Elite netball coach gives insight into mentoring talented athletes
Photo courtesy of ChuckAitch on Flickr.com
Coaching netball can be immensely rewarding for many reasons. You are helping players to reach their full potential, whether you coach elite players or primary school kids, and at the same time giving something back to netball. Also, if your playing career has taken a back seat you still get to stay involved with the sport you love.
Coaching requires plenty of enthusiasm and dedication but you also need to be organised, willing to keep learning and to be a good communicator so it’s not going to appeal to everyone. This week, we feature an exclusive interview with one such individual who found coaching a natural fit. Emma Blackmore is the Regional Talent Coach for England Netball’s London & South East region. Her role includes mentoring other coaches and further developing the skills of the region’s most talented athletes.
How did you get into coaching and how long have you been doing it?
I first got involved in coaching at my club when I was 16. My coach encouraged me to get involved with the junior section and I loved it. I then went on to get my coaching qualifications and it went from there. I continued to coach juniors and adults throughout college alongside playing for County and club.. I went to Bath University and completed a undergraduate degree and Master degrees in Sports Coaching. I kept up the coaching whilst at uni, and tried to juggle as many coaching jobs and opportunities as possible. Whilst I was at uni I became particularly interested in the talented and high performance side of Netball, so would go along to observe other coaches and volunteer whenever I could. During my final year at Uni I was asked to be an apprentice coach with Team Bath Netball Talent League Squad. That really propelled me forward and gave me some fantastic experiences within a high performance competitive environment. I worked alongside a great coach who really helped me with my confidence, as well as giving me new ideas. That experience really helped me land my job as a Regional Talent Coach.
How do you juggle having a social life with playing netball and all your coaching roles with the L & SE Region?
What social life?! Only joking! It’s quite difficult to establish a routine and maintain a steady social life in this role because of the evening and weekend work the job demands. I don’t begrudge it at all but my philosophy since starting this job and moving to the London area has been ‘work hard-play harder!’ Luckily I have some great friends who have been used to me muttering the lines “I can’t I have Netball!” They haven’t deserted me yet! In terms of playing Netball I’ve decided to take a step back from playing competitive netball and have joined a local league side which plays during the week. My weekends are precious so when I’m not working I try to get a break from netball to keep me fresh for the job. It really helps to have a complete break from time to time- I realise how much I love it when I dive back in again!
How did it feel to be Asst Coach to Brunel Hurricanes and win the National Talent League undefeated?
Having been at Bath University and being involved with Team Bath, being appointed as Brunel Hurricanes assistant coach was a complete change of scenery and a massive challenge. I can honestly say I loved every minute of it. The girls were fantastic and I’ve made a great friend in Anita Hollman, the Head Coach. We both knew we had a massive task on our hands to bring the squad of ‘rejects’ together, but I have never worked with athletes who have pulled together and wanted something so much. They really did epitomise what being a team is to me, and they are a great example to any squad out there. Myself, Anita and the squad approached each game as a separate hurdle to over come, never really looking at the big picture of winning the title. But as the season went on, and we jumped each hurdle successfully we realised that were in with a real chance. Ironically the final game of the season was against my old squad Team Bath. We had to win the game to guarantee winning the title. I have never been so nervous in my life! The girls were amazing and kept it together for the whole match. It was a different story on the bench! When the final whistle went we all leaped into the air in complete disbelief and excitement that we had won! That has certainly been the highlight of my coaching career so far, and a moment that will stay with me forever. Myself and Anita have just picked our squad for the new season as Surrey Storm. Our aim this season is to go out and bring the title back for another year! There is a completely different dynamic to the squad, we have picked a lot of youngsters who have come through the Region’s Excel Pathway so it should be interesting. I’m excited and can’t wait for the season to start!
Briefly describe a typical session aimed at elite athletes
A typical session for my elite girls will start with an intense but fun warm-up. We normally play a fun game (not netball game) to switch on the mind as well as warm up the muscles. I find having a bit of fun at the beginning relaxes the girls and sets a friendly and comfortable tone for the rest of the session. I need the girls to feel comfortable because the session will involve stretching themselves and performing outside their comfort zone- they need to feel that they can make mistakes in that environment, we learn from our mistakes and this is key for me. After the warm up I normally go into some high intensity fitness work involving the ball. I try to mix up passing and fitness activities to keep it interesting. Passing and fitness always needs to be worked on so I try to nail that in the first part of the session. In my elite sessions of late I have been taking my girls right back to basics, so we really home in on things like turning in the air effectively, passing appropriately etc. The elite sessions are really individualised so we work on whatever the player needs at the time. I always end with match play- the players need to be given the chance to put into practice what we have covered in a high intensity game.
What do you enjoy most about coaching?
Working with keen young players who want to learn. The best part is seeing the player take on board what you’ve covered in a session and apply it seamlessly in a game! Another really rewarding part of coaching is seeing the player figure things out for themselves. I try to empower the players- at the end of the day I can’t be on the court catching and passing for them, so they need to be making their own decisions and feel confident in their ability.
What are the most difficult or challenging aspects of your job?
The single most challenging aspect of my job is the travelling. I have to cover the whole London and South East region, and although this is a relatively small region compared to some, the sheer density of it, and the road networks and traffic make it a nightmare! There have been days when I have completed a whole lap of the M25, and spent up to 6 hours in the car yet I have only completed 4 hours coaching! Madness, but the rewards, the players and coaches I work with make up for that tenfold!
What is your ultimate goal?
I would love to be involved with the U19 and U17 National squads one day. I love working with that age group as they are so keen to learn and are still so passionate about Netball. I’m still young myself so realise I have a long way to go before I reach that point in my career. In the meantime I will keep gaining as many experiences at the highest level as I can, continue to reflect on my own coaching, and continue to learn from others to ensure that if that ultimate opportunity arises I’m the best person for the job.
Any top tips for aspiring coaches?
I learned to coach through observing and speaking to other coaches. Don’t be afraid to stick your neck out and ask if you can attend sessions. I’m finding that coaches are a lot more willing to share their practices and ideas with others now. In my role I have an open door policy where any coach regardless of experience can come along to my sessions and watch. I may not be the greatest example but if I have coaches go away with just one new idea then that’s great! I think the coaching qualifications are important and give you a good foundation coaching knowledge but it isn’t until you are out on the court do you really learn how to coach. Try to throw yourself into lots of different coaching environments, and coach out of your comfort zone. If you accept that you don’t know everything and you never will, you’ll be a great coach because you’ll be constantly looking for new ideas, and new ways to improve your athletes. Your athletes can only benefit from this way of thinking, and thus both of you will reap the rewards.
Netball Match: Thanks Emma for taking the time to give this interview. If you’d like to ask Emma a question, please post a comment below.
What do you think makes a good coach? Do you have any coaching tips you’d like to share?
Themocracy
Dear Emma Blackmore,
my name is Susanne Wonneberger and I am doing my MA at Surrey University. Right now I am working on my dissertation and I am focusing on the Surrey Storm netball team. It would be great if I could get into contact with you and Anita Hollman as you are their coaches.
It would be great if you could email me so I have your contact address and then I would be more than happy to forward you more information.
Thank you very much,
with kind regards,
Susanne Wonneberger
Dear Susanne, Thanks for your message. Emma Blackmore can be contacted via following email: londonandsoutheast@englandnetball.co.uk . Good luck with your MA.