The Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) and CoachSG jointly organised the Community Coaching Course at the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC). The two-and-a-half day course that ran from 22 April to 24 April 2022 covered key topics, including Safe Sport and Sports Safety, Coaching Process, Values and Principles in Sport, Coaching Fundamentals, Building a Positive Culture in Hockey and practical lessons on how to teach skills and plan a typical hockey session.
The Course was conducted by Singapore National Women’s Head Coach David Viner and inaugural Singapore Coach Medallion recipient (Community category 2019), Kanan Packrisamy
Subhas Nathan the convenor of the SCC Hockey Section was delighted to host an initiative he believed will help develop the sport.
He said, “This is a wonderful collaboration to give budding coaches an opportunity and SCC has a flourishing and rich hockey culture, and we believe in spreading and nurturing hockey participation and growth in Singapore. We are thankful to SHF to agreeing to conduct the Community Coaching Course at our very own SCC premises.”
The course was planned such that participants had to complete an e-learning segment to gauge their knowledge before embarking on the course proper. The team at CoachSG was helpful in the design and structure of this course that could shape the form of future courses that follow.
Course conductor David enjoyed working with the 18 participants in this inaugural Community Coaching Course. The Western Australian said: “The SHF/CoachSg Community Coaching Hockey Course is extremely important for the future of Singapore hockey. Several community coaches start with coaching beginners of all ages and they will be the first faces new hockey players of all ages will meet as they are introduced to the great game of hockey.
“The knowledge and love for hockey that community coaches give to each player sets up whether we have more hockey players for life or not. If we want to grow our participation at various levels, hockey, like most sports, also needs more quality, trained coaches.
“Happy and competent coaches who enjoy the game will develop the same positive attitudes in the kids and youth they coach,” added Viner.
Played with a stick, hockey is among the hardest sports to master, so ensuring that beginners get proper coaching from the start is crucial for the development of hockey.
Ramesh Appoo has been involved in hockey and hockey administration for a good part of his life, and the Deputy President of the SHF and Chairman of its Coaching Committee was optimistic that graduates of the course can drive hockey development in the grassroots. He said: “I hope the course will create a new generation of coaches who can help bring hockey to the wider community, and I’m confident that their positivity will be contagious.”
The 18 participants came from all walks of life, from international freight experts, lawyers, HR professional, IT gurus, teachers, a National hockey player and even a radiologist.
The course’s other instructor, Kanan contracted COVID19 on the eve of the course and missed it completely. The disappointed 50-year-old said: “Hockey has the power to bring people from different backgrounds together as we’ve witnessed in the list of participants. It’s a sport you can play for life, and learning it well is crucial to ensuring that we live up to this maxim in Singapore.“I was recently recognised for my work with SCC since 2011 and it was an added honour for me that the first of its kind Community Coaching Course was held here. I am devasted not to be present, but I remain honoured to be given the privilege to work with all these 18 on their coaching journey.”
Despite some issues with the weather which meant the schedule had to be tweaked, the course went smoothly and its participants will now embark on 6 hours of working with their mentors and provide coaching support at an SHF community event for kids in June.
