Power Smart Manitoba Games Coach Mentorship Program

This program is designed to contribute to the development and performance of Manitoba’s coaches. Mentor Coaches are now being identified throughout the regions of the province for the 10 sports competing at the2010 Power Smart Winter Games. Coaches competing at the games will have access to their regions identified Mentor Coach. The Mentor relationship is intended to help Games Coaches identify development needs and opportunities as well as provide knowledge and insight into ones performance through an open, accessible communication strategy. The long-term goal of the program is to assist the Provincial Sport Organization’s with the establishment of future ongoing Mentor/Apprentice relationships in Sport Manitoba’s 7 regions.

The Mentorship program is driven by the needs of the Games coach and is not necessarily as complex or involved as other mentorship programs. The key to a successful Mentor & Protégé relationship will be an open accessible communication strategy, and when possible feedback with a readiness to adapt as necessary.

This will require a two-way process in which both the Mentor Coach and Games Coach benefit from the networking, sharing of ideas and an interaction that can lead to the betterment of sport.

The Games Coach gets support in targeted development activities and help in avoiding common mistakes. Benefits should include access to an informed second opinion, gaining insight into one’s own performance through a critical friend, identifying personal development needs and opportunities as well as learning from the experience of the Mentor Coach.

The process is about empowerment and encouraging the Games Coach to take charge. The Mentor Coach can support this empowerment by:

• Encouraging the Games Coach to take responsibility for achieving their goals
• Help them to learn from their mistakes
• Help them to work out the answer, rather than just telling them
• Giving constructive advice, but do not expect to solve problems for them
• Giving them responsibility and monitor progress

Mentor Coach Role

The principal role of the Mentor Coach is to:

• Support the Games Coach in discovering and defining their own development needs
• Share expertise and experience to help the Games Coach develop their talents
• Foster independent learners
• Provide a safe environment for Games Coaches to raise and talk about their issues
• Listen, clarify, reflect back, and challenge
• Help Games Coaches reflect on their beliefs, thoughts, feelings and behaviors and to view issues from a variety of perspectives
• Enable Games Coaches to gain confidence in analyzing and solving problems and become effective decision-makers

Mentor Coach Responsibilities

There are some responsibilities that are inherent in this position. These include:

• Commit to being available and accessible both in a structured (where possible) and informal manner for the Games Coach
• Foster, convey and uphold the standards, norms and values of the coaching & officials community and the Coaching Code of Ethics
• Offer support and empower the coach or official to fulfill their expectations
• Direct the Games Coach to the appropriate resources for answers to technical or specialized questions

Communication Methods Suggested

• Telephone discussions
• Email communication
• Online communications
• Face to Face discussions if possible
• Observation of training or competitions