http://www.swimmingnz.org.nz/education/coaching/swim-coaching-courses-and-qualifications/swim-coaching-starter-pack/
Arjun Haszard, Coaching Development Manager at Swimming New Zealand, is responsible for training and developing beginner to junior level swimming coaches throughout New Zealand.
To assist Arjun in his role, Swimming New Zealand have taken advantage of SPARC’s online coaching tool, Coaching Starter Pack. You may recall reading about the Safety net module of this tool in our last edition.
SPARC’s online Coaching Starter Pack is based on learning outcomes developed by Netball New Zealand and can be tailored to any sport in order to meet their needs. Inspire Group has been contracted to provide user support for the tool and so far it’s receiving great feedback.
“We launched the ‘Swim Coaching Starter Pack’ in February 2009 and feedback from beginner coaches has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Arjun. “The whole process has been easy, from ease of use in development, right through to its implementation.”
Inspire Group, who is contracted by SPARC to provide support for the tool, was available to help with all aspects of the implementation and Arjun found them good to deal with.
“The tool is easy to use, I seldom needed their help,” says Arjun. “After a couple of weeks playing around with it, I was confident I had a suitable tool, ready to put online.”
“You can put as much time and effort into its development as you want, it just depends what you want to get out of it. It’s like having a slice of bread and some butter, then adding whatever spread you like,” says Arjun.
Arjun has been keenly tracking the hits on the website.
“It’s getting around 40-200 hits per month and I’d say at least 40 of those people have actually completed the module” says Arjun. “I’ve also been receiving three or four emails per month from coaches who are keen to take the next step.”
There are many good reasons to use the online tool and one of the positive aspects is the fact that potential coaches are approaching Swimming New Zealand and making themselves known.
“We may not have known about the coach in the past,” says Arjun, “but this has given us the opportunity to add them to our database, track their progress and support them through their careers.”
Arjun believes this tool is a great start to the world of swim coaching as it's easy to use, free and available 24/7. It's a good start to the practical training courses in the Swimming New Zealand coach development pathway.
“We’ve already seen evidence of this through a number of people who are now on the road to becoming swimming coaches,” says Arjun. “It’s a free, simple step for anyone to take who may be interested in coaching swimming, as you can do it in your own time and at your own pace.”
If you are a sport and would like to find out more about SPARC’s Coaching Starter Pack contact Paul Ackerley, Manager – Coach Development at SPARC by email paul.ackerley@sparc.org.nz.
If you are a coach, try your own sports website or access it through the Sport Wellington website.
