Climbing Coaching Awards for Ireland
My vision of the coaching awards at times is a bit murky from conversations with some people. O.k., not really - the coaching awards will be coming sometime soon. Few from the van on a frosty Sunday morning in Limerick before last day of Tutor Training course.
I'm just back from the last weekend of the Tutor Development Course provided by Coaching Ireland. An 'interesting' course, my learnings on it not as beneficial from the benefit of having done a Teaching PGCE a few years back (many of the teaching elements were items I'd covered already - although it's never any harm going over things again - see previous post about going back to basics :). The 'tutoring' part of it was very good however, really insightful and a definite challenge to keep the perspective of a tutor, not a coach. But more importantly, it's another step on the road to the progress of coaching award for Ireland.
There's a lot more work to do but progress is being made! If anyone wants more info, please comment below on your thoughts (positive/negative/what's the point of a coach for climbing?/uninspired/psyched/hell yeah, where can I help) and I'll write up some more on it.....at least three comments required (I rarely check Facebook so direct comments below, or a personal email might be better)! I will make one important emphasis as this point also in the hope it generates some interest: the awards are designed for all climbers (i.e. not just competitive)......
Side note: I don't become a fully signed-off Tutor until I've actually provided a course, so it's a good incentive to make sure a coaching award actually happens :) That' goes the same for the other individual lined up to provide the awards initially. Additionally, the early adopters will be providing as much feedback and input into the system as the tutor - we'll all be learning as we go.
One of the last documents given to me on the Tutor course, an excellent set of notes. I'll be keeping it close when the first set of aspiring coaches come along.