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Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme (ECAP)
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Grace Cullen 11 October 2012
Coaches were challenged to deliver the ultimate performance under pressure at UK Sport’s latest Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme (ECAP) workshop when they performed a stand-up comedy routine to a live audience.
The group, from a range of Olympic and Paralympic sports, are part of the 2010-12 ECAP cohort, and were attending their sixth workshop of the development programme at Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire from 1-3 October.
Among the coaches being put through their paces were Chris Newton, women’s road coach at British Cycling, who coached Lizzie Armitstead to GB’s first medal of London 2012, and Jean-Paul Bell, who worked with medal winning Paralympic Judo athletes Ben Quilter and Sam Ingram.
As well as enduring the nerve-wracking experience of stand-up, which helped the group examine how pressure influenced their behaviour, the workshop explored leadership styles and heard from Brendan Purcell, Head Coach of Sprint Canoe at GB Canoeing.
Other sessions across the three-day programme included an F1-style pit stop challenge, which required the coaches to pull together as a team and draw on all the skills they had learnt at previous workshops.
Mark Ratcliffe, Head Coach of Canoe Slalom Development at GB Canoeing and part of the ECAP cohort, said: “This was another fantastic workshop and one which really challenged us all. It provided the chance to develop my skills in leadership, while performing under pressure was epitomised by putting on a live comedy show, which was well out of my comfort zone.
“The highlight was undoubtedly the team pit stop challenge task which really brought together the different elements from what we had learnt.”
Sarah Craven, Coaching Team Coordinator and ECAP lead at UK Sport, said: “It was great to welcome the coaches back after the busy summer and hear about their experiences. They all brought great energy with them and engaged with the programme throughout.
“With just one workshop remaining before the group graduates at the end of November, it is vital that the coaches continue to engage with their Mentors to ensure they transfer the skills they have learnt into their coaching practice.”
ECAP is a two year initiative which aims to accelerate the development of coaches already within the High Performance System, to enable them to have an enhanced impact in the short term, but also to become the elite coaches of the future.
Full list of coaches on the 2010-12 ECAP cohort:
Craig Keegan (Hockey)
Emily Parker (UK Athletics)
Hayley Ginn (UK Athletics)
Jean-Paul Bell (Judo)
Joanna Eley (Speed Skating)
Chris Newton (Cycling)
Paul Darby-Dowman (Sprint Canoe)
Jenny Leeming (Diving)
Clive Milkins (Equestrian)
Nathan Hilton (Swimming)
Mark Ratcliffe (Slalom Canoe)
Nathan Hilton (Swimming)
Mark Ratcliffe (Slalom Canoe)
