Head of CoachSG, Azhar Yusof, at Singapore Sport Institute, speaking at the 2019 CoachSG Conference (file photo taken before COVID-19). CoachSG is an academy leading coaching education and development across all sports in Singapore.
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
To excel as an athlete, there are a few key characteristics that make the biggest difference — hard work, dedication, tenacity, discipline and a winning mentality. But how they’re pieced together is what matters.
To get the best out of every athlete, these “ingredients” need to be combined effectively by a “chef” — the coach. Having the right coach can elevate the performance of athletes by ensuring that they get the optimal training and preparation that suits them the most.
The role of the coach has evolved over the years and many are often seen as mentors who are looked up to for both sports and life advice. So, what makes a good coach? Is it the number of qualifications they have or if they were former athletes? Azhar Yusof, Head of CoachSG at Singapore Sport Institute, shares about what it takes to become a coach and the different roles that coaches have to take on today.
On paper and in practice
Although having the required paper qualifications is essential, it’s not the be-all and end-all of coaching.
“A good coach is not only equipped with the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of coaching, but also driven by a strong desire for continuous learning and improvement,” says Azhar.
While coaches in the National Registry of Coaches undergo programmes like Singapore Coach Excellence and Continuing Coach Education to help them develop the necessary coaching competencies and gain the latest insights in coaching science, it is how they apply this knowledge that counts.
“Having more certifications and qualifications is but one indicator of broader and deeper knowledge,” he said. “What is equally important is the application of that knowledge and for coaches to constantly reflect on their practices for better coaching.”
Fundamentally, apart from all the necessary qualifications, he believes that a coach must have a passion for sport, a desire to help people develop to their potential and the wisdom to know that there is always more to be learned.
“There must be a commitment from coaches to ever improve their level of coaching competency through continuous learning and upskilling,” he said.
From trainee to trainer
It’s not uncommon for athletes to switch to a coaching role once their competitive career is over. But while top-tier athletes have the passion and ability to excel in their sport, developing the right skills as a coach is a whole different ball game.
“Many top coaches around the world were not top level athletes in their sport. This indicates that coaching requires a certain disposition beyond simply being a top level athlete,” said Azhar, who is a former Team Singapore Rugby athlete.
“Top-level athletes would definitely have a high level of technical skills and experience in high-level competition that would benefit them tremendously if they were to become coaches. What they need to acquire is the ‘how’ of coaching,” he said.
He adds that gaining this ability is crucial and Singapore, like many other countries, has recognised this knowledge gap and plans to introduce accelerated coaching programmes for former athletes to fast-track their coaching journey.
ActiveSG Academies & Clubs Coach, Mr Steven Quek, teaching young athletes how to balance sport and education (file photo taken before COVID-19).
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
Coach, mentor, teacher, guide
An effective coach is someone who deals with not just the physical aspect of training, but also understands the needs of the athletes and provides holistic support.
“The terms ‘coach’ and ‘mentor’ are sometimes used interchangeably, and I personally feel that there are similarities between the two since both are really about a commitment to the better development of a person,” Azhar said.
He notes that coaches also need to be able to understand and identify the uniqueness of every athlete in order to provide the optimal training environment which allows them to feel accomplished and develop a competitive fire to perform even better.
He added: “The coaching approach is never ‘one size fits all’ and any coach who subscribes to that will not be successful. The cornerstone of the coaching process is having good relationships and coaches will do better if they can understand their athletes inside out. This allows the coach to truly cater to the individual athlete’s needs and thereby, realise their full potential.”
Visit https://www.sportsingapore.gov.sg/CoachSG to find out more about how you can embark on your coaching journey.
