Staff Training at Glenmore Lodge

For the first few days this week I'm attending winter staff Training at Glenmore Lodge. I'm sometimes asked what I get out of working at 'The Lodge' (I could make more money working for myself) but days like today never fail to leave me with admiration for my colleagues in terms of their experience, knowledge and the passion for excellence they bring to their work. Today we were looking at issues around Avalanche education including an update on the Lodge research on the use of transceiver, shovel and probe in the Scottish winter, new courses they are offering and a great afternoon session (set up by Doug) making us think about how we design the learning of some of the skills and techniques involved and how we create good decision makers when it comes to avalanche avoidance.

The day finished with a great little update on all things Petzl from Roger and Martin from Lyon equipment. More training please!!

 Coffee time and winter outside

 The transceiver park (note the footprints following the flux line into the buried transceiver)

 Doug's whiteboard

No closeups… what followed was highly classified!

Foundation Coach Training

Great to be running another Mountain Training Foundation Coach Training at the Ice Factor today. 8 students with a wide range of backgrounds and experience bases but all were keen to get stuck in and learn. The F Coach is still quite new but I finally feel like I'm getting to grips with the syllabus and delivery.

What does a good coach look like?

 Observation

 Observation of climbing

 Progressions

 Going a little further

 a different session

 Bridging

Lots going on!

FUNdas 1 at The Ice Factor

After yesterday's flying vista to Sheffield today I was putting it into practise running an MCofS FUNdas 1 at The Ice Factor. Despite a lack of slabs and the presence of a Christmas Fayre and Santa (bah… humbug…) we got through the learning outcomes well for my mixed bag of students associated with UHIMC.

 Scott and Ken exploring warmups

 Dave A and Dave B… if you enjoy it and it doesn't harm anyone else guys...

 Centre of Mass and Centre of Gravity...

 Learning to stand on one leg...

 Ken is the blind slab climber assassin

 Corks...

 Precision… accuracy… or both?

 Scott's feet...

Hand hold (s)

 Name that hold in one!

FUNdamentals CPD in Sheffield

Today I was in Sheffield at Awesome Walls in my role as an MCofS FUNdamentals of Climbing provider. We were meeting with most of the BMC providers to discuss how the syllabus is developing and issues with the syllabus. The FUNdas are the 'what to coach' part of the Mountain Training \coaching pathway and look at the basics of climbing movement. The coaches in the room make up the greatest concentration of Coaching Development  knowledge and experience in the UK in terms of working with grass routes coaches- those doing the bulk of the work with young people and introductory climbing sessions. We were examining what we all do and looking at the detail of what and how we present it to those on our courses.
On the way home to put it into practise this weekend with a FUNdas 1 tomorrow and a Foundation Coach Training on sunday. Then I get my first opportunity to touch some snow as part of the Glenmore Lodge Staff Training early next week.

 The finer points of introducing the coaching slab climbing

Katherine on CofG and stability

Dave Binney on the wheelbarrow principle

Developing the Development Coaches

Day 2 of the Glenmore Lodge  Mountain Training Development Coach Training and we were at Inverness Leisure Centre's Climbing Wall all day. A great deal more practice, informed discussion and skilled learning going on. although I was Directing the Course I learnt loads!! The course is very much about the pedagogy (the 'how to') of coaching climbing with some theory and a lot of chance to put it into practise and review with fellow coaches. Our well experienced group kept us on our toes again today but we got some great learning outcomes listed at the end of the day and some good feedback.

 The (by now classic) exercise on Practise

 What next

 Technical, Tactical, PHYSICAL and Psychological aspects of climbing

 Did the route climb like they thought it would?

 Video check for confirmation

 Rachel and Sandy using a traffic light system to plan their routes

 Nathan getting Tactical

 Nathan's Route

Reviews

Coaching Coaches, working hard-Development Coach Training

Some of my work feels easy, some harder. Today I was definitely stretched! I'm working with Jon directing a Mountain Training Development Coach Training at Glenmore Lodge. The team includes good climbers, MIA/MIC Trainers, a School Head of Outdoor Education, Club Rugby coaches, experienced climbing wall coaches and former National Hockey players… and all have opinions about coaching. From the word go we knew we'd be working hard on this course. Points were debated from a basis of both knowledge and direct experience and opinions were always forthcoming. We started at Glenmore and then headed to Inverness Leisure Centre for a very practical afternoon where the framework program was a good start but again a flexible approach was needed to react to the needs, interests and existing experience levels of the students- good coaching practise in fact! Photos limited today as I was thinking on my feet all day long to get the most out of the day for the team…. LOVE days like this- more tomorrow!

 The outcome is more than the sum of the parts...

 Individual sporting pathways

One perspective

 Multiple perspectives

Leading in the Lowlands again

The weekend saw me based in Glasgow working for East Dunbartonshire Council directing my second Lowland Leader Award Training of the week. This time we had 10 candidates so I had help in the form of Helen and Alan from EDC, George from MTS was there to moderate me and Charlie the dog was around too (although I'm not sure he could be described as help). After a long and slightly grey day around Mugdock Country Park on Saturday Aberfoyle did us proud with an immaculate weather day as we explored the surround of the town.

 Planning for day 2

 Into the valley of the spiders...

 …more mutant insect life?

 getting low for the photo

 The Osprey

 Low mist and a great sky

 The tree on Doon Hill

 Taking shelter

 View from Doon Hill