The Coach's Whiteboard V3
The Coach's Whiteboard V3
The Coach's Whiteboard V3
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OVERVIEW: ‘THE COACH’S WHITEBOARD’
To complement your online learning, you are required to complete this
workbook at various intervals throughout the course. This workbook is called
‘The Coach’s Whiteboard’ and serves as your personalised game plan for
becoming an Australian Football coach.
‘The Coach’s Whiteboard’ aims to capture your ideas and action points
in a tangible resource to accompany you on your learning journey. It also
acts as a reference tool to help you complete the other requirements of
the accreditation program. To successfully complete the accreditation, you
will need to hand in your completed copy of ‘The Coach’s Whiteboard’ for
sign-off at the end of the one day coaching workshop.
The Coach’s Whiteboard may be used for mentoring purposes and for self-
reflection and development. It is also required for some of the activities at
the one day coaching workshop and for assessment for your accreditation.
So be as specific as you can and always include action items for your
development areas.
YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ACTIVITIES IN THE COACH’S
WHITEBOARD AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THE ONLINE COURSE.
Please print a copy now.
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ACTIVITY 1
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PART 2: FIRST STEPS IN WRITING OUT YOUR COACHING PHILOSOPHY
Write down one or two sentences under each heading which describes your
approach to each of the topics listed. You might be guided by question
such as: What does this area of coaching mean to you? How would you
approach this area? What behaviour would you demonstrate – how would
others observing see you?
Your coaching role
(What are the main on and off field roles you will be carrying out?)
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Coaching style
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Communication style
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Fitness
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Player discipline
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Team selection
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Player responsibility
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ACTIVITY 2
Taking into account the age and characteristics of your team and your
own personality, how do you believe you will adapt your style to coaching
the team?
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ACTIVITY 3
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2. AT THE MATCH YES NO
Are umpires made welcome by your club?
Do you seek input as to how your club looks after umpires?
Does your club appoint someone to look after umpires?
Does your club provide escorts for the umpires leaving the
ground at half-time and after the match?
Do you welcome the umpires when they visit your rooms
before the match?
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ACTIVITY 4
Themes: What are the elements of play you are developing by using this game?
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Equipment:
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Main rules/instructions:
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Activity diagram
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Initial facilitation questions
(For the coach to ask players to develop their game sense activity)
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ACTIVITY 5
RISK MANAGEMENT
PART 1: A COACH’S LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Read the article below explaining a coach’s duty of care to their players
and answer the questions following the article
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Negligence
Negligence is the failure to take reasonable precautions to avoid
reasonably foreseeable injury to persons or property. In the coaching
environment, negligence will arise where:
1. The coach has a duty of care to an athlete;
2. The coach breaches that duty of care by doing or failing to do
something which would reasonably have been foreseen to put the
athlete at risk of loss;
3. The breach (i.e. act or omission of the coach) ultimately causes
harm or damage to the athlete; and
4. The harm or damage suffered by the athlete is financial and/or
physical in nature.
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1. Duty of care
A coach will have a duty of care to any athlete that he or she is coaching
and this duty of care will exist at training sessions, during matches and on
other occasions where a coach would be reasonably expected to provide
such care to an athlete.
2. Breach
In determining whether a coach has breached his or her duty of care, a
court will consider whether the coach has done, or failed to do, something
that a reasonable and prudent coach would have done to prevent harm to
an athlete (ie has the coach provided an appropriate standard of care).
A reasonable and prudent coach provides a standard of care based on
what should be known about the sport and/or the injury. Ignorance is no
excuse. Most legal cases involving sports injuries arise not because a coach
was careless, but because they failed to act in accordance with what
knowledge they had or should have had.
A coach will not be in breach of their duty of care if they:
• take all necessary precautions to prevent reasonably foreseeable injuries
from occurring;
• avoid doing, or failing to do, anything that could reasonably cause injury;
• respond to and treat injuries appropriately when they occur; and
• ensure the treatment provided prevents further injury.
3. Causation
The act or omission by a coach must be the main cause of the harm or
damage experienced by an athlete (i.e. had the act or omission not
occurred, no harm or damage would have been suffered). This requirement
protects the coach from liability where an unlikely chain of events ends in an
unforeseeable injury. In practice this means that a coach will generally not
be responsible for events that occur outside of training and competition.
4. Harm or damage
A court will only find that negligence occurred if actual physical or financial
harm is suffered by the athlete. Such harm may include medical bills and/or
loss of earnings arising from the athlete’s injury.
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PROVIDING THE REQUIRED STANDARD OF CARE IN PRACTICE
In addition to applying that careful parent test, (i.e. the way you would act
with your own child), carrying out the following steps will assist you to be a
competent, reasonable and prudent coach and minimise the risk of having
a successful claim of negligence brought against you.
Provide a safe environment
Facilities and equipment must be safe for both the users and the others
involved in the competition. Adverse weather conditions must also be taken
into consideration during competition and practice sessions.
Activities must be adequately planned
Impaired learning ability and injury may be the result of unplanned
practice sessions. Using the appropriate progressions in teaching a new skill,
especially potentially dangerous skills, is imperative.
Players must be evaluated for injury and capacity
Players with an injury or incapacity should not be expected to perform any
potentially harmful activity. No players should ever be forced to take part
in any activity that they do not wish to. Individual differences must be taken
into account.
Young players should not be mismatched
Young players should be matched not only according to age, but also height,
weight and maturity. Skill levels and experience should also be considered.
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Coaches should know first aid
Coaches should have knowledge of basic emergency procedures and
keep that knowledge up to date. Coaches should know STOP (Stop, Talk,
Observe, Prevent further injury) and RICER Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
and Referral) procedures for managing injuries. Coaches should have a
written emergency plan and ensure that appropriate medical assistance
is available. At the very least, coaches should ensure that nothing is done
which could aggravate any injury.
Develop clear, written rules for training and general conduct
Many injuries are the result of fooling around in change rooms and training
venues. Clear written rules should be developed for general conduct and
behaviour in such situations.
Coaches should keep adequate records
Adequate records are useful aids to planning and are essential in all
cases of injury. Record cards should be kept on all players, including
relevant general and medical information and progress reports.
Accidents reports (not diagnoses) should be made as soon as possible
after each injury occurs.
EXERCISE:
Having read the article on Coach’s Legal Responsibilities, answer the
following questions.
What is duty of care and how does it relate to coaching? Explain below.
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What is the legal standard applied to determine whether or not a person with
a duty of care has been negligent?
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Reflecting on your own coaching behaviours - would you pass this test?
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A coach will be judged not by what they know, but by what they should
have known.
On arrival at the ground the coach noted that the temperature had
cooled down significantly and climatic conditions were ideal for play.
He checked that the goal posts were padded and secure and that the
ground surface was free of obstructions.
On checking the change rooms he was pleased to note that the
emergency phone numbers were prominently listed in both rooms. The
boundary area and fencing were safe and the ambulance access
to the ground was clear. He was delighted when the qualified first aid
provider arrived especially after the first aider told him her stocked first kit
was readily accessible.
After the President told the coach that the surrounding conditions
including the creek at the back of the ground had been assessed he
returned to the change rooms. The coach had a player safety mindset
and diligently checked the player’s protective gear. He ensured that
the physical preparation and warm up was conducted thoroughly by
the fitness staff and assistant coaches.
Even though the coach sensed a volatile game he believed that he
would have control over the team, officials and spectators. At the end
of the game he supervised an adequate warm down.
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Check the items that you noticed in this scenario off on
the following checklist.
For the safety and well-being of all participants, spectators and officials,
coaches are to ensure that:
1. Goal posts are padded and secure, the ground surface (including
the cricket pitch area) and change rooms are to a satisfactory
standard, and lines are clearly marked with the boundary line at least
three (3) metres from the fence. Ground surface is free of holes and
sprinkler heads are properly covered.
2. The boundary area and fencing are safe and ambulance access to
the arena is clear.
3. An emergency telephone is available and emergency numbers are
prominently listed.
4. Climatic conditions are safe for play.
5. An accredited trainer or qualified first aid provider is present and a
stocked first aid kit is accessible.
6. You have the ability to sense a volatile situation out on the ground
and have control over your team, officials and spectators.
7. You are “player safety” aware regarding appropriate protective
equipment such as mouthguards, helmets (where appropriate) and
other protective equipment.
8. Surrounding conditions such as major roadways, gullies, water
(dams, creeks, rivers), are assessed.
9. At junior level, players of same size and maturity are matched up.
10. Players complete adequate preparation.
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ACTIVITY 6
Coach’s name:
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Age group:
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Club:
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WARM UP
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FOOTBALL FITNESS/CONDITIONING
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EXTENDED DRILL/GAME:
Generally use drills that reinforce the method or pattern of play the team
should adopt: 15 minutes
Coaching points:____________________ Diagram:
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WARM DOWN
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ACTIVITY 7
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Team set up – starting points at centre bounces
Illustrate on the field diagram below your team’s starting line-up and exact
positions you want your players to take up at the centre bounces. Provide a
brief explanation for their positioning
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What is your basic centre bounce set up? Is it the same for around the
ground ball ups?
CENTRE BOUNCE
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Kick-ins after a behind
Your team has possession: What are your preferred strategies when kicking
in? List or diagram two options.
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Opposition has possession: What are your preferred strategies when
defending against kick-ins? List or diagram two options.
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ACTIVITY 8
TIME EVENT
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Use of breaks
Effective use of quarter time, three quarter time and half time breaks are
important aspects of game day coaching. List some of the key things you
need to consider to ensure these breaks are used productively.
Quarter time/three quarter time
(Consider the timing for the breaks in your competition and plan accordingly)
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Half time
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ACTIVITY 9
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AFL COACHES’ CODE OF CONDUCT
I ___________________________________________________________________________________
of _________________________________________________________ Postcode ______________
hereby commit, to the best of my ability, to uphold the AFL Coaches’ Code of Conduct.
I understand that as an integral component of my accreditation, I must maintain a standard of behaviour and conduct in the
best interests of the game and the players/staff in my care.
In representing myself in an honest manner, and without bringing the coaching profession or the Game into disrepute, I will
endeavour to uphold the following to the best of my ability:
1. I will respect the rights, dignity and worth of all individuals within the context of my involvement in Australian Football, by
refraining from any discriminatory practices including, but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender,
ethnic background, special ability/disability or sexual orientation, preference or identity.
2. I will abide by and teach the AFL Laws of the Game and the Rules of my Club and League/Association.
3. I will be reasonable in the demands I make on the time commitments of the players in my care, having due consideration for
their health and well-being.
4. I will be supportive at all times and I will refrain from any form of personal or physical abuse or unnecessary physical contact
with the players in my care.
5. I will have due consideration for varying maturity and ability levels of my players when designing practice schedules, practice
activities and involvement in competition.
6. Where I am responsible for players in the 5-18 year old age group, I will strive to ensure that all players gain equal playing
time. I will avoid overplaying the talented players aiming to maximise participation, learning and enjoyment for all players
regardless of ability.
9. I will endeavour to keep informed regarding sound principles of coaching and skill development, and of factors relating to
the welfare of my players.
10. I will at all times display and teach appropriate sporting behaviour, ensuring that players understand and practise fair play.
11. I will display and foster respect for umpires, opponents, coaches, administrators, other officials, parents and spectators.
12. I will ensure that players are involved in a positive environment where skill learning and development are priorities are not
overshadowed by a desire to win.
13. I reject the use of performance enhancing substances in sport and will abide by the guidelines set forth in the AFL Anti-
Doping and Illicit Drugs policies.
2. I acknowledge that the AFL, or a body affiliated with the AFL, may take disciplinary action against me if I breach the code of
conduct. I understand that the AFL, or a body affiliated with the AFL, is required to implement a complaints handling procedure
in accordance with the principles of natural justice, in the event of an allegation against me.
Note: This “Coaches’ Code of Conduct” is to be signed and conformed to as part of the accreditation requirements of the AFL.
Coaches should be aware that, in addition to this Code, they may be obliged to sign a further Code of Conduct/Ethics with their
Club and/or League.
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