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2006 has been a period of continued and significant development for the generic coaching
program within the British Roller Sports Federation, this has justified the inclusion of
Skate Smart at level two, the level one, Community Sports Leaders Award (CLSA) 'bolt on'
and teachers certificate courses as the correct vehicles for grassroots development of
the sport within schools, colleges, leisure centres and other non specialist roller
skating settings.
These are proving to be the main recruiting grounds for mass participation and the growth
of roller skating (a requirement of all funding bodies for any significant financial
input) and the growth of individual skating disciplines which can only happen in any
meaningful way if a stable base is provided at grass roots level from which the individual
disciplines can develop.
Over the year level two and level one coaching courses have been held in Southport and
Ipswich resulting in the qualification of 17 level one assistant coaches and 15 level two
coaches. These include a high level of participation in these courses from local authority
and full time teaching staff.
Both of these work sectors now officially recognise our qualifications as the industry
standard for roller sports, as do Zurich Municipal Insurance the insurers for over 90% of
schools, sports centres and leisure centres in the UK. This together with our endorsement
by both Sports Coach UK and Sport England is likely to lead to a situation where only
BRSF registered roller skating coaches will be allowed to operate in schools and on local
authority premises beyond a three year period.
This is in line with the implementation of the National Coaching Certification initiative
advocated by Sport England, implemented by Sports Coach UK and required as a key stone for
the successful outcome of the World Class Coaching initiative run by Sports Coach UK.
It is seen as a very positive step forwards as it underpins the intentions of Sport England
in its setting up of BRSF in 2000 and in no way should be seen as a threat to BRSF members
who have all already agreed to the inclusion of all their discipline specific coaches
within the BRSF structure by December 2007.
In the four centres where BRSF coaches have been deployed effectively, working in
partnership with local authorities, schools and private providers like the YMCA over the
last year, the results have been dramatic.
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Birmingham: |
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Two coaches from the Birmingham Wheels Roller Speed Club have been working part time in
schools delivering basic skating instruction in curriculum PE lessons during the school
day and in conjunction with the council's sports development unit delivering basic skating
in After School clubs. |
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Continued working with fifteen secondary and twenty-six primary schools on a structured
and ongoing development basis. |
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This has lead to significant growth within the Birmingham Wheels Speed Club.
Visit their website
click here |
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Southport: |
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One full time coach and four part time coaches based with the YMCA and fully funded to
work in schools within the Southport/ Sefton and now the Liverpool area. This initiative
has been so successful it has attracted European funding and the YMCA are now
contemplating recruiting another full time coach to cope with the increasing demand
from schools. |
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Working with two secondary and over ten primary schools. |
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Supporting special interest, ethnic and community group for roller skating. |
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Running and developing leisure skating activities in conjunction with both the YMCA and
the local authorities in the area. |
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This initiative has been so successful for the YMCA that they now wish to discuss a
formal partnership with BRSF to develop grass roots roller skating nationally throughout
their centres. |
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South Woodham Ferrers |
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This club was the first skating club in the UK to gain Club Mark status earlier
this year. |
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This specialist Federation of Inline Speed Skating (FISS) club utilising three BRSF
coaches has been working regularly within local secondary and primary schools utilising
Skate Smart in its original form as developed by FISS for a number of years. |
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Its school work together with its work to promote skating as a leisure activity to take
children off the streets and get them involved within sport has resulted in a recent
grant of some £9,000 to further develop skating within the local area. The club is now
negotiating with the local council to fund and build a specialist speed skating facility. |
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This has primarily been made possible because of the clubs Club Mark status and its work
within the community and local schools. |
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Ipswich: |
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Ipswich has the greatest number of BRSF qualified level two coaches (ten) and local
authority staff holding level one certification (ten). |
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Ipswich skating club has been engaged in a two year development program in four Ipswich high
schools and 26 primary schools which had to be halted because the local authority could no
longer cope with the demand for skating that it generated within the city.
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As a spin off, the Ipswich roller skating club now has a membership of over 150 and
a waiting list which has been closed at 200.
The club holds four evening sessions a week in Ipswich and due to demand it operates a further
three evening sessions a week at a satellite club in Felixtowe, a neighbouring sea side town.
Ipswich club coaches now work in both High Schools within the town and will run (utilising
the 23 sixth form Community Sports Coaches being trained as level one coaches via the skating
bolt on unit offered in their CSLA Course) a Skate Smart program for all year 5/6 primary
school children in the town (six primary schools in the town and surrounding areas in June and
July of this year).
Advanced skills teachers from one high school have already taken the teachers skating
certificate and a member of staff who is a roller hockey player at the other high school
in the town is attending the next coaching course scheduled for February in Southport.
The teachers fees, travelling expenses and accommodation costs are being paid for by the
school.
It should be noted that this level of participation in roller skating within the Ipswich
area together with the links and partnership formed by British Roller Sports Federation/
Federation Inline Speed Skating with the local authority and British Cycling has been
instrumental in triggering a £5.2 million joint venture development to provide a regional
cycling and national roller skating facility within the town.
This had been proven necessary to sustain and support both roller skating and cycling in
the Sport Active and Active England initiative which forms part of Sport England’s Key
Performance Indicator’s.
Ipswich Skating Club is also involved with the Club Mark initiative.
The Key Performance Indicators at present provisionally agreed with Sport England and
Sports Coach UK for BRSF coaching within the next year are:
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The implementation by all member federations of sports specific level three coaching
qualifications.
(already adopted by British Inline Puck Hockey Association & Federation of Inline Speed
Skating) |
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The development of the Club Mark initiative made possible by adoption of BRSF level two
by member federations for new coaches (to allow federation clubs to access funding). |
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Where possible the Grandfathering of existing federation qualified coaches to BRSF level
three. |
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The support of new federations joining BRSF to adopt and implement its coaching strategy. |
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Significant development towards a whole sport development plan for the whole sport of
roller skating to include new disciplines and recreational roller skating which are seen
as key growth areas by all potential funding partners. |
David Nicholls
Coaching Director BRSF
to
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