Sport communication

Communication is the art of successfully sharing meaningful information with people by means of an interchange of experience. Coaches wish to motivate the athletes they work with and to provide them with information that will allow them to train effectively and improve performance. Communication from the coach to athlete will initiate appropriate actions. This however, requires the athlete to not only receive the information from the coach but also to understand and accept it.<o:p></o:p>

Coaches need to ask themselves:<o:p></o:p>

·         Do I have the athlete's attention ?

·         Am I explaining myself in an easily understood manner ?

·         Has the athlete understood ?

·         Does the athlete believe what I am telling him/her ?

·         Does the athlete accept what I am saying ?

To coach effectively we need to understand the athlete's preferred learning style of which there are four distinct styles:<o:p></o:p>

Activist<o:p></o:p>

·         Skills: chairing, evaluating, summarising, verifying

·         Likes: learning by doing, variety, teamwork, role-play

·         Dislikes: lengthy presentations, following instructions, working alone

·         Behaviour clues: competitive, first of group to answer, attention wanders

Reflector<o:p></o:p>

·         Skills: questioning, visualising, drawing conclusions

·         Likes: learning by discussion, time to consider response

·         Dislikes: facts without meanings, tight deadlines

·         Behaviour clues: watches from sidelines, looks preoccupied, pauses before speaking

Theorist<o:p></o:p>

·         Skills: analysing, organising, prioritising

·         Likes: facts, structured presentations, intellectual challenges

·         Dislikes: opinions unsupported by facts, decisions based on emotions

·         Behaviour clues: organised, may look thoughtful, challenging

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Pragmatist<o:p></o:p>

·         Skills: predicting, exploring, problem solving

·         Likes: learning by trying, demonstrations, experimentation

·         Dislikes: abstract theories, irrelevant discussions or games

·         Behaviour clues: energetic, impatient, puts ideas into action

At first, it may appear that face-to-face communication consists of taking it in turns to speak. While the coach is speaking the athlete is expected to listen and wait patiently until the coach finishes. On closer examination it can be seen that people resort to a variety of verbal and non-verbal behaviour in order to maintain a smooth flow of communication. Such behaviour includes head-nods, smiles, frowns, bodily contact, eye movements, laughter, body posture, language and many other actions. The facial expressions of athletes provides feedback to the coach. Glazed or down turned eyes indicate boredom or disinterest, as does fidgeting. Fully raised eyebrows signal disbelief and half raised indicate puzzlement. Posture of the group provides a means by which their attitude to the coach may be judged and act as pointer to their mood. Control of a group demands that a coach should be sensitive to the signals being transmitted by the athletes. Their faces usually give a good indication of how they feel, and a good working knowledge of the meaning of non-verbal signals will prove invaluable to the coach.<o:p></o:p>

Difficulties in communicating with an athlete may be due a number of issues including the following:<o:p></o:p>

·         The athlete's perception of something is different to yours

·         The athlete may jump to a conclusion instead of working through the process of hearing, understanding and accepting

·         The athlete may lack the knowledge needed to understand what you are trying to communicate

·         The athlete may lack the motivation to listen to you or to convert the information given into action

·         The coach may have difficulty in expressing what she/he wishes to say to the athlete

·         Emotions may interfere in the communication process

·         There may be a clash of personality between you and the athlete

These blocks to communication work both ways and coaches need to consider the process of communication carefully.<o:p></o:p>

More than 20 different thinking styles have been identified, but the main four are related to sensory focus. Each individual has a preference for one or more of the following: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic or digital thinking. To coach effectively we need to understand the athlete's preferred thinking style.<o:p></o:p>

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Visual<o:p></o:p>

·         Likes: learning by watching, diagrams & pictures, visualisation

·         Dislikes: too much information, solid text, slow presentations

·         Word cues: image, clarify, perspective, snapshot, insight, spectacle

·         Behaviour clues: speaks quickly, watches others, skim reads

Auditory<o:p></o:p>

·         Likes: talking things through, overhearing others, listening

·         Dislikes: distracting noises, people talking at once, sloppy language

·         Word cues: hear, echo, sounds like, harmony, talk, language

·         Behaviour clues: rehearses dialogue internally, likes word games/crosswords

Kinaesthetic<o:p></o:p>

·         Likes: learning by doing, time to think, being tactile

·         Dislikes: sitting down, being hurried, information presented quickly

·         Word cues: touch, emotion, intuition, physically, comfortable, grasp

·         Behaviour clues: speaks slowly, moves around, prefers meetings to phone calls

Digital<o:p></o:p>

·         Likes: learning through data, focusing on facts, analysing data

·         Dislikes: too much emotion, ambiguity, working with others

·         Word cues: impartial, rational, facts, logical, technical, judicial

·         Behaviour clues: works best alone, is unconcerned by appearance

Before communicating with an athlete, coaches should consider: <o:p></o:p>

·         WHY they want to communicate

·         WHO they wish to communicate with

·         WHERE and WHEN the message could best be delivered

·         WHAT is it that they want to communicate

·         HOW they are going to communicate the information

Effective communication contains six elements:

When coaches provide information to the athlete, which will allow them to take actions to effect change, it is important that they provide the information in a positive manner. Look for something positive to say first and then provide the information that will allow the athlete to effect a change of behaviour or action.<o:p></o:p>

Coaches should: <o:p></o:p>

·         Develop their verbal and non-verbal communication skills

·         Ensure that they provide positive feedback during coaching sessions

·         Give all athletes in their training groups equal attention

·         Communicate as appropriate to your athlete's thinking and learning styles

·         Ensure that they not only talk to their athletes but they also listen to them as well

Improved communication skills will enable both the athlete and coach to gain much more from their coaching relationship<o:p></o:p>

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The United Kingdom Coaching Strategy describes the role of the coach as one which "enables the athlete to achieve levels of performance to a degree that may not have been possible if left to his/her own endeavors". Dyson speaking to the 19th session of the International Olympic Academy, Greece 1979, widened the horizon when he said that "the wise coach develops not only the fullest physical potential in his charges, but also those capacities and habits of mind and body which will enrich and ennoble their later years". The role of the coach could be quite daunting since the above implies what could be construed as quite awesome responsibility, especially for the part-time non-professional.<o:p></o:p>

I believe the role of the coach is to create the right conditions for learning to happen and to find ways of motivating the athletes. Most athletes are highly motivated and therefore the task is to maintain that motivation and to generate excitement and enthusiasm. The roles that you will find you undertake as a coach will be many and varied and you will find at some stage in your coaching career that you will be : instructor, assessor, friend, mentor, facilitator, chauffeur, demonstrator, advisor, supporter, fact finder, motivator, counsellor, organiser, planner and the Fountain of all Knowledge. <o:p></o:p>

The coaching process divides into three main areas: Planning, conducting and evaluating.<o:p></o:p>

As a coach you will find that you need to develop many skills. These include:<o:p></o:p>

·         know how to communicate effectively with your athletes

·         understand the learning process and training principles

·         understand and implement appropriate teaching methods

·         understand the various coaching styles

·         understand the capabilities of growing children

·         advise athletes on track safety

·         understand the causes and recognise the symptoms of over-training

·         understand how to reduce the risk of injury to your athletes

·         prepare training programs to meet the needs of each athlete

·         assist athletes to develop new skills

·         use evaluation tests to monitor training progress and predicting performance

·         advise athletes on their nutritional needs

·         understand and know how to develop the athlete's energy systems

·         advise athletes on relaxation and mental imagery skills

·         advise athletes on the use of legal supplements

·         evaluate the athlete's competition performance

·         evaluate athlete/training and athlete/coach performance

In a coaching role you will initially need to develop the skills of: providing instruction and explanation, demonstrating, observing, analysing and providing feedback.<o:p></o:p>

In providing Instruction and Explanation you should think about and plan what you are going to say, gain the athlete's attention, keep it simple and to the point and check they understand.<o:p></o:p>

In providing demonstration make sure you are in a position where the athletes can clearly see you, focus on only 1 or 2 key points, repeat the demonstration 2 or 3 times (side, back and front view), ask if they have any questions and then let them practice the skill.<o:p></o:p>

In observing and analysing break the action down into phases, focus on one phase at a time, observe the action several times from various angles, compare the action with your technical model and if appropriate determine what corrective action is required.<o:p></o:p>

In providing feedback encourage the athlete to self analyse by asking appropriate questions, provide specific and simple advice, limit the advice to 1 or 2 points and make the whole process a positive experience for the athlete.<o:p></o:p>

·         Advisor - Advising athletes on the training to be conducted and suitable kit and equipment.

·         Assessor - Assessing athletes performance in training and in competition

·         Chauffeur - Transporting them to sporting events if parents or family are unavailable to take them.

·         Counsellor - Resolving emotional problems on the basis that sharing anxieties can be both relieving and reassuring.

·         Demonstrator - Demonstrate to the athletes the skill you require them to perform. To achieve this it is important that you also keep fit.

·         Friend - Over the years of working with an athlete a personal relationship is built up where as well as providing coaching advice you also become someone, a friend, who they can discuss their problems or share their success with. It is important to keep personal information confidential because if you do not then all respect the athlete had for you as a friend and coach will be lost.

·         Facilitator - Identify suitable competitions for them to compete in to help them achieve their overall objectives for the year.

·         Fact finder - Gathering data of national and international results and to keep abreast of current training techniques.

·         Fountain of knowledge - This may be part of the advisor role in that you will often be asked questions on any sporting event, events that were on the television, diet, sports injuries and topics unrelated to their sport.

·         Instructor - Instructing athletes in the skills of their sport.

·         Mentor - When athletes attend training sessions you are responsible, to their parents and family, for ensuring that they are safe and secure. You have to monitor their health and safety whilst training and support them should they have any problems or sustain any injuries.

·         Motivator - Maintain the motivation of all the athletes the whole year round.

·         Organiser and planner - Preparation of training plans for each athlete and organise attendance at meetings and coaching clinics.

·         Supporter - Competition can a be very nerve racking experience for some athletes and often they like you to be around to help support them through the pressures. Role of a 'Friend' and perhaps 'Counsellor' come in here to.

"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. This certificate will recognise coaching as it should - a profession with a proper accredited qualification and career development structure." Richard Caborn MP, UK Minister for Sport<o:p></o:p>

In July 2002, in response to the UK's Government "Plan for Sport", the Coaching Task Force published their report on coach education and qualification schemes in the UK and identified the need for a coaching structure suitable for all sports and the implementation of a UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC). <o:p></o:p>

The five coaching levels of the UKCC are:<o:p></o:p>

·         The coach will be qualified to assist more qualified coaches, delivering aspects of coaching sessions, normally under direct supervision

·         The coach will be qualified to prepare for, deliver and review coaching sessions

·         The coach will be qualified to plan, implement, analyse and revise annual coaching programs

·         The coach will be qualified to design, implement and evaluate the process and outcome of long term/specialist coaching programs

·         The coach will be qualified to generate, direct and manage the implementation of cutting edge coaching solutions and programs

The five levels provide coaches with a progressive development pathway from being a beginner coach (Level 1) through to being a highly evolved expert coach. The levels are reflective of the coaching skills attained and not the level of performer being coached.<o:p></o:p>

The roles of the coach and athlete in determining training requirements will change over the time an athlete is with a coach.<o:p></o:p>

·         When an athlete first starts in a sport/event the coach's role is to direct the athlete in all aspects of training (autocratic role).

·         As the athlete develops and demonstrates a sound technical understanding of the sport/event then gradually the coach's role changes to one where the coach and athlete discuss and agree appropriate training requirements (democratic role).

·         As the athlete matures and demonstrates a sound understanding of training principals then the athlete will determine the training requirements. The coach's role becomes one of a mentor providing advice and support as and when required.

To support the coach there is a wealth of scientific information based on research conducted with athletes. Information is available to support the coach and athlete in all areas of training and development including nutrition, biomechanics, psychology, physiology & medicine. There are a number of scientific methods to measure and analyse the athlete's performance e.g. computer aided analysis of VO2 max, lactate levels, running technique etc.<o:p></o:p>

The art of coaching comes when the coach has to analyse the scientific data and convert it into coaching and training programs to help develop the athlete. This analysis process relies heavily on the coach's experience and knowledge of the event/sport and the athlete concerned.<o:p></o:p>

By understanding the science, which is the foundation of training, a well designed training program can be developed that will help an athlete reach their full potential. The art is understanding the science and then applying it.<o:p></o:p>

Thomas Tutko and Bruce Ogilvie believe that the following characteristics form part of a successful athlete: Aggression, Coachability, Conscientiousness, Determination, Drive, Emotional Control, Guilt Proneness, Leadership, Mental Toughness, Self Confidence and Trust.<o:p></o:p>

I look for the 4C's: Concentration, Confidence, Control (emotional) and Commitment.<o:p></o:p>

A coach is required to comply with their National Governing Body's code of ethics and conduct and as coaches we also have legal responsibilities.<o:p></o:p>

·         Code of ethics for Coaches - IAAF

·         Code of Ethics for Coaches - uk:athletics

·         Code of ethics and conduct for Sports Coaches

·         Legal responsibilities

The following checklist was first published in Issue 28 of the FHS magazine<o:p></o:p>

Remember:<o:p></o:p>

·         Being a good coach is not just about having excellent sports-specific and technical knowledge

·         The skill of effective coaching lies in asking the right questions

·         It is important to ask yourself: Have I planned for perfection and covered all eventualities?

Coaches as leaders:<o:p></o:p>

·         Require excellence; do not expect perfection

·         Understand your athletes before you can influence them

·         Create trust and command respect

·         Motivate and inspire

Communicating with your athletes:<o:p></o:p>

·         Keep the message concise and precise

·         Work out whether your athletes receive the same message as the one you think you are communicating

·         Remember your tone of voice and body language - only 10% of what we recall comes from the words spoken

·         Find out what your athletes' preferred styles of thinking are - visual, auditory or kinaesthetic?

·         Try to use a story to help get what you want to say across

Understanding how your athletes tick:<o:p></o:p>

·         Think about how your athletes like to be coached

·         Look at how well you know your athletes:

o        What are their goals?

o        What is stopping them from achieving this?

o        What can you do to help?

·         Think about how often you ask for feedback from your athletes about your coaching

Understanding how your athletes like to learn:<o:p></o:p>

·         Understand what your athletes' preferred learning styles are

·         Look at how your preferred coaching style is likely to be received by those with different learning styles

·         Build the needs of those with different learning styles into how you present information

·         If you feel you are not getting through to your athlete, remember that it might be the medium and not the message that is wrong

Making use of the media:<o:p></o:p>

·         Remember that journalists are looking for a story that will sell

·         Know what you want to get across and make it into a story

·         Recognise the needs of different branches of the media and tailor your message accordingly

·         Think before you use the media to try to psych out your opponents

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To motivate and develop your athletes you need these skills

The United Kingdom Coaching Strategy describes the role of the coach as one which "enables the athlete to achieve levels of performance to a degree that may not have been possible if left to his/her own endeavors". At the 19th session of the International Olympic Academy, Greece 1979, Dyson widened the horizon to "the wise coach develops not only the fullest physical potential in his charges, but also those capacities and habits of mind and body which will enrich and ennoble their later years". <o:p></o:p>

The role of the coach could be quite daunting since the above implies what could be construed as quite awesome responsibility, especially for the part-time non-professional. I believe the role of the coach is to create the right conditions for learning to happen and to find ways of motivating the athletes. Most athletes are highly motivated and therefore the task is to maintain that motivation and to generate excitement and enthusiasm. <o:p></o:p>

To be successful as a coach you will need to develop many personal and interpersonal skills. These include: <o:p></o:p>

·         knowing how to communicate effectively with your athletes

·         understanding the learning process and training principles

·         understanding and implement appropriate teaching methods

·         understanding the various coaching styles

·         understanding the capabilities of growing children

·         advising athletes on track safety

·         understanding the causes and recognise the symptoms of over-training

·         understanding how to reduce the risk of injury to your athletes

·         preparing training programmes to meet the needs of each athlete

·         assisting athletes to develop new skills

·         using evaluation tests to monitor training progress and predicting performance

·         advising athletes on their nutritional needs

·         understanding and knowing how to develop the athlete's energy systems

·         advise athletes on relaxation and mental imagery skills

·         advise athletes on the use of legal supplements

·         evaluate the athlete's competition performance

·         evaluate athlete/training and athlete/coach performance

I will not go into any depth here on these above skills as these will topics will be addressed in future Successful Coaching Newsletters.<o:p></o:p>

Many people will consider the role of a coach to be one of teaching the athlete the appropriate skills to succeed in their chosen sport or event. The roles that you will find you undertake as a coach will be many and varied and you may find at some stage in your coaching career that you will be: instructor, assessor, friend, mentor, facilitator, researcher and many more. <o:p></o:p>

In my many years as a coach I have found myself undertaking many roles under the coaches mantle. These include:<o:p></o:p>

Each athlete's training requirements are unique and so a one to one relationship develops between the coach and athlete. As a coach I believe there are two things that you need to develop in your athletes in order to have a good working relationship/partnership which will enable your athletes to develop to their full potential and they are: Trust and Respect.<o:p></o:p>

In working with an athlete you are a team and you should consider the athlete's partner, or parents in the case of young athletes, as being part of that team. They can provide valuable support to your athlete, which in turn can be very beneficial to you in your coaching role. Remember you also need to trust and respect the athlete as well as the partner/parents. The roles of the coach and athlete in determining training requirements will change over the time an athlete is with a coach.<o:p></o:p>

·         When an athlete first starts in a sport/event the coach's role is to direct the athlete in all aspects of training (autocratic coaching role)

·         As the athlete develops and demonstrates a sound technical understanding of the sport/event then gradually the coach's role changes to one where the coach and athlete discuss and agree appropriate training requirements (democratic coaching role)

·         As the athlete matures and demonstrates a sound understanding of training principals then the athlete will determine the training requirements. The coach's role becomes one of a mentor providing advice and support as and when required.

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There are perhaps two coaching styles - autocratic (do as I say) and democratic (involve the athletes in decision making). The autocratic style could be broken into two types - telling and selling and the democratic style into sharing and allowing. Coaches will use a variety of styles/types depending on the coaching situation. <o:p></o:p>

·         The coach decides on what is to be done

·         The athletes are not involved in the decision making

·         The coach defines what to do and how to do it

e.g. in a circuit training session the athletes are told the exercises to be completed<o:p></o:p>

·         The coach decides on what is to be done

·         The coach explains what is required and the objectives

·         The athletes are encouraged to ask questions to confirm understanding

·         The coach defines what to do and how to do it

e.g. in a circuit training session the athletes are informed of the exercises in the circuit. The coach explains the object of circuit training and the purpose of each exercise. Athletes can ask questions to clarify any points. <o:p></o:p>

·         The coach outlines the training requirements to the athletes

·         The coach invites ideas/suggestions from the athletes

·         The coach makes the decision based on the athletes' suggestions

·         The coach defines what to do and how to do it

e.g. the coach identifies a circuit training session. Athletes identify possible exercises for the circuit. The coach selects from the suggestions a set of exercises.<o:p></o:p>

·         The coach outlines the training requirements to the athletes

·         The coach defines the training conditions

·         The athletes brainstorm to explore possible solutions

·         The athletes make the decision

·         The athletes define what to do and how to do it

e.g. the coach identifies a circuit training session. The coach defines the conditions of the circuit to ensure it is safe and meets the overall objectives of the session. Athletes identify possible exercises for the circuit and then select a set of exercises that meet the coach's conditions.<o:p></o:p>

B. Woods (Applying psychology to Sport, Hodder & Stoughton, 1998) identified 4 styles of coaching:<o:p></o:p>

·         Command style - direct instruction, coach dictates

·         Reciprocal style - athlete takes some responsibility for their own development, monitored by the coach

·         Problem solving style - athlete solves problems set by the coach

·         Guided discovery - athlete has freedom to explore various options

To support the coach there is a wealth of scientific information based on research conducted with athletes. Information is available to support the coach and athlete in all areas of training and development including nutrition, biomechanics, psychology, physiology & medicine. There are a number of scientific methods to measure and analyse the athlete's performance e.g. computer aided analysis of VO2 max, lactate levels, running technique etc. <o:p></o:p>

The art of coaching comes when the coach has to analyse the scientific data and convert it into coaching and training programmes to help develop the athlete. This analysis process relies heavily on the coach's experience and knowledge of the event/sport and the athlete concerned. By understanding the science, which is the foundation of training, a well-designed training program can be developed that will help an athlete reach their full potential. The art is understanding the science and then applying it. <o:p></o:p>

As coaches we would all like to develop the next Olympic champion so how do we initially identify a potential successful athlete. Thomas Tutko and Bruce Ogilvie believe that the following characteristics form part of a successful athlete: Aggression, Coachability, Conscientiousness, Determination, Drive, Emotional Control, Guilt Proneness, Leadership, Mental Toughness, Self Confidence and Trust. Personally I look for four characteristics: Concentration, Confidence, Control (emotional) and Commitment. Of these four C's the primary one I focus on to develop in any athlete is Confidence. If an athlete has high level of self-confidence then the commitment, control and concentration will also be high and likewise a low level of confidence will negatively impact the other three C's.<o:p></o:p>

Coaches need to be aware of their legal responsibilities, especially with respect to the advice they give their athletes and the way they manage and supervise them. Coaches have a legal responsibility to their athletes and should:<o:p></o:p>

·         give appropriate advice and guidance

·         not offer advice beyond their level of qualification

Coaches are responsible for the health and safety of the athletes in their charge. Coaches should have access to first aid facilities and have the means by which to contact emergency services.<o:p></o:p>

Coaches also have a responsibility to protect children from all forms of abuse. There are four main kinds of abuse:<o:p></o:p>

·         Neglect (providing inadequate food)

·         Emotional abuse (being threatened or taunted)

·         Sexual abuse

·         Physical abuse (hitting)

Coaches should be able to recognise indicators, which may signify abuse and take appropriate action if concerned. All organisations (e.g. sports governing bodies, local authorities, clubs) should have a policy statement and guidelines regarding child abuse. <o:p></o:p>

Coaches should have appropriate insurance, which covers both public liability and personal accidents. Many governing bodies include insurance as part of their affiliation fee.<o:p></o:p>

It is recommended that coaches do not use their personal vehicles for transporting athletes to venues. If coaches do use their own vehicles then they should ensure they are properly licensed and insured. With young athletes coaches should seek the assistance of the parents/guardians.<o:p></o:p>

Coaches have an ethical and legal responsibility to:<o:p></o:p>

·         educate their athletes about drug (supplement) use and abuse

·         provide general and appropriate nutritional advise

A coach is required to comply with their National Governing Body's code of ethics and conduct. The following is a summary of the code of ethics for coaches as supplied by the National Governing Body for Athletics in the UK to its registered coaches. The coach's primary role is to facilitate the process of individual development through achievement of athletic potential. This role accepts the athletes' long-term interests as of greater importance than short-term athletic considerations. To fulfil this role the coach must behave in an ethical manner respecting the following points: <o:p></o:p>

·         Coaches must respect basic human rights. Coaches should operate without discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, birth or other status

·         Coaches must respect the dignity and recognise the contribution of each individual. This includes respecting the right for freedom from physical or sexual harassment and advances

·         Coaches must ensure that the practical environment is safe and appropriate. This must take into consideration the age, maturity and skill level of the athlete. This is particularly important in the case of younger or less developed athletes

·         Coaches must acknowledge and respect the Rules of Competition. This respect should extend to the spirit as well as to the letter of the rules, in both training and competition, to ensure fairness of competitive opportunity between all athletes

·         Coaches must exhibit an active respect for officials, by accepting the ability of the officials to ensure that competitions are conducted fairly and according to the established rules

·         Coaches have a responsibility to influence the performance and conduct of the athletes they coach, while encouraging the independence and self determination of each athlete by their acceptance of responsibility for their own decisions, conduct and performance

·         Coaches must assert a positive and active leadership role to prevent any use of prohibited drugs or other disallowed performance enhancing substances or practices. This leadership by coaches includes education of the athletes on the harmful effects of prohibited substances and practices

·         The coach must acknowledge that all coaches have an equal right to desire the success of the athletes they coach - competing within the rules. Observation, recommendations and criticism of coaching practice should be directed to the appropriate person outside the view or hearing of the public

·         Coaches should never solicit, either overtly or covertly, athletes who are already receiving coaching to join their squad

·         Coaches should hold recognised coaching qualifications. Coaches should respect that the gaining of coaching qualifications is an ongoing commitment achieved through the upgrading of their knowledge by attendance at accredited courses and through practical coaching experience. Coaches also have a responsibility to share the knowledge and practical experience they gain

·         Coaches must respect the image of the coach and continuously maintain the highest standard of personal conduct, reflected in both the manner of appearance and behaviour

Coaches should seek out and fully co-operate with all individuals and agencies that could play a role in the development of the athletes they coach. This includes working openly with other coaches, using the expertise of sports scientists and sports physicians, and displaying an active support of their National Governing Body.<o:p></o:p>

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