www.Longfei-Taiji.co.uk	Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain
		Longfei Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 3

BCCMA Coaching Programme

Longfei Taijiquan Association will host a Level 2 Coaching Course in October 2007. I would like to emphasise the importance of this qualification for all instructors for the following reasons:

First we have been informed that under the requirements of our instructor insurance we are obliged to avail ourselves of coaching skills or find our insurance null and void. This like all insurance contracts would appear in the small print and we would not discover the clause until we had cause to make a indemnity claim.

Secondly there are international efforts being engineered toward grading systems for Chinese martial arts and qigong. A grading system is already in place for Taijiquan practitioners ('duan' grades similar to 'dan' grades in judo and karate). If you are a member of the Tai Chi Chuan Union for Great Britain and receive the union's magazine you will note that in issue 24 there is an article on the very subject. I quote "Rules for Evaluating Chinese Health Qigong Technical Degrees Abroad".

GOVERNING QIGONG

China, it seems, is rapidly realising that the commerciality, on the
world stage of their Internal Qigong arts, as with Tai Chi Chuan they
are looking, to not only standardise the systems of Qigong taught and
practiced but also create Duan gradings. Their obvious hope that these
gradings will be applied, accepted and ultimately become law
throughout the world, under their control. This report contains
details of their master plan.

       Tai Chi Union Magazine (unauthored)

The article is too long to repeat here. However it does contain three A4 pages of rules and regulations. I cannot see how this can be imposed throughout the world but I feel one safeguard is to conform to the requirements of our own governing body. The BCCMA whatever its faults, does have governing body status recognised by the British Sports Council and therefore the government. And they are the the only body that can deal with the Chinese authorities. Some of you have already obtained these awards in the past, I believe they should be renewed every two years.

Level 2 Coaching Course: Saturday 6 October 2007

To be held at Peace Memorial Hall, High Street,
Codicote,  Herts. SG4 8XE

The course will start at 10am and finish at 5pm

Course fee: £40.00 all proceeds go to the BCCMA

COACHING OFFICER for the BCCMA: Chris Ellerker

Programme:

Rules and responsibilities of a coach

Safe training practice

Health and safety legislation

Code of practice

Injuries and emergencies

Coaching plans

Planning coaching sessions for beginners

Intermediate levels and elite athletes

Coaching skills (practical work)

Administration and legal requirements

Data protection act and recommended guidelines

Protection of children

Chris Ellerker is a distinguished member of the BCCMA, he has served as chairman, was involved in the development of the council's NVQ system as well as the organisation and delivery of the coaching programme. This course is not about taijiquan, it's about the efficacy of our delivery.

Richard Watson

Longfei Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 3 Table of Contents