Positioning
Coaches are often expected to teach multiple athletes at a time. It is vital coaches have good class management techniques to keep their athletes focused, engaged and motivated.
In this section we will cover the impact a coach’s positioning can have on the class management. We will discuss a few considerations to evaluate when determining the best place to position a coach and their athletes in a setup.
Field of View & Blind Spots
A coach’s Field of View refers to the area a coach can comfortably see without turning, moving or rotating. This area is often depicted as a cone extending in front of the instructor.
A blind spot refers to any areas outside of the coaches field of view. Blind spots require the instructor to move, rotate or adjust positioning in order to see what is happening in the area.
Blind spots can also occur in front of the coach if an obstacle or obstruction is preventing them from seeing a specific area.
Station
A station refers to the specific equipment a coach is using when teaching athletes.
Position
Before considering where a coach should position themselves, they must first evaluate if the obstacle station would benefit from spotting. We will cover spotting considerations in an up coming section. For this example we will assume the station would not benefit from a spotter.
Spotting refers to a set of techniques to attempt additional support for an athlete in the event they fall off an obstacle.
A spotter is an individual following an athlete through an obstacle and is prepared to attempt spotting techniques to aid an athlete who fell off an obstacle.
It’s important to note spotting is not a full proof method for ensuring athlete safety and injuries can still occur with proper spotting. Spotting is intended to provide additional risk management.
It is important for a coach to keep students in their field of view while coaching. Strategically positioning themselves to see both their students and station will help coaches effectively manage their students while being able to provide technical feedback after each athlete takes their turn on the station.
We recommend coaches work with gyms to set policies for how misbehavior will be handled in the class setting. Positioning the students in the athletes field of view will prevent some misbehaviors before they occur but also allow the coach to witness any misbehaviors and handle them appropriately.
Summary
This concludes our training on positioning. After this training you should feel comfortable knowing where to position your station, athletes and yourself while coaching.