Coaching Ireland Coaching Children Workshop Series: Coaching Children Successfully in Sport: An Introduction for Coaches - Factsheet 1

COACHING CHILDREN SUCCESSFULLY IN SPORT AN INTRODUCTION FOR COACHES This factsheet aims to provide a supporting framework for the development of child appropriate sports and physical activity sessions. It aims to increase the understanding of children’s reasons for joining and leaving sports and physical activities, children’s developmental stages, appropriate coaching approaches during these stages and the importance of developing the whole child. Too often, sessions offered to children in sport and physical activity are scaled down versions of adult activities. However, children’s needs and wants could not be more different from adults. To develop lifelong physically active individuals it is essential that coaches understand these needs and wants and help children to enjoy and feel passionate about participating in physical activity and sport.