Athletics SA coaching courses

Long-time Athletics SA-accredited coach Don Brown is encouraging everyone to have a go at an athletics coaching course. Athletics SA is hosting two coaching courses on Sunday, September 12 at the SA Athletics Stadium. Find out more here.

The Level 1 Community Athletics Coach course -  Sunday, September 12, 9am-4pm

The Level 1 Recreational Running Coach course - Sunday, September 12, 9.30am-4.30pm

There is no better way to help local athletes reach their potential, track their progress and make your mark on the sport than to become an accredited coach. 

Athletics SA is offering two Level 1 coaching courses on Sunday, September 12 which can be completed online or in person at the SA Athletics Stadium.

Long-time Athletics SA-accredited coach, Don Brown, said coaching was a very rewarding activity which has provided him the opportunity to mentor hundreds of local athletes of varying ages and skill level. 

"I love coaching the little ones and also those striving to improve with each session," he said. 

"When you see the look on someone's face after they jump 9m (triple jump) for the first time, run a personal best, or feel they are getting over hurdles a lot faster, that's why you do it."

The Level 1 Community Athletics Coach course will run from 9am-4pm and will focus on developing coach's human management skills and understanding of physical literacy, helping coaches to prepare beginning athletes for Track and Field success. Register here. 

The Level 1 Recreational Running Coach course will run be held from 9.30am-4.30pm and will teach the fundamental technique of running, the components of a successful program and warm up and cool down techniques. Register here.

Don believed the experiences from athletics coaching, as well as the skills gained from a coaching course were transferrable to other sports.

"What you learn as an athletics coach can absolutely be utilised in football, cricket, soccer and a wide variety of sports," he said. 

"It's amazing how much your running technique can help you perform and also help in injury prevention and recovery.

"I have coached athletes that have gone on to play AFL and helped other professional athletes, such as cricketers, to assist with their running technique."

Don trains his squad at the SA Athletics Stadium on weeknights.

Don said he saw himself as more of a "problem solver" than a coach. 

"Everyone developes their own coaching technique - I am a pretty basic in my coaching and training," he said. 

"I watch the athletes and if I see a problem then I will see what I can do to help that person because everyone is different.

"The answer might not come out of a coaching manual, but if it works then we roll with it - for example, one of the running drills we do, I stole from American Football."

Starting his coaching journey as a 16-year-old, simply because he saw a group of young athletes that he believed could benefit from his assistance, Don has spent the last 64 years in coaching.  

"I was training with Western Athletic Club and I saw some kids out there having a go, they didn't know what they were doing so I went over and started helping them with their technique," he said.

"I just showed them what I had been learning and one of them turned out to be a pretty good sprinter, and then I started coaching jumps at Little Athletics.

"I have spent 50 years coaching pretty seriously and I love it, I am involved with coaching schools - during school, before schools and school holidays - and I also have my usual crew that I coach at the stadium on weeknights."

He believed keeping an open mind, understanding athletes strengths and weaknesses, team building, goal motivation and visualisation were key aspects of coaching.