PE teachers, athletic coaches and leisure centre staff across the region are being offered a chance to sharpen their coaching abilities at the UK’s first Athletic Skills Model Course.
Sports scientists at the University of Portsmouth are hosting an instructor course later this month.
The Athletic Skills Model was developed by Dutch football coach Rene Wormhoudt and Geert Savelsbergh, Professor in Motor Learning at Vrije University, Amsterdam.
It has been described by many working in sports as a game-changer.
The Portsmouth course is being led by sports scientist Dr Martina Navarro.
Participants have improved motor skills and levels of motor creativity, fewer injuries, stress, and burnout, more fun and better psychosocial skills
She said: "In a nutshell, the Athletic Skills Model provides coaches, sports practitioners and teachers with ways to train so participants have improved motor skills and levels of motor creativity, fewer injuries, stress, and burnout, more fun and better psychosocial skills."
She decided to run the full course after a two-day taster session earlier in the year received positive feedback and requests from those in the industry to learn more.
One of those who attended the first workshop, an aspiring sports coach, said: "I can see real application for the model and I think it fills a gap most coaches don’t realise exists.”
A secondary school PE teacher said: "I can see some very clear applications of the ASM Model in designing the curriculum and also as a way of charting pupils progress. I would very much like to take a qualification to build my knowledge and understanding of the model and its practical applications within a PE context.”
To find out more, contact Dr Navarro via martina.navarro@port.ac.uk