The aim of the programme is to provide opportunities for an identified group of coaches to work with, and learn from senior colleagues. The ‘Shadowers’ will become part of the coaching staff during an identified period (10 hours). They will work alongside senior colleagues, and will help deliver the performance element of the programme. In discussion with colleagues they will examine some of the key coaching skills required to ensure performance development takes place.
The precondition for female coaches to participate is to have concluded the UKCC level 1 and to commit to finishing the UKCC level 2 which will be given as a scholarship in order to enhance their development and retention to volleyball coaching.
If you are a female coach and are interested in getting involved in this programme please email here as there are vacancies for 2016/2017.
Here are the reflections of Gosha Wojcik a ‘shadowing’ female coach at the recent residential camp at Kilgraston:
“The Female Volleyball Coach Apprenticeship Programme (FVCAP) took place on the beautiful grounds of Kilgraston Independent Boarding School in Perthshire this year and targeted emerging female assistant coaches who had limited coaching experience or limited exposure to operating within a high performance environment. It offered the opportunity to develop coaching skills, create an individual development plan via reflective practice, and also provided ‘hands on’ training and experience. Above all, it opened doors for personal growth derived from seeing the juniors in their achievements.
The apprentices 
were expected to be able to plan and deliver part of the training sessions as well as inspire confidence and motivate children of 12 to 16 years of age over the course of four days. Positive attitude, determination, enthusiasm, open communication and, most importantly, patience turned out to be key in providing the learning environment for the junior players. The programme follows a traditional model where an apprentice coach is mentored by an existing senior Coach, with on-going support. The success of the programme is largely dependent on the effectiveness of that relationship between mentors and the mentees.
The aim of the FVCAP is to accelerate the development of emerging female players already assisting head coaches in their volleyball clubs and enable them to not only learn new skills and knowledge in a supportive environment but also to enhance their impact within the sport and become coaches of the future. Although the conundrum of the national shortage of female volleyball coaches remains, the garnered support provided by the SVA in Kilgraston this summer is a fundamental step in tackling this rather puzzling problem.
Overall, the FVCAP was a very exciting and rewarding experience that I personally benefited from as much as I hope the juniors did. And what a better way to reap the rewards of hard work than seeing juniors progress to become committed young athletes! “