As I am now in my 4th week in my role as the Coaching Manager for the BDA, I thought that this was an opportune time to introduce some intentions for the development of the Coach Bowls Coaching System.

I use the term system as a clear indication that the BDA intends to support the development of a complete coaching structure to develop participants and coaches at every stage of the pathway, from grass roots to elite.

Many individuals have been applying for a position on the new Coaching Steering Group. This group should be comprised of individuals from each code and representative of all stages of development. They will bring experience from bowls as well as their business and leisure interests. They will initially be tasked with 3 main actions.

1.	Develop a comprehensive Participant Model. It is only by having a clear understanding of why people take part in Bowls, what motivates them to keep returning and also what technical and tactical needs they have, can we begin to develop a clear coaching model that ensures that we have the right coach delivering the right skills in the right way at the right time.
2.	Undertake a complete mapping of all current coaching schemes to recognised industry standards. All strengths and gaps of the schemes can then be identified ready for a complete coaching qualification structure to be developed and launched.
3.	Develop a Coaching Strategy which will allow a Coach Bowls coaching system to be implemented effectively.

We also have a number of individuals applying for the position of County Coaching Coordinators. These individuals will also feed into the above three main priorities, as well as ensuring that all coaches on the ground are communicated with and listened to. They will also have a major role in coordinating workshops across boundaries amongst other tasks.

Another main priority for coaching is to develop a comprehensive Coach Educator workshop. This will ensure that tutors have the appropriate training and support to deliver courses and workshops.

The BDA is in the process of developing an Annual Conference and Awards Dinner for coaches. It is vital that we support the development of all coaches and clubs. It is also imperative that coaches are given the recognition and thanks for the work that they do, mainly in a voluntary capacity. All winners of the BDA coaching awards will be nominated for the UK Coaching Awards, held annually by sports coach UK for all sports.

We have recently secured 3 tutors to support the BDA to deliver generic sports coach UK workshops in Safeguarding, Equity and Mentoring. These courses will be rolled out across the country and will be tailored more for Bowls coaches.

The main message from myself is that the BDA will be listening to coaches, whatever their level of involvement. A coaching system needs to be delivering additional support and benefits to all coaches and can only be developed in consultation with coaches on the ground.

The recent launch of the Coach Bowls Membership Benefits package highlights a number of our commitments to supporting coaches, including technical newsletters and reduced costs for courses being organised. I hope that coaches will see the package as a beneficial aid to their activities.

This is a small update of some of the work that we will be undertaking over the next few month. Applications are still open if you wish to apply for a position on the Coaching Steering Group or a County Coaching Coordinator post. If you do wish to contribute in any way or have any questions, please e mail coaching@bowlsdevelopmentalliance.com

For Bowls Coach FAQ's click here

Many thanks,
Amanda Scriven-Purcell - BDA Coaching Manager