Motivated Shân believes coaching course will have lasting impact on her career

Diving coach Shân Veasey says a popular programme has helped to increase her motivation and will have a lasting impact on her career development.

The Southend Diving coach was one of five to be selected for the UK Coaching’s Performance Foundation Coach Support Programme earlier this year.

As part of the 18-month programme, coaches receive support from a UK Coaching Coach Developer and an individual action plan is created.

Shân said she was delighted to have been accepted onto the course which had helped develop her confidence.

She added: “As many coaches will appreciate, being a coach is full on and involves lots of sacrifice.

“I have been coaching for more than 20 years and the programme has given me the opportunity to turn the development focus on to myself for a while.

“Naturally, in my role as a coach, I want to help others be the best that they can.

“But I love to do courses and develop my own understanding, although these courses are often very brief and unfortunately ‘shoe horned’ in to a busy working life.

“Being invited onto a programme that carries on for 18 months, provides many opportunities for reflection, opens the doors to meet other coaches to learn with and have a dedicated mentor throughout takes this personal development up a level – to a point that I feel it will have a lasting impact and enable true positive development.

“So far, thanks to the programme, I have gained confidence in my coaching practices through listening to shared experiences of coaches from other sports.

Grateful for the opportunity

“I have been lucky to spend more time applying scientific research findings to my current practices, which again has helped me feel more confident in what I deliver.

“Informal discussions with fellow coaches on the programme has also encouraged me to refine some of how I approach season planning and this is something I am particularly excited to put into practice, once the programme resumes after a six-month break due to the coronavirus shut down.

“Overall the course has given me a welcome increase in motivation, an opportunity to be the kind of science-based coach that I set out to be and to feel supported in my role as a coach.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity and I know these developments will be with me for many years to come.”

The programme features coaches from a wide range of sports, including athletics, boxing, cycling, gymnastics and triathlon.

Other diving coaches on the course are Plymouth’s Ashley Hendrick, City of Sheffield duo Dale White and Sam Hydes, plus Luton Diving Club’s Stephen Hewat.