Course Outline

SPX371 Advanced Coaching Science

Course Coordinator:Mark Sayers (msayers@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Sport and Exercise Science

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course introduces you to advanced coaching skills. You will undertake a critical sports science review and present your findings in both written and oral contexts. These tasks will provide you with the skills to be an effective communicator and qualify you for the Australian Sports Commission Course Presenter certificate. You will also critique and report on your own coaching performances using audio visual technologies. On successful completion of embedded industry courses you will be eligible for Australian Sports Commission certificates in Mentor Training and Assessor Training.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Combination of pre-recorded and other online learning materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Laboratory 1 – Face-to-face on campus activities designed to develop individual skills and to contextualise the learning materials 2hrs Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Question and answer session relating to the learning materials 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

  • Roles of the HP Coach
  • Coaching Effectiveness
  • Communication
  • Structured Planning
  • Integrated Planning
  • Working with Teams
  • Speed
  • Competition Planning
  • Course Presenter Training

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Exercise and Sports Science Australia
1 Develop mentoring skills and understand the role of mentoring in personal development Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
1.2.5
2 Communicate sport science and coaching principles to both scientific and applied audiences Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Engaged
1.2.5, 1.2.6
3 Interact and work effectively with small groups and colleagues in varied sports contexts Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
1.2.6
4 Understanding of the role that exercise plays in individual, community, national and international health Knowledgeable
Ethical
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed

                                    

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Exercise and Sports Science Australia
1.2.5 Select and apply contextually appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication strategies in a timely and respectful manner to engage effectively with clients, service users, colleagues, and relevant others.
1.2.6 Practice collaboratively within intraprofessional, interprofessional, and multidisciplinary teams, incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise to effectively address whole-person health and human performance needs.

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

SPX102 and SPX203

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Early feedback is provided via Assessment Task 1

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Report Individual 25%
400 words
Week 4 Online Submission
All 2a Oral and Written Piece Individual 50%
15 mins
Refer to Format In Class
All 2b Written Piece Individual 25%
Provide feedback for at least 75% of the class presentations
Refer to Format Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Report on your Mentor Circle
Goal:
To develop your communication and mentoring skills
Product: Report
Authorship Statement:
Format:
In the first week of trimester we will start developing your skills as a mentor and work towards providing you with a Mentor Training certificate. To that end you will be assigned 1-3 students from the 1st year of our Program as mentees, with whom you will meet (face-to-face or remotely via Zoom, etc.) at least two times and develop a brief report (400 words) which highlights what you have done with your mentor circle and what you have learned about the process. Although it is anticipated that you will maintain contact with your mentees over the course of the trimester (perhaps having monthly meeting), this is not part of this assessment.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Evidence that you meet with your mentees at least twice
1 3
2
Reflection on your experiences and learnings from your mentoring
1
3
Development of an appropriate mentoring agreement
1
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2a:Annual Plan Presentation
Goal:
To demonstrate your understanding of coaching practices and develop your oral presentation skills by presenting an advanced coaching plan for a group of athletes
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Presentations should be of an equivalent professional standard to those delivered at national coaching conferences or similar, including appropriate attire and behaviours. The plan is to be extensive and include macro/microcycle and session specific details. You should be prepared to answer questions about all aspects of the plan.
There will be a 15 minute time limit for the delivery with a further 10 minutes for questions. Strict time frames will be adhered to. The oral delivery must be accompanied by a corresponding PowerPointTM presentation. The PowerPointTM presentation must be submitted via Canvas or to the course convener at least one day prior to the presentation day. Presentations will occur in class over the last 3 weeks of trimester. This assessment task is worth 50% of the TFG.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Delivery of presentation – professional elements
2 3
2
Integration of current best practices from the varioius sport science disciplines
2
3
Communication skills
2
4
Ability to answer questions
2
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2b:Peer Assessment of Oral Presentations
Goal:
To demonstrate your ability to assess oral presentations based on research information relating to coaching and/or athlete preparation and training
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Feedback will be in the form of a feedback sheet with agreed assessment criteria as identified in class. You will submit this assessment task on the first Tuesday (by 11:59pm) following the final week of trimester. This is to give you a chance to complete your assessments.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
You must develop an inciteful question from at least 75% of the presentations that make up Assessment Task 2a
3
2
You must provide feedback from at least 75% of the presentations that make up Assessment Task 2a
3
3
Understanding how coaching fits in with exercise to develop health
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Australian Sports Commission 2006 Assessor Training Participant Manual Australian Sports Commission Canberra
Required Ian Crawford 2009 Presenter/Facilitator Training Manual Australian Sports Commission Canberra

Specific requirements

​It is compulsory for all students to wear suitable exercising clothing and covered footwear appropriate for physical activity in practical classes and for all practical sessions. Appropriate sun protection and hydration strategies for all outdoor and practical activities are also the responsibility of the student. 

Lists of required and recommended readings may be found for this course on its Canvas page. These materials/readings will assist you in preparing for tutorials and assignments, and will provide further information regarding particular aspects of your course.

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: