We focus a lot of the attention on the kids on the field but what about the coaches? Schoolboy rugby isn’t just a stepping stone for the best players which might open the door for them to possibly play at pro level here or abroad, it’s also a good starting point for best young coaches to gain valuable experience before moving onto big things.
Here’s a question and link kindly provided by blogger BuffelsCM:
Will this be the way to go forward for local coaches, that is, to spend time overseas and get some “international” experience?
@HM:
I am not a teacher but can definitely not describe myself as a pro coach – pro in the sense of getting “pro money” that is – but I certainly approach my coaching in a professional manner: from the planning of my sessions, the interaction with the players, parents (communication very important IMO), the few sponsors, preparation for matches etc.
I started coaching because of my passion for rugby and along the way I’ve become a student of the game – you need to be a student IMO to stay on top of your game!
Most of the teachers that I’ve met that are coaching are doing a good job of both: I therefore agree with your comments HM about the teacher being a coach BUT I feel that the coach that does the coaching because of his love for the game, should not be disqualified because he isn’t a teacher.
@BoishaaiPa: must say that I prefer my boy to be coached by a teacher and therefore support the WP philosophy. Teachers worry about teaching while pro coaches concern themselves with results. So what is a teacher? Does it count that you have the golf shirt or sit in the staff room?
@BuffelsCM: @Pedantic: In that case Cricket is then a little more advanced than rugby. What the ICC does is as follows: The ICC Coach Education Endorsement and Classification Scheme enables any ICC Member to submit its cricket coach education course(s) to the ICC for endorsement and classification. The process is designed to give confidence to candidates that they are undertaking a programme that meets international standards in addition to promoting and encouraging the portability of coaching skills…..then you can get up to ICC Level 2(Senior Skills) coaching credentials via your local association ….Level 3 is the highest coaching qualification currently obtainable in South Africa and is mainly for professional, career coaches working within the national and domestic professional structures. Attendance is by CSA invitation only….You can only obtain a Level 4 via the ECB and so far I only know of two coaches in SA who obtained a Level 4 classification and one of them is right here in Bellville!..I have also worked with him for a number of years.
@Pedantic: I did mine in November 2010 to 2011 and some employees of the Lions attended the course because it wasn’t presented there at the time.
I’m close enough to the beach thank you
@BuffelsCM: There are IRB Level 2 courses taking place in Durbs in October & November – if they not offering the courses in Gauteng it might be a good excuse to visit the beach for a week 8)
@Pedantic: Each union does their own IRB courses IF they have qualified personnel (that is to present these courses).
The previous courses as presented by the unions might be described as basic (although the level 2 wasn’t that basic IMO) but the IRB Level 2 is definitely not “pretty basic” – there a quite a few elements to it.
@BoishaaiPa: As far as I know yes. 3 Years ago there weren’t even qualified people in Gauteng to present the IRB level 2 course and it was only done in the Western Province.
A few years ago the WPRI presented courses that were attended by members of the Tier 2 and / or Tier 3 rugby playing countries. This was done during the June holiday period but it is not being done anymore
@BoishaaiPa: As far as I know, each union does their own IRB courses – it’s the only avenue a coach can follow.
At this stage, IRB level 3 is invitation only and IRB 2 is pretty basic, so apart from attending the Investec course (about R13K) most coaches are pretty much stuck at IRB level 2.
Having said that .. there is more than enough material available to study further – this won’t necessarily translate to a coaching qualification though.
@BuffelsCM: Who owns the rights to coach IRB accredited courses in SA?..SARU alone?
@BoishaaiPa: No, a school coach does not need an IRB Level 3 status but if a teacher wants to enroll for post graduate studies (in order to improve his qualifications), he can do it at various universities.
If he wants to improve his coaching qualifications though, he can only do it locally through SARU or overseas at his own cost. As I have explained there is a bottleneck at SARU and who knows when it will be cleared.
I guess the rule (about the provincial coaches) is applied countrywide but I’m not sure.
@BuffelsCM: Do a school coach need an IRB level 3 status?..I dont have the answer, but if a coach wants to learn and achieve more, there should be some local body that can provide the accreditation..there I agree with you. How else are we going to grow local coaches ..specifically those that are not teachers and dont have access to school support structures.
I dont know why WP has this rule, I guess it has something to do with the regulation about being in charge of school children…but I am just guessing here!..I stand under correction but I dont think there is a provincial Craven Week coach that is NOT a teacher…or teaches in some sort of capacity at a school and is affiated to a Union.
@BuffelsCM: I am referring to the first team coaches of Paarl Gym
@BoishaaiPa: I understand 100% what you are saying. I know a teacher’s role is first and foremost to teach.
My question is how do you develop schoolboy coaches in general ? At the moment, as I have explained, it’s almost impossible to enroll for the IRB Level 3 locally. Where do they go if they want to improve themselves?
The way I see it is that the only other alternative the teachers have: go abroad and further your rugby knowledge and experience ?
Unfortunately the costs involved will be too much.
Then you have the situation of the Paarl Gym coaches who are not teachers and will not be allowed to coach Western Province. I wonder if that is the case in other provinces as well ?
@BoishaaiPa: Why not? Who would think that, in reality, you were born and bred in De Wetsdorp and attended the Petrus Steyn Technicon? Also that you are an ardent Freestate rugby supporter? Its called deception?
@BOG: Doubt if HM would support Glenwood!..Think his sons are in Affies and he comes from Nelspruit and TUKS…But he could be fooling us as he did with Aus about the kicking game!
@HM: Are you Heyneke Meyer. If so, wont you please consider this option too?
@BuffelsCM: This might sound a bit harsh, but it is not my intention…My question is what profession do the teacher want to follow?..Teaching or Coaching?..His primary occupation is teaching kids and that should be his focus, part and parcel of this is that he might be involved in rugby coaching as well. I understand that a coach would like to up his skills and be a better coach, but his focus should still be on his primary occupation. If he starts focussing more on the coaching part het should then rather leave the teaching profession and go fulltime coaching as I think it is a very difficult task trying to be on top of both professions at once. There is but limited oppertunity for teachers to both teach and coach at top schools and therefore have the best of both worlds in a sense…Just think about all the schools out there and there is only about 30-40 oppertunities! The days of Skonk Nicholson and Basil Bey is long gone and coaches only last a few seasons nowadays with most schools. Some try the professional route and it works for them , while others stick to teachers…I dont know what the ultimate solution is but what I do know is that a teacher’s role in being an educator begins in a classroom and flows out onto the sportsfields…not the other way around!
@HM: I think the one big impediment will always be the financial burden placed on a coach wishing to explore overseas opportunities. I guess it will not always resonate well with a specific school’s headmaster – if a worthy replacement teacher has to be found – but how else can a coach develop his own “game” ?
I know when Jacques Hanekom of the WPRI, was still at Paul Roos, he attended various coaching courses abroad but that was usually during our December holidays.
At the moment it is extremely difficult to enroll for an IRB Level 3 course locally. SARU started with the coaches of the franchises and they are slowly moving their way down the provincial ranks, Super League Clubs (I don’t think they have even reached the clubs yet) and eventually the schools will follow.
I have tried numerous times to enroll but without any success – there is always some red tape involved.
A player can improve his skills by working hard and if he is not at a top school or club, he can work his way up “the ladder” by getting better contracts etc.
A school coach who is usually a teacher, can’t just leave his employment to go and coach at another school (in a better league) or even club for that matter.
What do you do if you feel you have reached the top level in your circumstances but you want to improve yourself or coach at a different school ? Not much you can do IMO
Will be very happy to be a reference for some coaches if it will help them to go ASAP.