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"Coaches are crucial for sport at all levels - on the school pitch, in the local club or for a major international team. They are the people who motivate, encourage and inspire." - Richard Caborn MP, UK Minister for Sport Most people would recognize the value that a coach can provide to a sportsman or woman, but this becomes even more important with team sports as not only individual skills but also team tactics play a significant role in any successful side. The benefits of coachingThe United Kingdom Coaching Strategy describes the role of the coach as one that "enables the athlete to achieve levels of performance to a degree that may not have been possible if left to his/her own endeavours". While clubs & teams may be able to "get by" with little or no coaching, there will inevitably come a time when as either individuals or as a team they will encounter a challenge which they are not able to over come by themselves. These could be as diverse as a beginner being able to consistently serve into court or a National League team that is unable to convert a leading position to victory in the 5th set. Most clubs, when they reach the stage of entering one or more teams into competitions will also look for someone to coach their training sessions & matches. In it's simplest form this may be running club training sessions, setting up drills, teaching beginners the skills of the game & coaching the team in matches. In the early stages this can often be someone involved with the team as a player who helps out running training sessions. As the club or team grows & progresses (hopefully) so does their coach. The teams needs change from purely technical - being taught & executing the basic skills - through to requiring a combination of technical & tactical coaching - how you can best match your technical skill against the opposition. At the highest level the technical element is reduced & tactical elements are enhanced. As the difference between winning and losing reduces at a higher level of competition, the coach will look to exploit the marginal areas that will give their team an advantage such as nutrition, specialist fitness training, visualization & a whole host of other resources which are available. An experienced coach will look to develop a plan for their team over a season & beyond. This will include what happens during the off-season, pre-season & post-season. The actual playing season may well be split down into different cycles depending on the competition.
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