On December 17th 2009 UKA published an article
purporting to detail their plans for a totally new coaching structure. To say
that it was unclear is a kindness. One well respected coach and former European
Champion athlete wrote to the editor of Athletics Weekly asking if he was the
only person who found the whole article incomprehensible. AW did not publish the
emailed letter but sent it to the author who is the UKA Coaching Professional
Development Manager. He responded to the unpublished letter writer thus:-
"I hope you do not mind me writing to you. I am a regular
contributor to AW (even before starting at UKA) so Jason passed on your feedback
to me. I would like to apologise for the Official Line Column in AW this week.
Having read the article I can see it is badly worded. Unfortunately it was ghost
written for me by one of our press officers as I was very busy working on the
coaching conferences when this was originally submitted to AW and I therefore
did not have time to check it before it went to print.
I will endeavour to ensure that articles with my name on them
are well written in the future and would like to thank you for bringing this to
my attention."
When ABAC officers asked for clarification of the new
coaching policy at their meeting with EA senior staff on 15th Jan
2010 they were told that work was in progress and an announcement would be made
soon. That announcement came in early February 2010. One key decision was that
all current courses for level 1 and 2 coaches will cease on March 31st..
It is clear that any level 1 coach seeking to get a level 2 qualification in
order to coach unattended will be unlucky. The last level 1 course is scheduled
for March 28th at Sutton Arena and after that nothing. This would not
be so bad except for the fact that the replacement courses which would allow
coaches to teach unattended will not take place till September 2010.
This unanticipated circumstance directly and adversely
impinges on the work of the 50 plus much lauded McCain Club networks. In one
fell swoop many plans have been negated and Network clubs will now find it nigh
on impossible to implement the target programmes for which funding was granted.
How this affects Network Clubs.
Now here is how all this affects those Network clubs who
submitted plans in 2009 based on the then operating coaching structure.
The first key objective in many plans was to increase the
number of level 2 coaches as a prelude to placing them part time in schools to
encourage children to take a greater interest in athletics - which has fallen
to 16th rated popular sport in London. The second target was to
increase the number of children joining local athletic clubs which in turn
should increase volunteer entry to clubs by friends and families.
One London Network has developed good working relationships
with local Sport Active Zones and Sports Partnership bodies who are tasked with
identifying local school interests and needs. These bodies have identified a
demand which cannot be met by the number of existing level 2 coaches in London
and in response clubs have spent considerable time identifying a significant
number of people willing to undertake level 2 training and thereafter work part
time in schools. This programme is now stopped in its tracks with the
following consequences.
The interest generated in schools will be lost
The main Networks programmes of work cannot be
fulfilled
Funding for Networks may be reduced in future as
commitments to recruiting coaches, athletes and volunteers cannot be met
until more independent coaches can be created.
Is there a short term solution?
Yes. Many Network clubs have coaching mentors who up to now
have manned UKA level 1 and 2 courses. These very same members are there ready
to put on further level 2 courses organised by there local Networks.
Why the UKA could not have had a six month overlap period for
both schemes is a question worth asking. It is not too late to extend the period
for level 2 coaching training and ABAC requests UKA to allow level 2
courses to continue until the new system is up and working. UKA need do
nothing the Networks can sort it out for themselves
ABAC Comment. Once again this gives the appearance of a
rushed job. Mind you UKA have had 12 years to get coaching right so you would be
forgiven for saying that this has all the hallmarks of a last minute panic rush
for change. The biggest surprise is that the main effect of the proposed changes
is that they will decimate the plans of the much heralded McCain Club Networks.
These Networks will be seriously hit by the timescales set by UKA for the new
coaching system.
Surely someone at UKA could have spotted this one coming. But
then it might all have been hatched by the burgeoning UKA media team.
