Blog: 'Don’t forget your trainers!'
New to the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website in 2015, we'll feature a blog post every Friday through the year.
This month's theme is training- in the week that the Sainsbury's Inclusive Community Training programme released two new videos, Adrian Smith (Register of Exercise Professionals, FA Licensed Coach, Suffolk Sport Top Coach) writes about the scheme and how it has helped him develop as a trainer.
Adrian Smith blog:
So there I was, my first coaching role with disabled children. I was working for the school sports partnership in Kent at a special school .
My role was to coach the children to be able to attend the Kent Disability Games. Various games they were playing that day included boccia, table cricket and wheelchair racing, and most of these I was just not familiar with.
Fortunately, I was working with an experienced PE teacher who was able to support me for the first few weeks. So I was in a SEN school with amazing children and staff, and I was a complete fish out of water. I needed to educate myself and quickly - but where?
I was talking to one of the children, Josh, during a session while he was doing wheelchair racing. He told me how he liked these sessions, and how it gave him freedom to express himself through sport, as well as having fun.
Josh’s passion and enthusiasm was key. He loved racing around, and though his school work was suffering he just loved sport. His was a true reflection of the broader need for individuals with impairments to have more opportunities to be involved in all aspects of sport or activity.
'No-one should be excluded'
These days I’ve been coaching for over a decade, and I realise now that historically the opportunity to learn and expand my qualifications in coaching disabled participants was minimal.
But at the time I had to learn on the job, and I asked plenty of questions along the way.
I remember, a big goal then was the 2008 Kent Disability Games. I wanted to include the disabled children in all the activities and sports, but that proved challenging - in retrospect it was a big learning curve. Not everyone was learning at the same pace and skill.
I tried all sorts of activities with the kids - some worked and some didn’t. I was coaching naively at times, I suppose. If I had the opportunity to attend the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training course I would have been able to support the needs of the children so much better.
Afterwards, I wanted to learn more from the Kent Games experience, so I studied and gained a certificate from the Football Association in coaching disability football.
But I wasn’t satisfied with just that - I wanted to learn more. So I began working with the local council, setting up sports programmes with my new found passion that no-one should be excluded from an opportunity to be involved in sport or activity.
'It’s something I would have really benefited from'
When I was asked to be a tutor for sports coach UK and deliver the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training programme I jumped at the chance. This was an opportunity I never had when I was starting out, and it’s something I would have really appreciated and benefited from.
I want to give as much as I can to the many coaches and people working with disabled people. I want to give you the courage to deliver fun and productive activities without a fear.
Many children I work with do not like sport, but to see them gradually get involved through support and adapting games is inspiring. I enjoy watching anyone develop in sport - it does not matter at what level or what degree.
Understanding disabled people’s needs and how you can support them is what will help them develop, and as a coach it will give you huge satisfaction to know that you have made a difference.
Getting even a smile or even regular attendance from a participant is worth it; they don’t have to be the next regional or national champion. By attending a Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training workshop, you will know you have done the best for them.
Good luck… and don’t forget your trainers!
