Memorandum submitted by Sports Coach UK
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
sports coach UK is dedicated to guiding the
development and implementation of a coaching system, recognized
as a world leader, for all coaches at every level in the UK. We
will work with our partners to achieve this by promoting:
— professional and ethical values and
inclusive and equitable practice;
— agreed national standards of competence
as a benchmark at all levels;
— a regulated and licensed structure;
— recognition, value and appropriate
funding and reward; and
— a culture and structure of innovation,
constant renewal and continuous professional development.
INTRODUCTION
Of the three issues the Committee is considering,
we will confine our comments to issues two and three, as the Olympic
legacy and increasing participation in sport are two areas we
are already engaged in and committed to. In our judgement, the
London Games provides a fantastic opportunity to create a step
change in the role, function and perception of sport and especially
sports coaching throughout the UK.
The Games will provide the policy imperative
and media interest in both performance and participation that
can and will transform the sporting landscape. sports coach UK
is excited about and committed to working in partnership with
other agencies to deliver a lasting Olympic legacy and derive
UK wide benefits from hosting the Games.
WAYS OF
MAXIMISING THE
VALUE OF
THE OLYMPIC
LEGACY BOTH
WITHIN LONDON
AND ACROSS
THE UK
sports coach UK believes that the primary way
the value of the Olympic legacy can be maximised within London
and across the UK is through the delivery of a world-class sports
coaching system across the UK. sports coach UK is developing a
UK Action Plan for Coaching, in partnership with the four home
nations, and sports national governing bodies. The plan will provide
an overall direction for coaching in the UK against measurable
targets. It will also provide a framework against which Governing
Bodies of Sport and the nations and regions in the UK can plan,
implement and review their own strategies. Delivering the UK Action
Plan for Coaching will maximise the value of the Olympic legacy
throughout the UK.
— The UK Action Plan for Coaching will
deliver five key outcomes for sport in the UK over a three, seven
and eleven year timescale:
— Enhance the quality and quantity
of coaching.
— Increase the number of qualified
coaches leading to.
— Sustained and increased participation
in sport.
— Improved participation in sport,
underpinned by.
— The establishment of coaching
as a profession.
— Preparation for 2012 demands the
immediate coaching requirements for the Olympic and Paralympic
games are addressed. Coaching will play a significant role in
contributing to a lasting and UK-wide legacy from 2012 and potentially
from 2014 if the Glasgow Commonwealth bid is successful.
— The UK Action Plan for Coaching will
mobilise the training and deployment of quality coaches, which
will peak in 2012. Hence from playground to podium, quality coaches
across the UK will be inspiring children, players and athletes
in every sport, in every region.
— The Action Plan will identify measures
to maximise coaching for people with disabilities. These measures
will be driven by a close working relationship with the British
Paralympic Association and other agencies, to ensure that the
2012 legacy is fully inclusive.
— The further development of the coaching
system within the UK will ensure that sport is well positioned
to contribute to a number of key government objectives relating
not just to the Games, but to quality of life; health; education;
social inclusion; and the respect agenda.
HOW THE
NATIONS AND
REGIONS OF
THE UK MIGHT
DERIVE LASTING
BENEFIT FROM
THE STAGING
OF THE
GAMES, IN
PARTICULAR THROUGH
ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION
IN SPORT
AND INCREASING
TOURISM
The 2012 Games are already, and will continue
to create a sense of excitement about sport. However, this excitement
has to be juxtaposed with the damning statistics of a population
living increasingly sedentary lives, risking their health through
poor diet. For some people, the combination of the Olympic "fever"
and the provision of an understanding coach, will unlock their
inactive lifestyle.
The UK Action Plan for Coaching will deliver
increased and sustained participation in sport, which can be measured
by recruitment, participation and retention rates in key target
groups in regions, home country and UK wide. Such improvement
will be delivered through an enhanced quality and quantity of
coaches.
It is proposed that sports coach UK will establish
a network of Regional Coaching Centres in England, which will
drive the regional coaching agenda and provide support for coaches.
The devolved administrations are also exploring the creation of
national coaching centres. It is also intended to put in place
a UK Coaching Centre of Excellence which will provide education
and support for coaches working with high performance athletes
or playing leadership roles in working with children and developmental
athletes. These developments will occur in the coming 12 months,
in the context of the full implementation of the UK Action Plan
for Coaching.
RECOMMENDATION
— The deployment of this new cadre
of trained, quality coaches should be registered and/or licensed
using the concept of "legacy" branding. This will create
tangible, branded outcomes, which will continue to be a force
for good in sport and in society throughout the UK long after
the Games have finished. Moreover, as the home nations and national
governing bodies have been instrumental in the development of
the UK Action Plan for Coaching, support for this proposal should
be readily forthcoming.
4 October 2006
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