IrWWF Level 1 Coaching Course - Report
Golden Falls was the site for the most recent Sport Ireland / Irish Waterski and Wakeboard Federation Level 1 Coaching Course. Six participants took part over 3 full days in late 2024 and a final day on 17th May this year.
The 6 coaches were Simon Durham, Cormac Collins, Rick Deegan, Andrew Skelton, Graeme McKibben and Mark Monaghan.
The first day covered topics such as coaching roles, styles, ethics and values, ways people learn, the IDEAS method of coaching, needs analysis, assessing risk, planning a session and record keeping. Then followed a 3 hour practical coaching session to put the theory into practice.
Day 2 saw participants deal with giving feedback, developing the coaching eye, communication issues, common faults and reviewing, and self-reflecting as a coach. Another 3 hour session took place on the water, with skiers/riders briefed to demonstrate faults so that the coach could recognise and correct them.
As coaches may be required to deliver classroom type sessions, day 3 started with the coaches delivering a waterski/wakeboarding based lesson. Topics such as nutrition, developing balance, using a barefoot boom, stretching and warm up exercises were all covered as well as specific key points for various waterski and wakeboard skills. Then the class looked at issues specific to coaching children of different ages and consolidated the learning with another session on the water doing practical coaching and the skiers/riders introducing issues that needed to be dealt with.
The final day introduced the coaches to various pieces of equipment that people with disabilities could use to help them safely get up. The Edge Triple bar and Delgar Sling along with the Kanski were all demonstrated and then used on the water. This included skiers that were brave enough wearing blackened out googles to simulate what it’s like for a blind skier.
Special Thanks go to Golden Falls for the use of their facilities and to Simon Durham for making his house available for the classroom sessions and, not to forget to his wife, for providing lunch each day. Anyone interested in obtaining the Level 1 Coaching Award, please contact Andy McQuiggan at andrew.mcquiggan@googlemail.com. Please also submit your expression of interest by clicking here.
