A coach can reflect on their sessions to see if they have achieved the aims and objectives. Reflection also allows you as a coach to look back at past performances to see if you did the best you could of done and to see if there is anything you could have done better.
It is recommended that you reflect a few days after the session so that you will have a clearer mind, for example if you are angry at how bad the session went your view will be very biased if you reflect straight after, where as if you reflect a few days after you could find that the session was not as bad as you thought.
The way to reflect on a coaching session is to have a few questions or a model to follow. The model that I find is really effective but also easy to follow is Gibb's reflective cycle (pictured below). A few days after the session take a look back; identify the positives of the session, then explore what made it a positive element? Was it your demonstration that made it so successful? Then write down what you did, for example 'my demonstration helped the athletes understand the drill a lot better because I did a good example and a bad example'. Next look at a possible improvement, so what didn't go so well? What could I do to make it better? For example, 'my explanation was poor because I rambled on, so next time I need to communicate verbally in 3 sharp clear points.'
There are many benefits reflection can have on you as a coach, reflection helps identify positives and improvements within the session. This will help your development because as a coach it's all about learning, it's a fact that activities you deliver will at times not have the desired outcome. However it's how you adapt the sessions or change the way you deliver the session that will help improve the outcome. Furthermore the problem could be with a child, the child could be misbehaving and you reflect on how you handled it. It is worth noting everything down because you can look back on it at a later date when you need some help or a reminder of what worked last time with a certain child or group.
I engage in a lot of reflection due to a lot of university modules and I have found that reflection has had a massive impact on my coaching. Reflection has made me look at my coaching in a whole different way, I also look at how to make my coaching better because I find it easier highlighting what went wrong rather than what went well. A tutor told me if a referee can't remember the game they have had a good game. We all focus on the negatives but really we should look at what was positive and why did it go well? I have had a good experience of reflecting and will continue to reflect on my sessions as it helps me develop as a coach by improving on weaknesses but also helps me highlight the successes.
To conclude, reflecting on a session helps you as a coach to identify positives and weaknesses of a session, however the deeper you reflect the more you will get out of it. So asking why and how will help get deeper into the reflection. The reflection should take place a few days after because you will be biased towards the session it will be more effective if you have a clear mind. Then the next stage is to act upon the reflection and develop this into future sessions.
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