NORDIC AND BALTIC NETWORK FOR SPORTS COACH TRAINING

NORDIC AND BALTIC NETWORK FOR SPORTS COACH TRAINING (NBN COACH TRAINING)

 

 

 

Purpose –– Co-operation amongst educational and sports institutions in coach training in the Nordic, Baltic countries within the areas of:

• Creation and development of the network co-operation activities
• Mobility of students, educators and young coaches
• Improvement of coach training programmes

Project summary

 

This new network will include institutions involved directly or related to sports coach training from Nordic and Baltic countries.

The project is intended to give a fresh incentive to sports coach training and to establish an interesting and active Nordplus partnership. International cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic institutions in the area of physical education and sports science has been constantly developing over the recent years. Nevertheless cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic institutions involved in sports coach training is still scarce and does not provide opportunities to tackle the sports coaching problems common to comparatively small Nordic and Baltic nations. The need for competent coaches who would be able to train athletes and compete on elite level is of great significance in Nordic and Baltic States.

 

Background/motivation for the project

 

International cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic institutions in the area of physical education and sports science has been constantly developing over the recent years. With the assistance of the EU funded programmes like Tempus/Phare, Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci, the collaboration between the Universities in the Nordic-Baltic region has increased and intensified, linking such higher education institutions as Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Latvian Academy of Sport Education, the University of Tartu, the University of Jyväskylä, the University of Southern Denmark, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and many others together.

 

Although Nordic and Baltic States are closely connected through sport competitions, cooperation between the countries in the area of sports coach training is still underdeveloped resulting in different approaches to coach training system, different understanding about professional skills and competences needed for future and in-service coaches. In Baltic States the Universities take a leading role in coach training, whereas the experience of Nordic countries is that Universities ensure theoretical and scientific background for coaching, while coach training is left to sports federations that issue licences to coaches.

 

The Nordic and Baltic Network for Sports Coach Training (NBN Coach-Training) is cross-sectoral including institutions from the educational sector, sports confederations, sports federations, Olympic Committee. NBN Coach-Training is the Network of institutions all actively involved in the theoretical and/or practical part of coach training. The NBN Coach-Training pivot is a good dissemination of information to partners about teachers’ specific competences and about ongoing and/or planned developmental / research work. Furthermore, it is a specific purpose to promote educator mobility between the educational and sports institutions in order to share knowledge of the respective sectors and to promote co-operation for competence development and application of scientific knowledge in sport area. This new knowledge is important to be shared with others to stimulate further mobility.

 

Expected outcome

 

Improved coach training programmes. Increased network activities and shared responsibilities. Increased student, teacher mobility and appeared a posibility for young coaches mobility between the participating institutions. Good knowledge of partner educations and cultures. Students and teachers are satisfied with network activities. Good information strategies between partners, creative and active participation at network meetings and new ideas for future cooperation.