Hello everyone! This is Coach Small! Thanks for your interest in this important question: What are strategies for coaching children with special needs?
When coaching children with special needs, it is absolutely vital that you create a strong supportive environment, where they can truly thrive. As a youth coach, it can require quite a bit of patience and perseverance to work with children with special needs, so here are three tried and true strategies for coaching children in this context:
Utilize An Individualized Approach
As it pertains to youth athletes with special needs, their coaches must recognize that each child is unique and may have different disabilities and challenges that they have to deal with on a daily basis. You must take the time to understand their specific needs and tailor your coaching approach accordingly, to accommodate those needs.
Modify your team’s drills, exercises, or techniques to meet their capabilities, and provide extra assistance or accommodations where necessary. You must celebrate and bolster the child’s strengths and focus on maximizing their potential, rather than dwelling on their limitations. Doing so, will be counterproductive, to say the least.
Clear Communication and Instructions
Communication is the ultimate key when coaching children with disabilities or special needs. When coaching, be sure to use clear and concise language, visuals, demonstrations, and/or hands-on guidance to facilitate a firm understanding.
Break down instructions or concepts into simpler steps, and provide repetition and reinforcement as needed. Encourage open dialogue and actively listen to the child’s concerns or questions. Remember to exercise patience and maintain a helpful and calm demeanor, when working with youth athletes with special needs.
Adapted/Modified Equipment
Should a player’s special needs be more physical in nature, you should greatly consider utilizing adapted equipment or modifications to make the sports environment more accessible and comfortable for the player. This may include using specialized assistive devices, adjusting the playing field or equipment, or providing additional support such as visual aids or extra time for tasks.
If there are sports equipment stores in your area, make contact with them. They may be able to assist you in modifying any necessary equipment.
Create A Supportive Team Environment
You should cultivate an accepting environment where the child feels valued and included in all team activities. It is also imperative that you encourage teammates to be supportive and understanding, by promoting empathy and respect towards the player with special needs.
As it relates to your team working together to achieve a common goal, you want to facilitate worthwhile opportunities for team building and collaboration. A player on your team, who has special needs, is no exception. That is why it is of the utmost importance, to have ALL players take part in these types of team projects.
Just like any other young athlete, children with special needs want/need to feel like they are part of something great, so be sure to utilize all the tools at your coaching disposal, to help facilitate that.
Seek Professional Development
If you are fortunate enough to be coaching special needs children on a regular basis, it is recommended that you regularly engage in professional development opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills in how to better work with these particular athletes. Attend workshops, conferences, or courses that cover topics such as:
adapted physical education – physical education which may be adapted or modified to address the individualized needs of children and youth who have gross motor developmental delays
disability awareness – the practice of knowing, acknowledging, and accepting individuals’ experiences as they relate to disability
unique coaching techniques – practices and strategies that can be tailored to the specific athletic requirements for youth athletes who have special needs
In Conclusion…
Be sure that you are mentally and emotionally prepared to coach a child who has special needs. It is a very significant task for you to undertake, so be wary. Always keep in mind that every child is unique, and it is essential to adapt your coaching strategies based on the individual needs and abilities of each athlete.
Consistent and open communication with parents, caregivers, or any support team involved in the child’s development can also be beneficial in understanding and meeting their specific requirements. Do what you can to meet the child halfway and walk with them the rest of the way.
Please feel free to leave a comment below, about this discussion! If not, you can simply say “Hi!”. I like it when people say “Hi!”. And as always…thanks for reading!