GFL mentoring programme. Participants can look forward to an interactive and immersive session that would cover the following:

• Background and Concept behind the GFL Mentoring Programme
• Explanation of the Game-for-Life framework to design Sporting Activities
• Sharing & Practical Demonstration by Individual and Team Sport Coaches on how to integrate values within coaching activities
• Examples of activities and specific role play to address learning and developing performance, effective intercommunication, moral values, and character traits within the context of Game for Life