December 2004
Working together across the
Federation
Since September 2003, the 12 Member Bodies of the British Equestrian
Federation (BEF) have been working together to consider the future of coaching
(encompassing teaching, instructing and rider* training) across all the
disciplines and bodies of the Federation.
(* the term riders
includes drivers and vaulters in this
document).
In July 2004, this work culminated in the publication of the first-ever
BEF Coaching Development Strategy,
which unifies the Member Bodies of the Federation around eight key themes. This
document can be viewed online at www.bef.co.uk/coaching.
Coaching?
While the term coaching is
not used so often in equestrian sport and leisure, it is used widely across
other sports and leisure activities and is beginning to be used more in
equestrianism. It encompasses all methods of helping a rider, driver or vaulter or horse/rider partnership to improve and to enjoy
their activity and progression.
The Strategy recognises firstly that:
‘The promotion of quality coaching is the privilege
and responsibility of all organisations involved in our sport/industry’
For
example, good coaches:
·
plan and deliver high-quality
programmes
·
keep participants involved and
motivated
·
encourage new potential
participants to start
·
put the participant at the
centre of the process
·
provide opportunities and an environment that
motivates, controls risk, engenders challenge, enjoyment and above all achievement
·
grow participants’ confidence and self esteem
·
help participants to improve
·
empower participants, supporting them to make
choices and discover their own solutions
·
recognise and act upon the
individual needs of participants according to their background, gender and
ability
·
make sessions fun
·
are responsible about the
safety and well-being of the participants, and operate within an established
code of conduct
·
reflect on
their own practice and always look for ways to improve their coaching ability.
Our joint mission
Our stated mission is two-fold:
·
‘To create the world’s most respected sports
coaching system that delivers coaches who are fit for purpose in sufficient numbers at all levels and delivers the right coach to the right place at the right time for the needs of every rider
at every stage of their development’.
·
‘To create the
best coach support system of any sport anywhere in pursuit of the above’,
To
achieve this, the strategy focuses on:
Key Area 1: Federation members will collaborate and support each other within a unified long-term BEF Coaching Development Programme, and thereby interface more effectively with government and with international/national/regional sporting agencies
Key Area 2: will obtain robust coaching data against which to plan and market coaching in a more evidence-based way
Key
Area 3: will establish a coherent and high-quality
Federation-wide coaching qualifications
framework
Key Area 4: will enable existing and aspiring coaches to access appropriate new coaching qualifications and accreditations
Key Area 5: will ensure that improved qualification and education systems translate to improved service delivery to riders, drivers and vaulters on the ground
Key Area 6: will provide improved post-qualification professional development opportunities for coaches at all levels, within a coherent Federation-wide framework
Key Area 7: will improve marketing and promotion of high-quality coaching across the Federation; to raise the profile of high-quality coaches; and to improve support systems and recognition available to coaches
Key Area 8: will resource the demands of these changes, and will be flexible in constantly challenging and improving the strategy.
Recent Progress
·
Operational Plans
for Coaching: Most BEF Member Bodies (MBs) have now
submitted their draft MB Operational Plan for Coaching, which links their
proposed actions to the BEF Coaching Strategy
·
Coaching
Development Officers: All MBs have appointed
an official Coaching Development Officer (CDO) for their organisation, or a
Coaching Liaison Officer, linking directly or indirectly into their MB Board to
aid decision-making and speed of progress in coaching across the Federation
·
Long-Term Athlete
(Rider) Development (LTAD): Almost all MBs have
responded to the BEF LTAD questionnaire towards the first draft of the
forthcoming BEF LTAD document. In time, a Long-Term Equine Development model
will also be produced.
·
Research: The Federation
conducted its first ‘demand-led’ coaching research at Your Horse Live, to
identify what riders value in their instruction/training/coaching
·
·
Continuous
Professional Development (CPD): MBs are now
providing the BEF with details of their plans for Continuous Professional
Development (CPD) of their instructors and trainers, so that we can have better
sharing, co-ordination and promotion of CPD across the Federation.
An area of particular interest is Key Area 3, where the Federation is
working together towards a launch on 1 January 2007 of an updated and improved
set of coaching qualifications and education that will achieve UK Coaching
Certificate (UKCC) endorsement.
The UKCC is a
Government/sport partnership initiative that will be implemented across all of
sport (not just equestrianism) to:
·
raise the profile of coaching across the whole of
the
·
support good coaches to receive better recognition
from the public, media, funding agents, sports participants, parents and
Government for their expertise and for their contribution to sport
·
raise the standard of
educational opportunities for initial and continuous professional development.
In order to achieve the last point, the Member Bodies of the Federation
have all come together to form the BEF Coaching Development Action Group (CDAG) to plan and progress the best way
forward. We are supported in this with the offer of a six-figure sum from
Government and free advice to help us achieve this to UKCC standards laid down
by sportscoachUK and SkillsActive (the
This is an excellent opportunity for existing instructor/trainers (of
specific equestrian disciplines and of general riding instruction) and for
people who aspire to become instructors/trainers/coaches. The Federation will
work together across all disciplines to update and quality-assure its coach
education opportunities and provide the required UKCC accreditation for
new coaches/instructors/trainers that will be fully recognised by Government
for the first time.
For existing instructors/trainers the initiative will offer a new range
of Continuous Professional Development opportunities, designed by the industry
for the industry, and with external funding support towards the design of these
opportunities. These will all be
non-academic, with the ‘ability to deliver for riders’ being more important
than just having academic knowledge about a subject.
It also means that no-one is taking away any instructor/trainer
qualification that any individual already has (BHSAI, ABRS ITA etc), and is an
optional system. There is no compulsion for instructor/trainers to engage with
the UKCC, at least until 2012 (latest Government estimate) when it is fully
established as a high-quality system that offers recognised good practice. It
also does not clash with other industry qualifications (eg
Stable Management, Rider Stages) as the UKCC is only concerned with the coaching
(teaching, instructing) area of the industry.
It simply means that the
Member Bodies of the BEF are now working together with the UKCC to create a
more streamlined and effective coaching system across the Federation that
caters for all coaches’ educational needs.
Finally we recognise that there are some UKCC questions that cannot be
answered at present. As developments unfold, the BEF will publish regular
updates for dissemination through the Member Bodies that make up the
Federation.
No
change is not an option.
We can and must continue to improve for the sake of the riding public,
and we want to create the best coaching system in the world for the leisure
rider and across all competitive disciplines.
Best wishes
Colin Wilson
BEF Consultant Director of Coaching