The Annual Coaches Congress, held over four insightful mornings, concluded on a high note, marking another successful chapter in the event’s editions. This year’s congress, which ran from September 3 to 6, brought together a diverse group of experts, practitioners, and enthusiasts from the coaching community to share knowledge, discuss trends and issues, and inspire each other.

With a record-breaking attendance of 118 participants, the event featured 18 engaging workshops and keynote sessions led by 14 esteemed speakers, each bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the event.

Each morning was packed with dynamic presentations, featuring keynote speakers and interactive workshops that catered to coaches from various disciplines, including Gymnastics for All, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Trampoline Gymnastics. Topics ranged from athlete development, participation retention, skills techniques, display performances, the use of technology to inform performance, to mental wellness in coaching.

Engaging Workshops and Expert Panels

Each day of congress kicked off with a keynote address from Natasha Kang and Hidayat Osman from National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI), Anthony Dorrington from PIT Gymnastics Melbourne and Hansen Bay from Mental Edge Singapore who addressed the importance of physical, technical and mental aspects of athlete development. Following the keynotes, attendees had the opportunity to participate in workshops tailored to their interests, with topics like “Skill Roadmap: Guiding Coaches in Age-Appropriate Skill Development”, “Essential preparation drills for novice tumblers and twisters” and “Utilising technology in coaching video analysis and feedback tools” to name a few.

Positive Feedback and Next Year’s Excitement

Feedback from attendees and presenters alike has been resoundingly positive. Many praised the event’s improved organization, engaging content, and the variety of speakers. “presenter’s expertise was well-balance (not too advanced or too fundamental) making it easy to connect and relate,” said one coach. “I’ve learnt some tools to make training more efficient, that teaches athletes to own their progress and can be used for athlete centred coaching, and tracking performance and progressions.”

Organisers will start planning for next year’s edition and will be seeking suggestions and feedback from participants. For attendees eager to see even more specialized workshops and sessions on emerging trends in coaching, please let us know your thoughts via https://www.singaporegymnastics.org.sg/surveys/6563/

Looking Ahead

As this year’s edition comes to a close, we hope attendees leave energized and equipped with new tools and connections to advance their coaching practices. The event successfully fostered an environment of learning, collaboration, and innovation and SG stays committed to setting the stage for an even bigger and better congress next year.