By Duncan Cochrane
© Duncan Cochrane 2010 1

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CP1 Introduction to coaching
CP2 Risk management
CP3 Injury prevention
CP4 Overview of the rules
CP5 Equipment
CP6 Coaching in practice
CP7 Planning
CP8 Technique fundamentals
CP9 Basic paddling skills
CP10 Basic kayak control
CP11 Basic ball skills
CP12 Basic paddle skills
CP13 Basic defence
CP14 Basic offence
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General coaching principles – in-class/online
Reference: Beginning Coaching Level 1 manual , Australian Sports
Commission, 2009.
Online: www.ausport.gov.au/participating/coaches/education/onlinecoach
Canoe polo specific – off water and on water
Reference: Canoe Polo – basic skills and tactics , I Beasley, Stern Turn
Publishing, 2008.
Practical assessment – plan, organise and conduct a coaching session
First Aid qualification
Code of ethics
Apply for accreditation
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Board of Directors
President
Honours Committee
High Performance
Unit
Business Services
Unit
Development
Unit
Programs
Unit
Technical
Committees
Education and
Safety
Canoe Polo
Canoe Sprint
Marathon
Slalom
Wildwater
* Australian Canoeing is affiliated with the International Canoe Federation
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Board of Directors
President
Executive
Committee
Continental
Associations
Africa
America
Asia
Europe
Oceania
National
Federations
Over 130 countries
Standing
Committees
Education and
Safety
Canoe Polo
Canoe Sprint
Canoe Marathon
Canoe Slalom
Wildwater
Dragon Boat
Medical and Antidoping
Athletes
Canoe Freestyle
Canoeing for All
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Australian Canoeing
State Associations
State Canoe Polo
Technical Committee
National Canoe Polo
Technical Committee
Australian Sports Commission
Australian Coaching Council
Club
Coaches
Level 1
Coaching
Course
State
Coaches
Level 2
Coaching
Course
National
Coaches
Level 3
Coaching
Course
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The following subjects were covered in the beginning coaching course:
1.
The role of the coach
2.
Planning and reviewing
3.
Risk management
4.
Coaching communication
5.
Developing sports skills
6.
Game sense
7.
Group management
8.
Athlete development
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
Refer to Beginning Coaching Course manual
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Complete a risk management planning template from the manual
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Consider risk factors and mitigation specifically for the venue and for canoe polo.
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Environmental
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Weather, terrain, venue
Sharing water with others
– swimmers, rowers, speed boats
Human/people factors
 Communications, rules, cost, special needs
Equipment
 Poorly sized or faulty boats and equipment
 Assembling and placing goals, field set up
Processes/procedures
 Emergency contacts, evacuation procedures, First Aid
Transport
 Transportation to the venue, roads, traffic, parking
 Carrying equipment, boats, paddles and gear to the to water
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The coach plays an important role in injury prevention.
By making players aware of potential injuries and promoting good habits, the coach provides a strong foundation to reduce injuries and for a player’s ongoing education and development.
Injury prevention is considered in the following areas:
 health and fitness
 rules of play
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 equipment technique training
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Health and fitness
A good level of health and fitness ensures effective training and reduced risk of injury.
The coach should be aware of:
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 the fitness levels of each player the existence and influence of existing injuries any special needs – for example: juniors, older players
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 nutrition and sleep requirements disabilities and health issues hydration, hypothermia, sun stress.
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Rules of play
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The rules of canoe polo have been developed to minimise the risk of injury during play
Players must know the rules
 The rules should be enforced at training sessions.
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Equipment
All equipment and gear must be well maintained and suitable for its intended use
Scrutineer boats, paddles, and gear for sharp edges and loose parts
Goal frames – no protrusions or sharp edges, firmly anchored
Boundary ropes and markers – suitable and safe.
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Technique
Good paddling and ball handling technique is essential for building strong skills, but is critical for reducing the chance of injury.
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Training
 Warm up and stretching
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Sessions prepared to suit skills of the players
Sessions designed to progressively increase in intensity
Be aware of various skills levels that may be in a session and how they impact each other
Cool down.
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All competitions in Australia are played in accordance with the ICF Canoe Polo Competition Rules .
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The rules are available at: www.canoeicf.com
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5. SIDELINE THROW/CORNER
1. START/INFRINGEMENT
6. GOAL LINE THROW
2. COMPLETION OF
HALF/FULL TIME
3. GOAL
7. TIME OUT
8. REFEREE'S BALL
4. DISALLOWED GOAL
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13. PLAY ON/ADVANTAGE 9. OBSTRUCTION/HOLDING
14. FREE THROW
10. ILLEGAL TACKLE
15. FREE SHOT
11. 5 SECONDS/POSSESSION
16. GOAL PENALTY SHOT
12. ILLEGAL USE OF PADDLE
17. SHOWING CARDS
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Penalty cards may be used at any time during a game:
 Green card – a warning. Awarded for dangerous play, talking back to the referee, or for unsporting behaviour. (A third green card to the same player, for any reason, automatically becomes a yellow card.)
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Yellow card – two minutes penalty. Awarded for a deliberate or dangerous foul that prevents the scoring of a near certain goal, for deliberate or dangerous play, repeated and continuous dispute of the referee’s decisions, foul or abusive language, or illegal substitution (A second yellow card to the same player, for any reason, automatically becomes a red card.)
Red card – rest of game penalty. Awarded where a player disputes a yellow card, or a yellow card has not had the desired effect of causing the player to control their play or attitude, for a personal attack on another player, for repeated and continuous foul or abusive language.
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Goal line
Corner
6m line
23m wide
4m
Goal
4m
Jostle area
Corner
Playing area terminology
Edge of pool
Floating rope
Imaginary line
Floating marker
Poolside marker
Half way line
6m line
Corner
Goal line
Jostle area
Goal
Corner
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Scrutineering of gear and equipment before play is essential to ensure player safety and player confidence.
Check the following before allowing a player or equipment to participate:
 helmets – proper fit, passes poke test
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PFD – proper fit, no rips, no loose straps spray deck – good fit on kayak, has release strap, no holes paddles – correct thickness, no sharp edges, no loose tape kayaks – no sharp edges, no loose screws, no loose bumpers, no loose tape personal – no watches, no jewellery
Refer to the IFC Rules of Play for detailed scrutineering requirements.
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Participants
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Different sizes and shapes of kayaks suit different people
Different constructions suit different abilities – plastic boats and paddles are appropriate for clubs but not for national team athletes
 Different paddle shapes and lengths are suitable for different positions, ability, size and age of paddler.
Training venue
 Availability – space, time, cost, location, facilities
 Risks – swimmers, other boats, trees, snags, water quality, water access.
Goals
 Suitable, safe, and safely secured.
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Length
 Affects speed, nose control, tail control
Width
 Affects speed, stability
Design
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Rocker from end to end
Shape of edges (chine)
Volume
 Where it is and how much control the paddler has
Construction
 Plastic, fibreglass, Kevlar, carbon-fibre
Fit
 Firm and comfortable
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Shape of blade
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Symmetrical, asymmetrical
 Can vary with technique
 Can speed up player just by changing blade shape to suit technique
Area of blade
 Depends on strength of paddler
Length
 Varies with height, arm length, technique and position on field
Construction/weight
 Aluminium, plastic, Kevlar, carbon fibre
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Helmet
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Good fit
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Adequate protection to base of skull and ears
Make sure it floats!
Facemask
 Correctly fitted
 Fully protects the face
PFD
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Correct size, comfortable
Padding extends around the sides
Spray deck
 Good fit on boat
 Good fit around waist
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Coaches may call on a variety roles and styles that vary with the level of athletes being coached and individual athletes personalities.
Coaches must constantly ask themselves “What am I trying to achieve?” and “What style suits this athlete?”
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It is a good idea to ask yourself before coaching a group or individual: “Why am I coaching?”
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It is also useful to know and understand what parents/employers want from you as a coach.
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Encourage participation, fun, and learning
Encourage self discipline and high standards
Be firm but fair
Include everyone
Be punctual
Take an interest in individuals
Keep everyone involved and active.
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Group players according to skill level
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Plan for the the different needs and expectations of players – high performance, women, juniors, seniors, and novice
 Be aware of the age and development differences:
 a 17 year male can be a daunting opponent to a pre pubescent 14 year old
 some less skilled athletes can be disheartened by more skilled athletes
Keep paddlers focused and active
Keep paddlers together and within control
 Set boundaries to the training area
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Do not let paddlers wander
If a large group, appoint an assistant coach.
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Men vs women
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No problem with fitness and most ball skills training, but big problems with offence/defence or 1-on-1.
Limit strength difference by using appropriate drills and match ups eg: press work with mixed teams
– men mark men, girls mark girls.
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Big vs small
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Be aware in junior age groups of size issues.
Try to keep match ups of similar size, especially in competitive drills.
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Skilled vs less skilled
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Try to keep groups of similar skill levels together
Or limit dominant group eg: use left hand only, no dribbling, etc
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Understanding the three stages of learning motives good practise:
1. Early stage – learning a new skill; actions must be thought through and carefully monitored. There tends to be many errors and movement is often clumsy.
2. Intermediate stage – a basic command of the skill; allowing better control and coordination but still requiring a conscious effort.
3. Final stage – the new skill is happening automatically and unconsciously.
If poor technique is tolerated in the early stage, it becomes the technique used in the final phase.
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Drills are an essential coaching tool for building individual skills as well as team skills.
Drills may be used for:
 warm up, warm down
 passing, shooting, blocking
 paddling, tackling
 defence and offence tactics
Choose drills that are:
 appropriate to the level of participants
 as game-like as possible
 fun and interesting
 challenging to the players.
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It is important to:
 continually change drills to prevent boredom and to avoid players simply ‘going through the motions’
 provide quality not quantity – 5-10 mins of passing between two people is more beneficial than 15-20 minutes of passing in a circle
 progress between drills within a session and from session to session
 demonstrate a high level of correctness.
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D emonstrate the skill
E xplain its purpose and emphasise three coaching points
D emonstrate again
I mitate – let them try it
C orrection – provide feedback
T rial – put the new skill under pressure.
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Use a game sense approach to develop tactics and skills in a fun environment.
CHANGE IT
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C oaching style – eg: use of questions
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H ow to score/win
A rea – eg: size of field
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N umber of players
G ame rules – eg: no dribbling
E quipment
– eg: small ball, lower goal
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I nclusion – eg: everyone touches the ball before the team can score
T ime – eg: how many passes in 30 seconds
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Observation – subjective analysis of players
Video analysis – correcting paddling and throwing technique and analysing game play
Training diary – records training programs, athlete’s progress
Other resources – manuals, books, DVDs,
Internet
People
– other coaches, professionals, elite athletes and parents
Tools – magnetic whiteboard with boat and ball shapes
Book – Canoe Polo – basic skills and tactics
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Failing to plan, is planning to fail.
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Why is a training program needed?
What does the coach/player want to achieve?
Need to set goals:
 where am I now?
 where do I want to be?
 what do I need to do get there?
What shape will the program take?
What other considerations affect planning?
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Remember SMART when setting goals:
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S pecific – the goal is well defined and has a clear outcome.
M easurable – the goal can be measured so that progress toward it can be seen
A chievable – the goal is practical and can be achieved
R ealistic – the resources, equipment and time available to support the goal are appropriate
T ime-based – set a time frame to achieve the goal.
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Who you are coaching?
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Males vs females, juniors vs seniors, beginners vs experienced
Who is coming?
 How many people?
 What is the time commitment ?
Why do they play?
 What motivates them? Is it high performance, general fitness, or social?
Is there a competition or championship?
 Is it club, state, national or international?
What facilities are available?
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Access, playing area, change rooms
Boats, gear, goals
Weather.
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The program must identify:
 length of program
 the phases of the program
 the detail of the program
The training plan must identify:
 session aims
 specific drills, exercises, and time allocation
 review and evaluation
Example:
A novice team wishes to graduate to the next grade but to do so must win the season grand final. The season is four months long and the program must address individual skills, team skills and fitness. The players must lift their skills in forward paddling, turning, rolling, zone defence, and aerobic fitness.
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1.
Warm up
• forward paddling
• stretches
• passing
2. Individual skills
• strokes
• boat skills
• ball skills
• paddle skills
3.
Team skills
• defence
• offence
• games
4.
Fitness
• aerobic fitness
• anaerobic fitness
5.
Cool down
• paddling
• stretches
(10 minutes)
Light paddling, stretching and passing to warm and loosen the body ready for more demanding activities.
(20 minutes)
Focused sessions to build specific individual skills such as turning, passing, dribbling, tackling, blocking.
(20 minutes)
Skills such as zone defence, press and double drives, or corners and incorporate these into games.
(20 minutes)
Intensive exercise and drills to build stamina and recovery ability.
(10 minutes)
Relaxed exercise and stretches to wind down and complete training.
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1. Warm up
 Relaxed paddling and passing
2. Individual skills
 Passing and catching – 1 ball between 2
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Baseball pass, chest pass, round arm pass
Passing on the move – simple cutting drill, Southern Cross
Dribbling – simple relay – 1 ball between 3
3. Team skills
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1-3-1 zone defence
Possession game to finish – team that keeps ball for longest wins
4. Fitness
 Distance paddle to build stamina
5. Cool Down
 Relaxed paddle and stretching
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Training Session Plan
Date: June LWE Penrith Training Camp _ Team/Athletes: Senior Men _______
Session aims
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O & D- shifting- tight zone
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screening to baseline & screening across centreline
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double drives & point screens
Weekly outcomes
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Training Outline
Time Warm-up, skills, drills, conditioning, games, recovery
9.00 Paddle and stretch
9.10 2 attackers, 1 defender, 1 goalie-
1 st
driver shifts defender across centre line and pins defender so team mate can come into 1 on 1 shot with goalie
9.20 2 attackers, 1 defender, 1 goalie-
1 st
driver shifts defender to baseline and pins defender so team mate can come into 1 on 1 shot with goalie
9.40 2 attackers, 1 defender, 1 goalie,-
1 st
driver shifts defender either across centre line or to baseline and pins defender so team mate can come into 1 on 1 shot with goalie
10.00 3 attackers, 2 defenders 1 goalie-
1 st
driver shifts 1 defender, 2 nd
driver shifts second defender so 3 rd driver comes in for 1 on 1 shot with goalie
10.15 3 attackers, 2 defenders 1 goalie-
Wedge attack from 1 side- 2 drivers in between 2 defenders and shift apart to
Allow drive between them.
10.30 5 attackers, 5 defenders offence / defence 5 goes each turn over is a goal to opponents and loss of game defenders fast break on turnover
Session Review
Don’t forgettalk to athletes, phone, special equipment
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Injuries- treatment to organise
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Things to improve
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Changes for next session
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Fit in boat
 Hips
 Legs
 Feet
Posture
 Upright, relaxed
 Maximise distance between sternum and naval
Paddle grip
 Right tight vs left tight
 Symmetrical
Body rotation
 Face where you want to go
 Paddle parallel with shoulders
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To reduce shoulder dislocation:
 avoid moving the arm to a position that places the shoulder in an awkward position
 keep arms bent to absorb shock and reduce forces transmitted to the shoulder
 elbows should not extend pass the line of the back
 avoid hyperextension of arms.
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To reduce risk of rotator cuff injuries:
 keep elbows close to the body
 strengthen rotator cuff muscles by doing external rotation exercises with elastic or light weights.
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