PROFESSIONAL FRAME OF REFERENCE
Although sport in France today meets a variety of social expectations (health, leisure, socialising, education, etc.), sport practised in a competitive context remains a fundamental part of the sector’s identity.
This is the basis of the originality of the legal organisation of French sport, a mixed system based on the logic of associations and public authorities through the delegation given to certain federations.
This delegation leads to a particular form of organisation in preparation for competition: training.
The development of a range of diplomas in the field of sports coaching, in line with changes in the professions and the expectations of those involved, is a prerequisite for maintaining France’s place on the international sporting scene, particularly at a time when the renewal of technical staff is set to accelerate.
This overhaul began with the creation of a new diploma, the “brevet professionnel de la jeunesse, de l’éducation populaire et du sport” (BPJEPS), in response to the needs clearly expressed by the sector: leaders developing skills covering all areas of youth work and sport at level IV. In the field of sport, this also covers preparation for the first level of competition.
This renovation is now being continued with the construction of a level III qualification, which aims to structure the sector by recognising a professional coordination function in the field of training and its prerequisite, subject teaching.
1. Presentation of the professional sector
The coaching and preparation sector is based on the following two sub-sectors: the federal sector and the professional sector.
Concerning the federal sector, it should be remembered that it includes all sports associations under the law of 1901 whose aim is the preparation, participation and organisation of sports competitions within the framework of national federations approved by the State. From this point of view, this sector is essentially made up of single-sport sports federations, both Olympic (29 federations) and non-Olympic (59 federations).
Within this framework, the total number of these associations is around 85,000, including 75,000 clubs active in the field of Olympic sport. Of this total, around 30% of competitive sports associations employ one or more members of staff, mainly because:
– only a third of them have more than 100 members;
– 70% of clubs have a budget of less than €30,000.
It should be noted that it is difficult to assess the volume of employment in this sector, in particular because of the significant proportion of part-time jobs.
In terms of the number of people taking part, this sector is the one that issues the largest proportion of sports licences. It has 7,900,000 licence holders (58% of all licence holders), including 670,000 for Olympic federations.
Concerning professional sport in particular, the study produced by AFRAPS-RUNOPES (1) shows the following numbers: 543 coaches, 200 physical trainers and 40 mental trainers.
(1) Le Roux (N.), Camy (J.), L’Emploi sportif, éditions AFRAPS-RUNOPES, 2002.
2. Description of the profession
2.1. Designations
A certain number of names are used today: entraîneur, coach, moniteur, etc.
2.2 Employing companies and organisations
These activities are carried out by sports associations affiliated to a sports federation or by companies in the professional sports sector.
2.3. Public concerned
These professionals may be required to work with all competitive publics.
2.4. Scope and nature of work
The importance of coordination activities in the field of coaching means that these professionals are partly involved in the running of the employing organisation.
Their actions are in line with the values and objectives set by the organisation’s governing bodies in terms of expected results.
The methods of intervention that they develop are in line with a logic of collective work and awareness of the environment and sustainable development in order to:
– design sports development programmes;
– coordinate the implementation of a development project in a disciplinary field;
– lead a sports development process;
– lead training initiatives.
2.5. Functional situation
The profession is carried out by men and women, most of whom work part-time. The latter often work staggered hours (particularly evenings and weekends). Statutory employees are generally employed on fixed-term contracts.
2.6. Autonomy and responsibility
The work of these professionals is delegated by the decision-making bodies to which they report periodically on the action taken. Within the framework of this delegation, he acts autonomously.
2.7. Job opportunities and career development
Access to these jobs, which are often preceded by initial experience in sports coaching, corresponds to a career development which may, if necessary, lead to jobs with a more pronounced expertise or management dimension in the coaching sector.
3. Description of activities
The professional activities of these professionals are classified into four main groups of non-hierarchical professional activities:
A. – Designing sports development programmes :
– acting within the framework of local professional and institutional networks;
– taking part in the analysis of the expectations of those who prescribe programmes;
– taking part in the diagnosis of the area in which the organisation is active;
– taking into account the social, educational and cultural realities of the public concerned;
– encourage the involvement of volunteers in the design of the project;
– formalise the objectives of the project;
– analyse the potential and limitations of competitors;
– propose an improvement programme in line with the organisation’s objectives;
– defines teaching methods adapted to the objectives and the target group;
– defines technical methods of intervention;
– defines training methods adapted to the objectives and the competitors;
– takes into account the impact of the activities on the environment;
– he/she designs interventions based on the practices of informal groups;
– he/she designs the various evaluation approaches;
– he/she defines the resources required for the development programme;
– he/she draws up the budgets for the development programme;
– he/she defines the profile of the people involved in implementing a development programme.
B. – Coordinating the implementation of an advanced training programme in a disciplinary field:
– chairing working meetings;
– coordinating a team of volunteers and professionals;
– organising training sessions;
– organising collaboration between professionals and volunteers;
– facilitating participative approaches within the organisation;
– taking part in mentoring activities within the organisation;
– taking part in partner network activities;
– representing the organisation in dealings with partners;
– designs a communication approach;
– plans the use of practice areas;
– anticipates logistical requirements;
– organises technical maintenance;
– ensures compliance with quality procedures;
– controls the budget for programmed activities;
– takes part in the club’s promotional activities;
– reports on the use of the budget for programmed activities;
– draws up technical and sporting reports.
C. – Lead a sports development programme :
– He/she ensures that his/her actions are in line with the organisation’s sporting objectives;
– He/she ensures that competitors are mentally prepared for competition;
– He/she prepares competitors physically for competition;
– He/she provides social support for competitors;
– He/she provides technical training;
– preventing doping and risky behaviour;
– managing group dynamics;
– ensuring compliance with sporting ethics;
– making technical and strategic choices;
– helping competitors to manage success and failure;
– he/she supervises a group in the activity for which he/she is qualified;
– he/she carries out the professional gestures necessary for the safety of the participants;
– he/she safely carries out technical demonstrations in the activity for which he/she is qualified;
– he/she ensures the safety of the participants and third parties;
– checks the conformity of the technical equipment required to perform the activity for which he/she is qualified;
– draws up teaching reports;
– takes part in consultation meetings with the management bodies;
– anticipates possible developments.
D. – Conducting training activities :
– design vocational training activities;
– choose training approaches suited to the target group;
– specify the training content;
– create the necessary teaching aids;
– design the various assessment procedures;
– implement training situations;
– specifying the training organisation to the trainees;
– encouraging exchanges between trainees;
– helping trainees to manage their various training experiences;
– evaluating the impact of their actions;
– suggesting possible extensions.
