SPORT EDUCATION
Creating a legacy of sustained curling success through coaching and sport education
By Scott Higgins, Director Sport Education/Coach Development, USA Curling High Performance Program
(USCA) Board of Directors signed off on three strategic recommendations from the USA Curling Sport Education, Growth and Development, and High Performance programs. Te recommendations focused on improving the training and certifica-
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tion opportunities for USCA coaches. Each strategy represented a step to- ward improving the pathway for coach certification and education, stream- lining coach and athlete development, and building greater value for the role of the coach within the sport of curling. Tese recommendations were developed by a USA Curling Coaches Working Group and, when fully de- ployed, are expected to capitalize on a series of tactics that promote a more comprehensive plan for curling coach education/certification and develop- ment within the sport in the United States. Te three key strategic recommendations and plan are to: n Deliver a standardized model for training and certifying curling
coaches at the youth, junior and national levels of athlete development and competition. n Deliver a campaign that will increase the awareness and improve un-
derstanding and the demand for quality coaching and education resources in the sport. n Create ongoing professional development opportunities to grow the
pool of U.S. coaches to have a minimum level of curling knowledge, exper- tise, and experience. Te key to delivering on these strategies is recognizing the need to im-
prove coaching capability here and now, and at the same time purpose- fully develop the people, systems and processes that will see our coaches, athletes, and teams continue to win tomorrow. Te long-term goal is to en- sure that our present and future athletes continue to have the coaching they need to continue to win medals at Olympics and world championships and develop a life-long enjoyment of the sport. To make this happen, in the short- and long-term, we will leverage the
formation of a new USA Curling Coaches Association and the strength of two newly formed, important three-year partnerships with Te Ameri- can Sport Education Program (ASEP) and Te Positive Coaching Alli- ance (PCA). When accessible later this year, each organization will begin providing core ‘standardized’ educational content. Coaches, athletes, and members will be provided access to online resources to begin the revised education/certification process to become a certified USA Curling coach. We’ll also be launching the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA
Curling Safe Sport Program to achieve a requirement that all National Gov- erning Bodies have a safe-sport policy in place by 2014. Te USA Curling and USOC Safe Sport Program is designed to provide guidelines for the curling community on the welfare and training of young athletes in a safe and secure environment free from physical and sexual misconduct in sport. A revised USA Curling coaching structure will focus on the direct edu-
cation and certification of coaches at the most common levels of player de- velopment in the United States. Tese are the ‘youth,’ ‘junior,’ and ‘national’
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usacurl.org )) ecently, the Executive Committee of the U.S. Curling Association
levels. An adult coach certification is also under consideration as a pathway to coaching for ‘retiring’ athletes. In deploying the revised structure, we hope to increase the opportunity for athletes to perform bet- ter and deliver to coaches both the confidence and the skills they need at each level through targeted, spe- cific support and education aligned to each player’s level of personal and sport development. Te approval by the
USCA Executive Committee to create a USA Curling Coaches Association will help centralize and bring the collective expertise of coaches at all lev- els – youth, junior and national – into a national dialogue and framework. Te association will provide the opportunity for targeted communication, direct coaching support, greater collaboration and specialized learning at every level—notably, within the revised national coaching structure. Ongoing education will be essential for coaches, too. Terefore, moving
forward the USCA High Performance staff will continue to work closely with National Team Program funded and Project 2018 coaches, and the USCA will seek to invest strategically in coaches within the greater com- munity when opportunities arise. Coaches are our greatest asset and link to competitive success, and we must look to develop and invest in them in real, meaningful, and significant ways. Tis investment has already begun, kicking off over a weekend this past
May during which a group of experienced coaches and world-class ath- letes were brought together to work with three-time Olympic coach and co-author of “Te Five Elements of Curling Technique,” Rodger Schmidt; USA Curling High Performance Director Derek Brown, and National Team Program Coaches Scott Baird, Phill Drobnick and John Benton. In addition to learning more about the training model developed by Schmidt and used in the National Team Program, the group collaborated to developed on-ice drills and progressions within each element for use with youth, junior and adult curlers. Te lessons learned from this experience were subsequently incorporated
into a pilot elite junior camp that was held at the Cornerstone Community Ice Center in Green Bay in July. Tirty-six junior athletes, including cur- rent USCA junior national champions, a state champion team from Alaska, and curlers from both coasts, worked with top coaches to fine-tune their deliveries and discuss problems specific to their teams. Te instructors and coaches included 2010 Olympian Chris Plys; 2010 Olympic Team coaches Phill Drobnick and Wally Henry; Jim Dexter, and several individuals who had attended the May workshop in St. Paul, including Clark Raven, Tom Violette, Jim Schlimovitz and Lucas Ostrowski. One junior coach, new to the program and material, but working along-
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