Coach development
Coach Development at the University of Bristol - sponsored by Linklaters
Update - new coach development bursaries still available
Coaching is crucial to the success of sport at all levels. Whether working with elite athletes or introducing children to sport for the first time, the quality of coaching is paramount. Recognising this the University has initiated a programme to develop coaches from within, for the benefit of University sports clubs and the wider community. Since 2007 this has supported coaches identified by the University's focus sports.
There is now the opportunity for any student, from any sport, to apply for support. Applications are invited for coaching bursaries to meet up to 75% of the total cost of taking a coaching or officiating qualification. Each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with aspiring coaches supported to find an appropriate course and, post-qualification, supported to put their new skills and knowledge to good use through volunteer placements, mentoring and further development support.
Details and application form available to download here (PDF, 108Kb) (Word doc, 67kB)
For further details email:sport-development@bristol.ac.uk
Supported by international law firm Linklaters (Legal Advisor of the Year, for the second year running, at the annual Financial Times and mergermarket European M&A Awards), the programme aims to support new coaches to gain recognised qualifications and become involved in coaching.
Aspiring coaches are recruited from the University's sports clubs and from the successful Community sports volunteer scheme and supported to access education opportunities for their sport. Support from the programme, thanks to Linklaters sponsorship, is hugely important in enabling these individuals to take up the challenge.
Following the formal training and qualification coaches are then supported to engage in coaching on a voluntary basis, both within their own clubs, thus contributing to the sustainable delivery of sport within the University, and in the wider community, through involvement in community clubs, events and development activities. By ensuring their training and skills are put in to practice straight away, in a supportive environment, these new coaches will get the best start possible to their coaching life and will hopefully benefit the wider sporting community for many years to come wherever they find themselves.
2009 example....
The University’s football clubs were very proactive in coach development during the year. Ten members of the men’s club and one member of the women’s club attended a level 1 course organised and hosted by the University and delivered by Gloucestershire Football Association. In addition, a candidate from the successful 2007 Community Sports Leaders award went on to gain a level 1 football coaching award.
Andrew Barton, University of Bristol FC; “…(I) want to take this opportunity to thank you for running and supporting the Level 1 Course. I've already found the course to be of great use, as I was able to help on a sports day run by the University for one of the local schools, an experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm delighted that the University runs and part-funds the course, especially at a time where the nation is desperate for good, young, home-taught coaches and I hope that it will be able to continue to do so. I would now definitely consider taking up an opportunity to do Level 2 were it presented, and what's more, I'm fairly sure that many of the others on the course want to take their coaching forward.”