PERFORMANCE COACH AWARD

Please read the following guidance for Performance Coach candidates about choosing a Mentor. 

What is a Mentor?

Your Mentor plays a key role in your development to becoming a Performance Coach.

They will be a critical friend, providing support and challenge.

Your Mentor will also conduct your pre-assessment mentoring session, listen to your coaching philosophy presentation and conduct the professional discussion to ensure you have considered your pre-assessment preparations appropriately. 

How do I find a Mentor? 

As part of your Performance Coach journey you will select a mentor to support you through a minimum of 3 mentored sessions.

The starting point for your mentoring journey is to register and pay the registration fee.

You will then receive a list of available mentors; we encourage you to consider your Mentor carefully. You could choose a mentor who knows you or is involved in coaching an area of paddlesport that you're familiar with (or your chosen discipline for Performance Coach). However, you could also choose someone different to you, who doesn’t know you or your chosen discipline which would create a different feel to the session, potentially increasing your reach into the sport or accessing different communities of practice.

Do I need to pay them? 

Your registration funds three sessions in an online format. One of the funded sessions must be your pre-assessment session which must be online as it is recorded and passed to your assessor.

If you and your mentor agree to meet face-to-face, you will need to agree how the additional cost of meeting is covered between you.

Can I have more than 3 sessions?

Yes you can, however these sessions will need to be agreed with your National Association and each session will come at a cost payable to your National Association. Sessions must be pre-paid for and arranged in advance.

Can my Mentor also be my Coach Developer?

This is entirely up to you to decide. There will be benefits in separating the two roles to get a variety of input and experience and keep a clearer distinction between the two roles. 

Please read the following guidance for Performance Coach candidates about choosing a Coach Developer. 

What is a Coach Developer?

Coach Developers can have a variety of roles and support your development in many ways. Observing your practice, giving feedback, stimulating discussion or supporting your technical understanding are just a few of the roles they could play.

Coach Developers are usually subject experts who can support and challenge you to embrace long-term learning and development. 

How do I find a Coach Developer?

We can help you with that!

As part of your Performance Coach journey you will select a mentor to support you through the 3 mentor sessions. Your mentor will be well connected in the paddlesport community and will likely able to recommend one of our team of Coach Developers who’ll be able to support your specific areas of interest.

What is a Coach Developer 'touch point'?

You can arrange as many of these Coach Developer ‘touch points’ as you wish; one is included within your registration fee and additional sessions can be arranged for an additional cost. You need to engage in at least one ‘touch point’ prior to assessment with a registered Performance Coach Developer.

A touch point will typically take place during a normal coaching session with your learners. You may choose to meet your Coach Developer before the session and spend time with them after, exploring how the session went, how you progressed against your objective for the session. These sessions could take place virtually if, for example, you discuss the tactical aspects of your coaching with learners.

Can my Mentor also be my Coach Developer?

This is entirely up to you to decide. There will be benefits in separating the two roles to get a variety of input and experience and keep a clearer distinction between the two roles.