I’ve been in Malcesne, Lake Garda, Italy at the Topper World Championships http://www.itcaworld.org/ (have a look at the photograph under ‘Racing’ to see a picture of this magnificent sailing venue) as part of the coaching team for the RYA National Junior Squad under National Coach Dave Cockerill. It has been a pleasure to coach so many talented young people (I’m not sure of their exact ages but I guess 13-15 year olds).
The Fraglia Vela Club has new premises, and although not quite finished yet, promises to be one of the best Championship venues on the Lake. A modern building built on reclaimed land it has a grass roof so that people on the mountain retain the impression of a natural vista when looking down on the lake. The Club Officials were friendly and the Race Officer was top notch. The boats have been re-vamped in recently to make them easier for the not-so-strong to sail well and the competition of 180 sailors was of high quality, and with good depth.
The only thing missing was wind for a critical 20 minute period during the very last race, which caused controversy as the championship lead changed twice. Andy Brown from Budworth put together an excellent series and then won the last race to tie for first place with Bleddyn Mon from Red Wharf Bay in North Wales who had started the event with an incredible five straight wins. The tie-breaker system awarded the Championship to Andy. Andy and Bleddyn will meet again at the Topper nationals in Weymouth in a couple of weeks’ time http://www.gbrtopper.co.uk Both are really good sailors, and worth watching in future.
Coaching sailors in this age group is a delight. The performance issues are generally the same – there is no difference in how the sailing as a sport is conducted for adults and children, and indeed this week was open to all ages. However the mask that goes into place with experience and years to hide adult emotions is missing, so each high or low is vividly broadcast. My heart went out to those experiencing desperate disappointment – very tough stuff - yet was uplifted by the spontaneous sharing of excitement and happiness by the youngsters when things went well. My best wishes to the Class and all the sailors.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
General Sailing and Specialist Campaign Coaching
I’ve been putting together my thoughts about the work that I do in sailing. As I do it so often and so naturally, it’s been a good discipline for me to stand back and see the wood for the trees.
My definition of a sailing coach is to be a generalist at the sport. A good coach will have no voids in their knowledge or ability, and will have a few great strengths. Experience (personal sailing background, range of classes trained and regattas attended at home and abroad) also helps to build the range and reliability of the service. Some years ago I was running a Coaches Seminar in Poland on behalf of the International Sailing Federation http://www.sailing.org/ and I was asked to identify the number of ‘hats’ that a coach can be called upon to wear – 36 were identified!
Why do I find it important not to have a void? Because a Coach could be called to deal with any experience at any time - in the discipline of the sport or in the life surrounding it - especially when working abroad with teams. Sometimes coaches get together and swap stories (and learn from) our weird/difficult/outlandish experiences and some of the tales make your mouth drop open and the hairs stand up on your neck. Unless it’s your story, you come away thankful that had not happened to you – yet! The one thing that Coaches seem to fall back on is common sense.
What is common sense? I guess it is some kind of amalgam of experience (either first- or second-hand), the underlying moral code (society’s and personal) upon which so many of our behaviours are based, an instinct for danger which develops as you travel and compete, and the ability to assess the options reliably at some level and let only a few rise to the surface to be decided upon. Anybody else like to add to this?
At elite level the Specialist or Consultant coach is beginning to emerge as the circuit now demands nearly full-time sailors all fighting for advantage. For myself I am enjoying taking advantage of this by offering Campaign Coaching. I am known for the holistic way I have structured my own Olympic campaigns, and for my people and team skills which have been further honed by the business and life coaching I do. I use these strengths to help competitors to step up the professionalism of their campaigns.
I know that speed, that illusive ‘win all’ holy grail in sailing, comes from two component parts – technology and the sailors themselves. Yet in the ceaseless hunt for a technical edge, ‘sailor speed’ can get left behind. Any sailor who gets broken by the demands of competition or a team that breaks down under pressure knows the cost of not attending to this aspect. Good planning, dealing with stress, building the team, coping with the unexpected, handling conflicts, learning leadership, finding and managing money and contractors, climbing the pecking order, balancing compulsion with life………the list goes on. This is my strength. This is what I do as my Speciality. This is how I make a winning contribution to a competitor’s campaign.
My definition of a sailing coach is to be a generalist at the sport. A good coach will have no voids in their knowledge or ability, and will have a few great strengths. Experience (personal sailing background, range of classes trained and regattas attended at home and abroad) also helps to build the range and reliability of the service. Some years ago I was running a Coaches Seminar in Poland on behalf of the International Sailing Federation http://www.sailing.org/ and I was asked to identify the number of ‘hats’ that a coach can be called upon to wear – 36 were identified!
Why do I find it important not to have a void? Because a Coach could be called to deal with any experience at any time - in the discipline of the sport or in the life surrounding it - especially when working abroad with teams. Sometimes coaches get together and swap stories (and learn from) our weird/difficult/outlandish experiences and some of the tales make your mouth drop open and the hairs stand up on your neck. Unless it’s your story, you come away thankful that had not happened to you – yet! The one thing that Coaches seem to fall back on is common sense.
What is common sense? I guess it is some kind of amalgam of experience (either first- or second-hand), the underlying moral code (society’s and personal) upon which so many of our behaviours are based, an instinct for danger which develops as you travel and compete, and the ability to assess the options reliably at some level and let only a few rise to the surface to be decided upon. Anybody else like to add to this?
At elite level the Specialist or Consultant coach is beginning to emerge as the circuit now demands nearly full-time sailors all fighting for advantage. For myself I am enjoying taking advantage of this by offering Campaign Coaching. I am known for the holistic way I have structured my own Olympic campaigns, and for my people and team skills which have been further honed by the business and life coaching I do. I use these strengths to help competitors to step up the professionalism of their campaigns.
I know that speed, that illusive ‘win all’ holy grail in sailing, comes from two component parts – technology and the sailors themselves. Yet in the ceaseless hunt for a technical edge, ‘sailor speed’ can get left behind. Any sailor who gets broken by the demands of competition or a team that breaks down under pressure knows the cost of not attending to this aspect. Good planning, dealing with stress, building the team, coping with the unexpected, handling conflicts, learning leadership, finding and managing money and contractors, climbing the pecking order, balancing compulsion with life………the list goes on. This is my strength. This is what I do as my Speciality. This is how I make a winning contribution to a competitor’s campaign.
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