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IJEM 19,6

The educational system for training coaches in Greece

Athanasios Laios
Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece
Abstract
Purpose Coaches leave an indelible mark on all their athletes by striving to exemplify the highest moral character, behaviour and leadership. Coaching is said to be as much an art as a science, and demands creativity and individual interpretation of people and situations. The aim of this study was to present the educational system for training coaches in Greece. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a review of the literature and Greek sports legislation. Findings It was found that the occupation of coaching can be practised in Greece by: graduates of the ve departments of Physical Education and Sports Science; holders of a certicate or diploma from coaching schools in foreign countries accredited by the Greek Centre of Sport Research and Technology; and holders of a certicate or diploma from special schools set up by the General Secretariat for Sport. The results showed signicant differences regarding the institution which issue coaching diplomas, duration of coach training periods and source of the ofcial and legal licence given. Originality/value The study provides useful information on the Greek system of training and educating coaches, the duration of their studies, the category, and the teaching staff. Keywords Coaching, Sports, Education, Training, Greece Paper type Literature review

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International Journal of Educational Management Vol. 19 No. 6, 2005 pp. 500-504 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0951-354X DOI 10.1108/09513540510617445

Introduction It is indisputable that coaches must have a high specic technical competence. This competence is the basis of the trust between coach and athlete. The focus of training for coaches is therefore clearly on scientic disciplines. Much emphasis is placed on considerations related to a range of medical and scientic topics including biomechanics, methods of performance analysis, theory of training, and talent identication, among others. Coaches should also have special knowledge related to sociological, pedagogical, biological and psychological issues (Kozel, 1997). The roles of the coach are many and varied. That is why they should develop numerous skills that require special training. These include: . knowing how to communicate effectively with athletes; . understanding the learning process and training principles; . understanding and implementing appropriate teaching methods; . understanding the capabilities of growing children; . advising athletes on task safety; . preparing training schedules to meet the needs of each athlete; . assisting athletes in developing new skills; . advising athletes on use of legal supplements; and . evaluating athletes competition performance.

The coaches roles are many, including those of instructor, assessor, friend, mentor, facilitator, chauffeur, demonstrator, advisor, supporter, motivator, counsellor, leader, organiser and planner (Laios, 1999). In many other respects, the role of a coach is similar to that of a manager. Both are responsible for achieving results, although other people do the work. Coaches want their charges to be successful, and will want to manage their activities in order to achieve that success (Martin and Coe, 1991). The organisational structure of sports in Greece Greece, like other European countries, has assigned the development and the promotion of sports to sports clubs. School and college sports, even where they exist, are undervalued. Sports clubs are responsible for the development of sports in Greece. Sport and all its activities are under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. The Secretariat for Sports belongs to this Ministry, where main executive administrative ofce is the General Secretariat for Sports. The 29 sports federations report to the General Secretariat for Sports. From an organisational, administrational and functional point of view, these sport federations control all sports clubs in Greece. The sports federations are the supreme bodies which stand over sports clubs, and their main task is to develop and promote the sport they represent (Kousoulis and Malatos, 2000). Until 1978, all sports in Greece were organised and functioned at amateur level. In 1979, soccer (football) became professional and soccer Societies Anonyme were created, which operate as prot-oriented companies (Hamakos and Taxildaris, 1994). In 1991, basketball and volleyball also became professional sports (FIBA, 1991). In 1997, a professional league was created (HEBA, 1997). In Greece, football and basketball are the only ofcially professional sports. In Greece, if an individual wishes to become a coach, he/she is able to do so only by dealing with sports clubs that operate outside of a school context. The organisation, training and leading of school sports teams, in primary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, are the responsibility of and under supervision of the teachers of physical education. School sports face many organisational and nancial problems. The system for developing and promoting sports in Greece is quite different from the system in the USA, Canada and Australia. Persons engaged in coaching can only work in the 5,000 amateur or professional clubs. Carrying on the profession of coach is only permitted if the coach holds a special licence, which is issued by the General Secretariat for Sports. The occupation of coaching can be practised in Greece by: . The graduates of the ve departments of Physical Education and Sports Science, who hold a diploma in coaching in a specic sport. These departments belong to the universities of Greece. The holders of such a coaching diploma belong automatically to the coaching category A, which is the highest one. . The holders of certicates or diplomas awarded by coaching schools or institutions in foreign countries accredited by the Greek Centre of Sport Research and Technology, a special department of the General Secretariat for Sports. . The holders of certicates or diplomas awarded by specialised schools set up by the General Secretariat for Sport. There are three categories of such certicates or diplomas: A, B and C (Panagiotopoulos, 1990). Students of the departments of Physical Education and Sports Science, receive two diplomas on graduation:

Training coaches in Greece

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(1) A diploma of teacher of physical education, which entitles them to teach in primary and high schools. (2) A coaching category A diploma, which entitles them to coach at any level of competition in the sport they choose. Four semesters are required to obtain the coaching diploma; these are offered in the third and fourth year of study (Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, 1996). Coaching schools categories of coaches in Greece Each of the 29 sports federations in Greece is able to organise special coaching schools. These coaching schools are organised every two years in different cities in order to provide coaching diplomas in categories A, B and C. By means of decision of its board of directors, the Hellenic Football Federation can establish and organise coaching schools in soccer. Depending on their level of training soccer coaches can be: . Category A coaches, who have the right and licence to train professional and amateur soccer players in all divisions. . Category B coaches, who have the right and licence to train amateur soccer players in all amateur championship divisions and professional soccer players in all divisions except the First Division (top league). . Category C coaches, who have the right and licence to train amateur soccer players in all divisions. The Hellenic Basketball Federation, in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Sports, can organise category B and C coaching schools for basketball during the months of June, July and August each year. Also, every two years, during the same period of time, category A coaching schools for basketball are organised as well. Depending on their level of training basketball coaches can be: . Category A coaches, who have the right and licence to coach mens and womens basketball teams in all divisions. In order for someone to attend a category A basketball school he/she should not be over 50 years of age. . Category B coaches, who have the right and licence to coach basketball teams in the 2nd National Division and smaller divisions of mens and womens basketball teams. In order for someone to attend a category B basketball school he/she should be between 25 and 45 years old. . Category C coaches, who have the right and licence to coach mens and womens basketball teams which participate in local championships. In order for someone to attend a category C basketball school he/she should be between 25 and 40 years old. The Hellenic Volleyball Federation, in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Sports, can organise category A, B and C coaching schools for volleyball. Depending on their level of training volleyball coaches can be: . Category A coaches, who have the right and licence to coach mens and womens volleyball teams. In order for someone to attend a category A school he/she should be at least 30 years old.

Category B coaches, who have the right and licence to coach volleyball teams in the 2nd National Division and A2 National Womens Division and smaller divisions of mens and womens volleyball teams. In order for someone to attend a category B school he/she should be at least 26 years old. Category C coaches, who they have the right and licence to coach mens volleyball teams in the 3rd Division, the 2nd National Womens Division and smaller divisions. In order for someone to attend a category C school he/she should be at least 25 years old.

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The duration of all schools for soccer, basketball and volleyball coaches, organised by the General Secretariat of Sports, is 30 days. During this period of time, specialised college professors and famous and experienced coaches teach ten hours each day. The content of the curriculum includes varied topics such as biomechanics, methods of performance analysis, advanced coaching, theory of training, psychology, functions of management, communication skills, pedagogy, etc. At the end of each coaching school period, all candidates have to pass written and practical examinations.

Foreign coaches In order for a foreign coach to acquire a licence to train and coach in Greece and work in a professional soccer team in Division I, he/she should: . hold a category A licence; . be aged no more than 55; and . have been working during the last two years in soccer team in the 1st National Division as a head coach or in a national mens team of a foreign country. In order for a foreign coach to acquire a licence to train and coach in Greece and work in a professional basketball team in Division I, he/she should: . hold a category A licence; . be aged no more than 55; . have been working as head coach at least for a year in a National Mens Division; . or have been working as head coach in the top Division of his/her country for at least three years; or . have been working as a head coach of the National College Athletic Association for three years. In order for a foreign coach to acquire a licence to train and coach in Greece and work in a professional volleyball team in Division I, he/she should: . hold a category A licence; . be aged no more than 55; . have been working as head coach at least for a year in the National Mens Division; or . have been working as head coach in the top division of his/her country for at least three years.

IJEM 19,6
Institution Duration

Universities-colleges departments of physical education 4 semesters over 2 years

Greek Centre of Sport Coaching schools organised by the General Research and Technology Secretariat for Sports 30 days every 1-2 years A, B and C University professors experienced coaches General Secretariat for Sports Approved within a month A Committee of ve members General Secretariat for Sports

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Category of diploma A Teaching staff Licence issued by University faculty Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs

Table I.

Conclusion The roles and duties of coach are many and varied to a high degree. Therefore, coaches should have special knowledge. The art of coaching comes when the coach has to analyse the scientic data and convert it into coaching and training schedules to help develop the athlete. The analysis process relies heavily on the coachs experience and knowledge of the sport and the athlete concerned. Greek citizens who wish to coach amateur or professional teams must hold a special licence or diploma. These diplomas can be obtained from two governmental sources: from the Departments of Physical Education and Sports Science and from the General Secretariat of Sports. There are no private coaching schools in Greece. The licences-diplomas fall into three categories. Coaches who hold a category A diploma can coach any professional team in any divisions. Coaches with a category B diploma can coach amateur teams in all divisions and professional teams except for the First Division (Top League), while coaches with a category C diploma can coach amateur teams in all divisions. The Greek system of training and educating coaches, the duration of their studies, the category, and the teaching staff are depicted in Table I.
References Federation Internationale de Basketball, Olympic Movement (FIBA) (1991), Comite Internationale Olympique, FIBA. Hamakos, T. and Taxildaris, K. (1994), The sports club as a business concern, Sports Sciences, Vol. 1. Hellenic Basketball Federation (HEBA) (1997), Five Years of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, HEBA, Athens. Kousoulis, S. and Malatos, A. (2000), Sport Legislation, Sakkoulas Press, Athens. Kozel, J. (1997), Educating coaches for the twentieth century a German perspective, The Sport Educator, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 41-4. Martin, D.E. and Coe, P.N. (1991), Training Distance Runners, Leisure Press, Champaign, IL. Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (1996), Greek Universities, Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Athens. Laios, A. (1999), The Application of Basic Functions of Management in Coaching, University Press, Thessaloniki. Panagiotopoulos, D. (1990), Sports Code, Sakkoulas Press, Athens.