Christmas graduation for GB coach Steve Jennings

GB Taekwondo are delighted to announce high performance coach Steve Jennings is to be one of 12 coaches who graduate from the 2010-11 Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme (ECAP) this week.

They will be the first graduates of the coach development scheme, a two-year programme offering an accelerated development opportunity for emerging high performance coaches who are already working within the High Performance System, to enable them to become the elite coaches of the future.

Speaking about the progress made by ECAP graduate and Taekwondo coach, Steve Jennings, GB Taekwondo Performance Director, Gary Hall, said: “Steve has been able to utilise all the benefits of ECAP within his daily role as High Performance Coach to the GB Taekwondo team. Steve has been able to learn and develop in an environment with other coaches who deal with similar performance issues as he does on a daily basis.

“ECAP is a valued elite coach development opportunity delivered by people at UK Sport who understand the needs of elite coaches and thus it is a programme which GB Taekwondo holds in high regard.”

Steve Jennings said: “ECAP workshops have been interactive and enjoyable but also very challenging, we have been taken out of our comfort zone but this was a major part of my learning and something I am really appreciative of.

“The opportunity to work alongside some of Britain’s most successful coaches has been priceless, as have the relationships that we’ve built between us and the honesty we have all come to speak with.

“ECAP has taught me how to effectively manage myself and others; it has been the springboard that has taken my coaching skills and overall approach to a new level.”

Coming together for the seventh and final workshop at Ashridge Business School, the coaches will this week reflect and consolidate what they have learnt throughout the programme, whilst also providing the opportunity to think about how they will continue their development going forward.

UK Sport Director of Performance, Peter Keen, who will present the coaches with their graduation certificates, said: “I congratulate the 12 coaches who are graduating from ECAP this week for the hard work and dedication they have shown over the past two years. I have no doubt that the journey they have been on and lessons they have learnt will aid them enormously as they continue to progress with their coaching careers.

“Ensuring we have a system in place that means we can nurture and develop our best coaches is crucial to the continued success of British Olympic and Paralympic sport and programmes like ECAP enable this to happen.”

The course offers a combination of individualised ‘on the job’ training, with the coaches working alongside designated Master Coaches and Mentors, complemented by a structured workshop programme, focussing on the non-technical coaches skills. Guest speakers, including England U21 and Team GB football coach, Stuart Pearce, have spoken to the group, offering guidance and advice.

Two further groups of emerging high performance coaches are currently midway through their own ECAP journeys, with the latest intake announced by UK Sport in October.

2010-11 Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Graduates

Ian Wynne (Canoeing – Flat Water)
Rob Greenwood (Swimming)
Paul Manning (Cycling)
Mark Earnshaw (Rowing)
Nick Smith (Canoe – Slalom)
James Hillier (Athletics)
Jonas Tawiah Dodoo (Athletics)
Mark Rose (Swimming)
Greg Baker (Disability Table Tennis)
Steve Jennings (Taekwondo)
Craig Parnham (Hockey)
Luke Preston (Judo)