sports coach UK
Workshop
Inclusive Coaching:
Disability
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 1
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, delegates will be
able to:
reflect on past experiences and recognise and
share best practice
make appropriate modifications, adaptations
and progressions to a planned session to
include all participants
explore the participant pathway for disabled
participants within disability sport
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 2
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, delegates will be
able to:
identify the basic elements of classification in
relation to disability sport
know where to go for further disability sportspecific information
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 3
Inclusive Coaching
What does inclusive
coaching look like?
© Alan Edwards
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 4
Inclusive Coaching
What makes an
inclusive coach?
© Alan Edwards
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 5
Inclusive Coaching
What makes an inclusive coach?
The will and the welcome
Sport-specific coaching skills
Going the extra, extra mile
Flexibility to personalise sessions
© Pam Stevenson
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 6
Inclusive Coaching
Everyone is:
welcomed
supported
included
challenged
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 7
Inclusive Coaching
Adapt and personalise your coaching
session using:
Space
Task
Equipment
People
Speed
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 8
Key Points
There is no ‘one size fits all’ inclusive
coaching strategy
Personalised coaching interventions –
differentiation
Include, support and challenge
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 9
Key Points
Talk to participants
Seek advice
Do your research
Treat everyone with respect
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 10
Participant Pathways
What is your participant pathway?
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 11
Participant Pathways
What are the differences between
participant pathways for non-disabled
and disabled people?
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 12
Participant Pathway:
Shelly Woods – Athletics
© Graham Bool
Local – broad-ranging multi-sports,
travelling further afield for some sports
Regional – athletics club
National – pentathlon competitor
International – wheelchair racer
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 13
Participant Pathway:
Ian Jones – Athletics
Mainstream athlete
but classified within
disability sport
Six months after
classification was world
number four
Two and a half years later,
won bronze at Beijing 2008
Paralympic Games
Still trains with mainstream
athletics club
© Mark Lomas
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 14
Participant Pathway:
David Clarke – Football
© David Clarke
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 15
Started playing football at
special school for blind and
partially sighted children
Stopped playing at
university as there was
no team
Following university,
started playing in a
visually impaired (VI)
football league
Selected from a talent ID
day to join the England
VI squad
England captain three
years later
Participant Pathways
Opportunity
Locality
Numbers
Classification
Progress
Organisations
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 16
Participant Pathways
How can coaches support disabled
people on to and along their pathway?
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 17
Participant Pathways
Good club coaching is pivotal in igniting
passion in disabled participants, thus
ensuring their lifelong participation
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 18
Participant Pathways
The coach plays a crucial role in finding
the appropriate pathway and supporting
the participant along it
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 19
Participant Pathways
A pathway is specific to an individual,
and he/she enters and leaves where
he/she wants
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 20
Ade Adepitan’s Participant
Pathway: Wheelchair Basketball
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 21
Pathways and Classification
How does classification relate to
participant pathways?
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 22
Classification
How is classification used in
mainstream sport?
Age
Gender
Weight
Skill level
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 23
Classification
What is the difference in disability sport?
Functional ability:
Wheelchair basketball
Swimming
Cycling
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 24
Classification Example:
Swimming
Initial classification
takes place at newcomers’ meet
or regional championships
International classification
takes place at GB Swimming
Championships by internationally
qualified classifiers
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 25
Classification
The classification process starts when
participants attend events/competitions
that are recognised by the relevant
governing body
It’s not just down to you!
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 26
Classification
A coach’s role is to:
be informed
understand the impact
on the participant
support the participant
respect the classifier
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 27
Classification
Classification means
anyone can be a high
level performer
regardless of the level
of their impairment
© Alan Edwards
Classification
Classification affects the choice of sport
for different impairment groups if they
want to compete at a higher level
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 29
Inclusion Spectrum
© Stevenson and Black (2007)
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 30
And finally...
Putting it into practice
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 31
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, delegates will be
able to:
reflect on past experiences and recognise and
share best practice
make appropriate modifications, adaptations
and progressions to a planned session to
include all participants
explore the participant pathway for disabled
participants within disability sport
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 32
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, delegates will be
able to:
identify the basic elements of classification in
relation to disability sport
know where to go for further disability sportspecific information
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 33
Thank you
Have a safe journey home
Inclusive Coaching: Disability  Slide 34