Coaching Support
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Coaches are at the heart of softball. They help players build skills, confidence and a love for the game, while creating positive environments where people can learn, compete and have fun.

Softball NZ’s Coaching Support Tools are designed to make coaching easier. Whether you’re coaching for the first time or have years of experience, you’ll find practical resources, ideas and guidance to help you plan sessions, develop players and grow as a coach.

Great coaching makes a lasting difference, and we want to make sure every coach has the support they need to succeed.

The New Zealand Softball Coaching Program is based around a 100-point licensing program.

The Softball NZ Coaching Licence provides coaches with a clear development pathway, beginning with foundation learning and progressing through practical, advanced and high-performance coaching opportunities.

Step 1 : Foundation Online Coaching Course | 10 points

Complete and pass the Foundation Online Coaching Course to earn your first 10 coaching licence points.

To begin your coaching journey, simply register your details for the course (red box below) and we’ll email you everything you need to get started in your own time

Step 2 – Foundation Practical Coaching Course | 20 points

Once you have completed the Foundation Online Coaching Course, you can attend a half-day practical coaching course. Successfully completing this course earns a further 20 points, taking your licence total to 30 points.

Step 3 – Extended Online Coaching Module | 10 points

Coaches can then complete the Extended Online Coaching Module once it is released. Successfully completing this module will earn a further 10 points, taking your total to 40 points.

Step 4 – Advanced Practical Coaching Course | 20 points

After completing the Extended Online Coaching Module, coaches can attend a full-day advanced practical coaching course. Successfully completing this course earns a further 20 points, taking your licence total to 60 points.

Step 5 – High Performance Coaching Development | 60+ points

Coaches who reach 60 points can apply for further development opportunities. Applications will be reviewed by Softball NZ, with selected coaches given access to High Performance Coaching Modules and other development opportunities where they can earn additional licence points.

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The pathway is designed to allow coaches to keep learning, developing and progressing at a pace that suits their coaching journey.

The following information is split into two key areas, the How to Coach and the What to Coach. 

HOW TO COACH – is a philosophical approach to coaching that promotes athlete learning, and ownership of that learning through creating awareness, responsibility and self-belief. It is based on empowering, creates athlete awareness and tends to use a questioning approach.Softball NZ encourages coaches to use a broader range of coaching approaches, appropriate to the particular situation, that increasingly raise athletes’ self-awareness, gives them greater responsibility for their own learning and leads to an outcome of increased athlete self-belief.

WHAT TO COACH – Focuses on the technical, tactical and game strategies specific to the game softball.

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All resources have been carefully selected to support the ongoing learning and development of our coaches. Links to international websites provide a wealth of information and are highly recommended. Further resource links will be added to this page accordingly. 

HOW TO COACH

WHAT TO COACH

ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL MEDIA

The following links provide insights into athlete mental health and social media - the good, the bad and how to help your athletes avoid the pitfalls.

Healthy Social Media Habits: Kelsey Plum

• The Hidden Opponent: TEDxUSC Talk by Victoria Garrick:
• Supporting Emotional Control for Under 12's: Advice from Positive Psychology researcher Lara Mossman.
• Create resilient athletes by factoring in failure: Kirk Walker UCLA