In article , Ewan Scott
wrote:

Talent Identification Scheme: A Call to the Coaches.

a little bit snipped

Does this mean the coaches are revolting?
Can I get the flags out yet?

Not yet...

What it means is that Graham Campbell (National Fla****er Development
Coach)
is a bit miffed because some of his paddlers didn't get selected for a
team
and he wants some support, so he's called a meeting... though he hasn't
yet
declared his interest.

The BCU Talent ID scheme has gone tits up since some parents wrote to
their
MPs about the way their children were being treated.

Typical, half-baked, bird-brained idea made without consultation, contrary
to
all the advice and evidence and the wealth of experience and knowledge
available. Serves the arrogant ***** right!

We ran a Talent-ID symposium a few years ago in which I presented a brief
review of the available literature - the conclusion, then, was that
selection
according to limited physiological parameters was not the way forwards,
but I
guess they just wanted to try to prove me (and much more knowledgeable
people) wrong.


As a lowly level 2 Coach who has become involved in Kayaking/Canoeing
through youth work where our aim is to provide an introduction to the sport
and ensure that our charges, should they decide to take up kayaking/
canoeing, do so safely and legally etc. I find this debate interesting, if
slightly above my own experience.

It seems to me that there are two types of coaches, those who get involved
to make kayaking available, as we do, to others, if they produce, by
happenstance, an athlete from that ppol of paddlers, then most need to
direct that paddler in the direction of one of the other types of coaches.

The second type of coach is the stereotypical motivator of athletes, he/ she
drives them and develops their skills, monitoring growth in early years and
so on and so forth to create the Olympic winning athlete.

I read David Train's letter with interest, I'm not too sure that I fully
comprehend the tortuous historical explanation of the situation - I know
very few of the names involved, and frankly, care litle about the politics.
However, what does concen me is the increased involvement of politicians
and political appointments in sport. This is, I believe , the thin end of
the wedge that we will see being driven into all areas of sport should
London win its Olympic bid.

We will see a funded drive to develop gold medal winners that will filter
down through the sport. Coaches will be increasingly encouraged to drive
those with any individual talent at the expense of the "also rans". We will
see increassed elitism in all sport. In kayaking that will take many good
coaches out of lower level participation and club activities.

On a sporting level we will see young people developed to the peak of their
fitness and performance to the exclusion of all else. We may well develop
the finest athletes, but by and large the single-mindedness they are
encouraged to develop to that level will deprive them of social skills and
other interests. When they fail to win, or pass their peak they will,
largely be discarded.

At my own level of kayaking I'm interested in seeing people enjoy
kayaking/canoeing for the access to fresh air, open countryside, and for the
development of their own enjoyment of the activity ( I really don't like
calling it sport). I've seen gawky, lumbering, unco-ordinated, insecure,
non-competitive kids develop self confidence and pride in their own ability
to deal with kayaking in a non-competitive environment and it frightens me
to read articles written by coaches who are driving at the highest goals in
"sport".

We ought to be moving to promote kayaking surely, to a wider audience. To
develop the activity as a pastime first. When people on a wider base enjoy
paddling the sports-based coaches will have a wider pool of potential
athletes to draw upon. I believe that we have things tits over elbow in the
UK. We have a nation that is rapidly declining in fitness and health. So we,
in all sports through the coming five step coaching plan, are putting in
place a structure that is designed solely to create world class athletes. By
definition those who are not world class athletes will be dropped - they
will reach a glass ceiling in the activity because there will be no-one
available to help them take skills further for their own satisfaction.

If on the other hand we encouraged people to participate in activities,
regardless of their athletic ambitions, we would maybe start to address a
far wider and far more important issue than winning a few medals.


I don't disagree with anything you say.

except the bit about the Type 2 coach - it is no longer allowed for any
coach to take a paddler to Olympic level - they are taken away by the
state-run system, remember?

Unfortunately, our whole sport is now run by the state and funding (including
that which goes to the base of the sport) is determined by how many medals we
get.

That's what you all (all you BCU members) voted for, isn't it?


Allan Bennett
Not a fan of the thin end


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