COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – There has been a shift in the approach to coaching within USA Archery, and the person at the center of it all is Guy Krueger, the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award in Coach Education from World Archery Americas, as well as the USOPC 2023 Coach Educator of the Year.
That shift, according to USA Archery’s Director of Education, happened from embracing two things: evidence-based coaching practice and a learner-centered approach to coaching and teaching.
He said, “Just seeing the benefits of that, and how powerful it can be, not only to coaching athletes but now to coaching coaches.”
As part of the focus on educating the educators, Krueger has made the most of evidence-based coaching practices, though he admits to there being plenty of collaboration along the way.
“There have been a lot of trusted mentors and advisers in the coach education world,” he added. “These have come from outside of archery and inside.
“It was then a case of taking all of those puzzle pieces they were offering and putting them together to create this direction that we’ve taken in coach education within USA Archery.”
These two awards for Krueger are recognition of the work he has put in to elevate an area perhaps overlooked, with arguably a greater focus previously on coaches coaching athletes and less of coaches being coached. For Krueger, receiving awards from World Archery Americas and the USOPC (United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee) suggests he is on the right path.
“My goal has always been with our coach education that we were a leader in the world, in coach education, and not just in archery but in all sports,” Krueger began.
“And that what we provide could really be a model to other sports and other countries. Some of that has carried over from the mindset that I developed as a national team athlete, and then progressing to a coach.
“Now I’m just trying to take our coach education to that level, to where we can be the best in the world.”
The approach to coaching has changed and continues to change, and USA Archery and Krueger are keen to remain at the forefront.
“Initially there was a little coach education out there,” Krueger explained. “That evolved into coach education that focused primarily on what to coach.
“I think the shift that USA Archery has made is that we really are trying to not just educate coaches on what to coach but how to coach as well, and the how to coach skills are almost more important than what to coach.”
A double award winner for coach education, Guy Krueger refuses to rest on his laurels and remains hungry to help the already incredibly talented coaches within the sport.
“The recognition is really awesome and something special but at the same time it challenges and motivates us to continue to do even more because we want to put out a better product all the time,” he said. “And just because we’ve been recognized now doesn’t mean we’ve arrived. We still have to keep going and improving what we have.”
Guy Krueger comes from a family of archery coaches. His parents, Jim and Anita, were the recipients of USA Archery’s Volunteer Coach of the Year award 20 years ago. And so, with that solid foundation, and with the desire to keep pushing the boundaries of what can be instilled into coaches, the standard has been set.
He said, “For us to continue to raise the bar I think we have to continually improve what we have and look at the areas that we don’t cover, and how can we benefit coaches in those areas.
“There are so many different avenues that coaches can explore – different information, different skills – and we need to be helping coaches develop those skills to better impact their athletes.
“To be honest, I think we’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg.”
Krueger has seen first-hand much greater excitement and energy within coaches, with coaches eager to strive for higher levels with a desire to learn more. Many of those coaches will have fed off each other at the USA Archery Coaches Workshop, which returns this year.
Taking place September 21-22 in Colorado Springs, this event is a can’t miss opportunity for coaches looking to take their skills to the next level.
The Coaches Workshop focuses on developing coaches’ skills through deliberate practice, micro-coaching sessions, and feedback. This workshop has been carefully redesigned to benefit coaches who have attended before and also those who have not attended any of the previous Coaches Workshops.
USA Archery also offers numerous and varied courses that allow Instructors, Coaches and Judges to become certified. There are also Coach Observer programs. Check out the calendar to find the course that suits you.
