BC Coaches Week Profile: Jody Jackson – Golf

British Columbia Coaches Week is September 20-27.  An initiative of viaSport, this week focuses on the recruitment, development and celebration of sport coaches with events around the province.   In honour of BC Coaches Week, we wanted to introduce and profile some of our BC Games Coaches.

The BC Winter and BC Summer Games are an important part of BC’s athlete development pathway, but the Games also provide an important opportunity for coaching development including earning certification, attending coaching clinics, and learning from other coaches around the province.  Organizations like British Columbia Golf have made the BC Games an important part of their coaching development where young coaches can learn from experienced coaches like Jody Jackson.

Question and Answers with Jody Jackson

How many BC Games and/or Canada Games have you attended as a coach?
2008 BC Summer Games – PSO Technical Director/Head Coach
2009 Canada Summer Games – Head Coach
2010 BC Summer Games – PSO Technical Director/Head Coach
2011 Western Canada Summer Games – Head Coach
2014 BC Summer Games – PSO Technical Director/Head Coach

What is your favourite thing about coaching?
I have always loved being involved in sports and feel naturally drawn to leadership. In the role of coach, I can have both!  I enjoy inspiring others to go further and to do better than they could have on their own.  When someone that I am working with “lights up”, be it an apprentice coach or one of my players, I know that we are in the right place at the right time for both of us.  Life is a continual journey of learning, growing and becoming better at whatever it is that we are choosing to do.  Those “ah ha” moments are what drives me as a coach and leader.  In today’s world, there is an accelerated search for meaning in all that we do.  Connecting with others, in a meaningful vision, is my favourite thing about coaching!

Do you have a particular coaching style?
Visionary.  I am on a continuous path of evolving my knowledge base, techniques and skills so that I may “think/act out of the box” and deliver the best leadership possible for the circumstances of any given moment.  I agree with the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus who stated:  The only constant in life is change. 

What is your coach certification level? 
Bachelor of Physical Education, Major in Coaching – completed NCCP Theory Levels 1 – 111 (1985-89)
NCCP Golf – Coaching Developing Competitors (CDC) – In Training (2008-2009)
54 Coach – Complete Game Coach Training with Vision54 (2011)
EQ Certified Practitioner – Six Seconds – The Emotional Intelligence Network (2013)

What was your favourite memory from the BC Games and/or Canada Games?
In 2009, it was the inaugural Canada Summer Games for our sport and I was named Head Coach for Team BC.  Working hand-in-hand with our PSO Manager of Player Development, Debbie Pyne, a high-performance training plan evolved with a number of strategic moves that ended up being “game changers”.  I developed a holistic training model involving specialists to support player performance, we agreed to include an on-site training camp in PEI several months prior to the games, we decided on team transportation to control this aspect of the experience and we rented an on-site cabin at the golf course to act as our team’s central headquarters.  The final innovative approach involved my on-course coaching, which focused on collaboration. We relied on each other as a team and I acted as a liaison sharing information amongst our players, especially involving the par 3’s.  The end result was winning 6 of 8 medals, 4 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze.

How is coaching at a multisport Games different from a single sport event?  
Specifically, for our sport, we have written into the Technical Package that coaches are allowed to “give advice” to players, i.e. coach, during the competitive rounds.  This does not occur during the regular single sport events that our Provincial and National Sport Organizations govern.  I feel this is an excellent feature of the multi-sport environment for both our developing players and coaches.  More generally, the multi-sport environment is one where participants must understand what is under their control and what is not.  If they do not get this right, then their individual “state of being” will be dramatically affected by the circumstances beyond their control, i.e. transportation, cafeteria, accommodation, and performance may be negatively impacted.

What were you able to learn from other coaches at the BC Games?
Firstly, that the experience will be remembered for a lifetime by all, so be absolutely present with it and enjoy!  Secondly, those coaches that were most able to be flexible with any given circumstance, were best at holding a congruent and/or grounded state.  In this place of being grounded and balanced, we are best equipped to support others in being the best they can be.  Lastly, there are many different ways to get to the finish line, no way is the one and only way.

Do you have a coach mentor?
Golf: Pia Nilsson (former coach of Annika Sorrenstam) and Lynn Marriot, both founders of Vision54

What are your next goals as a Coach?
I have a couple different goals, one that is concerned with the community of golf and the other related to my personal development.

Community:
To be part of a positive change for LPGA T&CP members in Canada, so that we may have equal opportunity to make a difference in growing the game. Unfortunately, the Ladies Professional Golf Association – Teaching & Club Professionals (LPGA T&CP) is not a fully recognized professional organization by both Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada on several levels.

In terms of coaching, we are currently denied access to register for any and all NCCP courses within the competitive development stream. Access is only available to PGA of Canada members. This prevents LPGA members from coaching within the national competitive pathway which includes such competitions as the Western Canada Summer Games and the Canada Summer Games.  So, I have been involved, amongst a number of Canadian LPGA T&CP colleagues, in advocating for both the recognition of our credentials and our organization as a major stakeholder in golf in Canada by both Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada.

Personal Development:
I have just become certified as an EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Practitioner via a global network called Six Seconds.  I believe EQ is the next major learning curve not only for better sport performance but for developing champions in life. I hope to continue to grow and develop as a specialist in mental, emotional and social performance and be a consultant (coach of coaches) for our sport of golf and beyond, i.e. sport and recreation community, corporate industry, public service, etc.

Please click here for the original article on BC Games Society’s website