Coaching and Appropriate Competition
Coaching
NSOs need to develop coaching materials within the National Coaching Certification Program in appropriate streams and all contexts for coaches who work with AWADs.
Participants with a disability need lifelong access to knowledgeable coaches and teachers when they engage in activity for health and enjoyment, particularly if they want to learn a new sport.
High performance coaches training AWADs to win at the highest levels need advanced knowledge of adaptations for skill and physiological development and strong knowledge of disability sport rules and classification/divisioning. Advanced sport specific technical knowledge and skills are required along with knowledge of disability characteristics related to sport and the interface with equipment if specialized equipment is required.
Coaches working with AWADs in the Learning to Train to Train to Compete stages need to be specialists in working with developing athletes and need strong knowledge of adaptations of activities for skill and physiological development and knowledge of disability sport rules and classifications/divisions. Talent identification skills and sport specific technical knowledge are critical as is knowledge of disability characteristics related to sport participation. Knowledge of fitting the AWAD to sportspecific equipment is important.
Coaches and teachers working with participants in the Active Start to Learning to Train stages should be versed in sensitization tips and techniques (see Coaching Athletes with a Disability, published by the Coaching Association of Canada, www.coach.ca) on introducing participants to sports for individuals with a disability. They must have positive attitudes towards individuals with a disability and have strong instructional and interaction skills. They must be able to create a positive learning environment, be aware of different learning styles, and be able to adapt equipment, skills, and rules to get individuals with a disability involved and keep them involved in sport.
Appropriate Competition
AWADs need access to competitions that are structured to prevent the cancellation of events or classes/divisions within events and at which there are high quality ancillary personnel such as officials, classifiers/divisioners, tappers, guides, and interpreters to make sure that competition is ethical, fair, appropriate, and well organized.
Local Competition
Strong local, regional, provincial, national, and international organizations capable of organizing competitions are necessary. The competition schedule should be based on the long-term needs of developing athletes rather than on traditional events and the needs of organizers. It is important to ensure that there are enough competitors within a classification/division to hold events. If this is not possible, sport organizations need to find creative ways to ensure that AWADs get ethical competition that is suitable for their age, skill, and fitness levels.
Enter fun, local competitions to introduce athletes to a variety of sports with little or no focus on results.
Regional/Provincial Competition
Ensure an appropriate ratio of training to competition and the use of competitions to support and reinforce training goals. Provide AWADs with the opportunity to try competition in various sports to enable them to find the sport (or sports) to which they are best suited.
National Competition
Ensure an appropriate ratio of training to competition and the selection of competitions that fit well with long-term training goals. Focus on performance rather than results. Use competitions as learning experiences.
International Competition
Ensure exposure to events that are progressively more competitive. Each competition should be a building block to the next.