The course was conducted under the FINA Development Programme with an enthusiastic group of 30 course participants taking part including Physical education school teachers and their assistants from TEMIS Early Learning, The Ela Murray International School, Marianville Catholic Ladies College, Koroboro IEA School including the Boroko East and Korobosea Campus plus club coaches and learn to swim teachers in Club Programmes.
Kellie Ball began her teaching/coaching career in 1998 at the Australia Institute of Sport in Canberra and in 2000 completed a Bachelor in Applied Science in Sports Coaching from the University of Canberra and also Bronze level Coaching Licence. Through her coaching experience over the past 10 years as a former head coach in Otumoetai Swimming Club, Taranga, New Zealand and later as a partner in ‘Mission to Swim’ (Manager Tully Swimming Pool and Manager of Swimming Operations) plus running a swim school in South Mission Beach, Queensland, Australia, Kellie brought a wealth of knowledge to Papua New Guinea.
The clinic provided the opportunity for her to educate coaches and teachers on the importance of including biomechanical principles and stroke development techniques into their training programmes and learn-to-swim programmes both in the school system and in the club environment.
PNGS is continually upgrading the level of coaching in the country to a recognised standard in the Oceania Region so that our Physical Education teachers in the school system and coaches are able to develop our youth and athletes in proper technique, through planned training phases to get the best out of them and in later years hopefully perform on the international arena.
Throughout the 8-hour day, 4 day clinic which included classroom theory sessions and pool practical sessions Kellie Ball presented a coaching clinic for growth development. She provided our coaches and teachers information on becoming a more effective Swimming Coach and teacher, “the prerequisites are patience, repetition, fun and celebrating each small step along the way said Kellie.”
“Each lesson should be an enrichment experience, stimulating intellectual growth, emotional balance and physical wellness while encouraging the development of the child’s own character”. It is the teacher’s job to entertain, educate, motivate, inter-relate and facilitate a well structured programme for development, especially in the early years of a child learning to swim.”
Planning was another important area covered in the clinic which covered the importance of goal setting, from the weekly and daily goals based on longer term objectives for all age group swimming in the learn to swim programme planning through to the coaches programme planning.
Coach Ball touched on all aspects of not just being a good coach/teacher but being one that is continually guided by the pursuit of excellence, a thirst to know more about the sport.
“Our goal is to provide our swimmers with the best coaching available in country; and to do this we need to educate our coaches providing them with the latest and best information available to progress in this field. The FINA Development Programme through Oceania Swimming Association and Australia Swim Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) provided us the opportunity to do this,” said Elizabeth Wells.
“The clinic provided a learning platform in a fun, casual and extremely informative environment for all to learn, said Wells” It is through the continuation of programmes like this throughout the country that we will see Swimming as a sport enjoyed by all in a safe environment.
Kellie Ball came to PNG with a great wealth of knowledge to impart to our coaches giving clear, concise explanations understood by all who attended.
It is the hope of PNG Swimming Inc that we will see the sport of swimming being taught in schools throughout the country and have its place in the Physical education curriculum.
In her report, Kellie Ball said: "It was great to have such an enthusiastic group of people."
"The feedback from course participants was fantastic as all were happy and felt they had gained a lot from the opportunity. As a presenter this makes what was a most enjoyable experience very rewarding."
(From Elizabeth Wells, President PNG Swimming Inc)