Coaching Skills and Education - Case Study Example

Coaching Skills and Education Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Critical Analysis of the Strengths in the LTAD 4 Strength Its Scientific Approach to Development 4 Strength 2: Emphasis towards Enhancing Physical Literacy 4 Strength 3: Emphasis towards Trainability 5 Critical Analysis of the Weaknesses of the LTAD Model 6 Weakness 1: Single Oriented 6 Weakness 2: LTAD fails in Developing the Cognitive of late joiners 7 Weakness 3: LTAD Fails to Make Athlete Multi Specialized Due To Lack of Improvisation 8 Conclusion 9 References 10 Introduction Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) refers to a conceptual framework, which is prepared based on the mental, physical and cognitive developmental needs of every people. LTAD is often regarded as a conventional model, which has created a much apparent wave in the realm of athletics owing to its effectiveness in developing these sportsmen in their curriculum activity. With the use of this particular model, athletes have been observed to improve their key skills in the sports training academy. Obtaining a clearer view to the strengths of LTAD, several sport-training academies have been using the framework as an optimal training method for motivating young athletes and grooming their skills to excellence. The development of the LTAD model was based on the findings of a research conducted by the expert group in the Canadian Sport Centre delivering utmost significance to the unique needs of every individual learner in the training period, not only physically, but also socially and psychologically. The main objective of the framework was therefore concentrated towards confirming that the optimal training procedure, which was channelized from the coaches to the athletes and further functioned through the network of athletes as trainers to other junior athletes. The other objective of LTAD is to promote the participant children’s healthy and logical development by encouraging them to participate in sports activities. At the initial stage, when children are involved in several sports activities, LTAD has been much useful for developing their physical as well as psychological capabilities to a substantial extent. In the modern era, LTAD model has been used when training children in several sports. The usage of LTAD has been mainly observed in sports like hokey, rugby, football, and swimming among others, which require intense physical abilities to perform. Application of the LTAD model is correspondingly referred as the most suitable practice for sufficing the developmental needs of the athletes (Canadian Sport Centres, 2011). The objective of this study is to evaluate the importance of LTAD models in the sports training academy. However, applying a critical perspective to the context, the study will aim at identifying the strengths and the weaknesses the framework, which in turn will help determining its importance in the relative field. Critical Analysis of the Strengths in the LTAD Strength 1: Its Scientific Approach to Development There are several stages of the LTAD model, which can help athletes to develop their key skills. To be specific, there are nine stages, which include ‘active chart’, ‘fundamental’, ‘learning to train’, ‘training to train’, ‘learning to compete’, ‘training to compete’, ‘learning to win’, ‘winning for a living’, and ‘active for life’. Through these stages, almost every dimension of development required in the field of coaching in sports can be considered with adequate significance, which in turn can help developing a better encouraging environment to support young sportsmen in their developments. (Tennis Canada, n.d.). Strength 2: Emphasis towards Enhancing Physical Literacy Two types of specialization models are generally followed in the LTAD framework in general, wherein one of those concentrates on early specialization and another on late specialization. It is through this mechanism that trainees are noted about their physical needs those are required to be improved for their overall development in the field of sports. Correspondingly, with such understanding, trainees can be able to identify their limitations and strengths, which they can either develop or manage to attain success in their sports career. This particular attribute can also be highly beneficial for non-professionals in the domain as well, who are in search of a healthy lifestyle and aims to be physically active. It is in this context that the LATD framework can prove useful in facilitating better health within the society. In addition, as it focuses on developing the quality of lifestyle followed by the community people in general, it also contributed to the social health and takes active participation in mitigating various risks such as obesity and others (Rushall, 2011). In this regard, it is vital to state that LTAD framework helps in enhancing the physical attributes of sportsperson. Through the training program athletes develop various attributes within themselves after attainting proper training as per the framework of LTAD Model. With regard to the developmental stage of the LTAD framework it is to be noted that this stage emphasizes on the physical development of the athlete for their better health as stated above. The LTAD framework is beneficial to a certain extent, as an athlete, who is mainly skilled in running, swimming and other gymnastics activities after attaining proper training feel motivated and encouraged due to the positive changes that their bodies undergo. The enhancement of physical literacy implies that athlete turns strong, healthy and motivated after attaining proper training. The physical literacy implies to the fact that with proper guidance the stamina, speed and strength of the sportsperson is enhanced and hence makes them well skilled. Psychological factor is another aspect of leads to the enhancement of physical literacy of the athlete towards the game. Strength 3: Emphasis towards Trainability The other factor of the LTAD framework is that it provides trainability, which refers to quick adaption by the athlete due to the motivations by the coaches. LTAD focuses more on trainability to make the training process effective and faster for the improvement and development of the process (Tennis Canada, n.d.). There are several positive impacts of attaining proper training under LTAD model for the development of flexibility and speed. The trainability aspect is considered as strength as this LTAD model guide parents regarding healthy life of children to maintain a proper environment. The LTAD model enables athlete to participate in many sports as much as they can participate for the development of their skills and quick adoption. The trainability aspect also refers to the fact that the athlete are provided with proper nutrition for their physical and cognitive development. The model in the fundamental stage introduces the vitality of ethics in the life of a sportsperson while training (Canada Basketball, 2008). Critical Analysis of the Weaknesses of the LTAD Model However, the LTAD framework is effective in developing a positive impact but it has few weaknesses as well, which can prove to be dangerous for the development of the health of player. The disadvantages of the framework in developing proper coaching are depicted below: Weakness 1: Single Oriented LTAD framework does not involve any competitive model in its developmental process. The model mainly focuses upon the single orientation and therefore the flexibility in the process lacks to a certain extent. LTAD model is single orientation based model which affects the process of training. The primary proposal of the model is to develop a single individual in an effective manner. This has been stated as a weakness by the Eastern Bloc sports programs. The LTAD framework refers to the traditional method of the sports training and therefore requires change with the altering needs of person (Rushall, 2011). Moreover, it is witnessed that training for every sports is different and the need of every individual is different. Being single oriented the variation in the model is less, which might affect the training process considerably. This is apparently stated that different sports required different types of models, so the single model is inefficient to fulfill the each and every requirement of the athlete. To track each minute requirement the model need to be more modified. In this context, LTAD model is sometimes refers to be more traditional and monotonous for the developmental procedures of the athletes and their future. Weakness 2: LTAD fails in Developing the Cognitive of late joiners The LTAD framework is most effective when the training is provided to children from their early childhood. The model is effective in grooming a child since as they follow a pattern of coaching and training. However, as per the study of the Principal of Individuality states that the maturity level of a person is referred as a developmental stage. So, the LTAD model is not so effective in developing the cognitive of young people as it follows a traditional approach and is unable to develop the same in the maturity stage of athlete. So, the authority needs to develop the model in such a way that in every stage the cognitive development takes place effectively. Another error related to the LTAD model is that it has limited scope for gaining knowledge as different sports needs varied strategies and specification. This aspect is more important for the developing skills of the athlete in any stage irrespective of age. The LTAD model fails to satisfy the several demand of the sports as every person is different with varied skills and stamina. At different age the training need changes for athletes. The needs of children, adults, teen and the male and females are different so the training procedures should be different. However, the LTAD model provides equal attention and focus upon the each every player in the same way. Thus, this can be a weakness of the LTAD model as it is unable to provide proper environment and motivation (British Fencing, 2009). Weakness 3: LTAD Fails to Make Athlete Multi Specialized Due To Lack of Improvisation The LTAD framework supports the development of athletes by providing them proper attention. However, following the traditional approach the framework focuses on single orientation and development as per the sports. Specialization process provided under the LTAD model leads the player to focus upon the single game. This will decrease the potential of the players towards the several other games. The model affects the development as it only focuses on one aspect of children making them single oriented. The LTAD model needs to be more efficient to understand the differences between several developmental ages meet the barriers in the sports system (Ontario Football Alliance, 2013). Another, disadvantage of LTAD model is that it suffers from the lack of improvisation. This lack of improvisation leads to the unsystematic development of player .The LTAD model is not much efficient in creation of overarching strategies in each and every young player. This can be observed by the fact that the young hockey players are not getting the general focus upon their play and are unable to develop several strategies in their game due to lack of improvisation (England Hockey, n.d.). Conclusion From the analysis of the study it can be stated that the LTAD model has its advantages and disadvantages. The study represents the usage and the application of the LTAD model in the several sports and its impact on the development of athletes. It can also be stated that the LTAD model mainly emphasizes upon increasing the stamina, specialization and key skills of the athlete. The model is most effective when mainly focusing upon from the athlete development since childhood. However, it has been recognized by several studies that the LTAD model fails to develop the key skill at the maturity level of the athlete. This is apparently stated that the developmental need of the each and every athlete is different and is importance for the enhancement of a healthy environment. LTAD model is treats each and every athlete equally as it follows the traditional approach. From the above analysis it is observed that the framework is effective for the development of athletes as it takes into consideration various aspects such as their nutrition and stamina to perform. Moreover, the model helps in enhancing the cognitive and psychology of the athlete by encouraging and motivating to perform effectively. It is noted that development from the early age prepares the athlete to become strong with key skills. However, the model has been prepared by the modernized techniques but still has few weaknesses. Thus it can be concluded that many sports clubs are using this particular model for training develop their skills throughout. It can be stated that the LTAD model is useful for the athlete to get proper training throughout their gaming life. It is also important for providing proper coaching and evaluation of the skills attained by the athletes to enhance the physical literacy and trainability to a considerable extent. References British Fencing, 2009. Long Term Athlete Development. The LTAD Model for Fencing, pp. 1-39. Canadian Sport Centres, 2011. Athletics Canada. Long Term Athlete Development, pp. 1-22. Canada Basketball, 2008. The Canadian Basketball Athlete Development Model. Long-Term Athlete Development, pp. 1-72. England Hockey, No Date. Long Term Athlete Development. A Consultation Document for Hockey, pp. 1-15. Ontario Football Alliance, 2013. Long Term Athlete Development. Article. [Online] Available at: http://www.ontariofootballalliance.ca/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=LongTermAthleteDevelopment&category=Main [Accessed November 14, 2014]. Rushall, B. S., 2011. Commentary on The Long Term Athlete Development Model For British Swimming And The Misinformation It Propagates. Swimming Science Bulletin, pp. 1-22. Tennis Canada, No Date. Long Term Athlete Development Plan for the Sports for the tennis Canada, Tennis Canada Mission, Vision, Values, pp. 1-76. Read More