Webinar 5: Giving effective feedback using the TACTful Model

Phil Kearney, PhD - philip.kearney@ul.ie 

Phil Kearney is the Course Leader for the MSc Applied Sports Coaching at the University of Limerick. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, his teaching and research centres on the domain of skill acquisition, particularly as it relates to youth sport. A regular contributor to RTÉ Brainstorm, Phil is a member of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s Player & Coach Development Advisory Group, is an Associate Editor for Perceptual and Motor Skills and is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. Phil is a co-founder of Movement and Skill Acquisition Ireland.

Ian Sherwin, PhD - ian.sherwin@ul.ie

Ian is a Lecturer in Coaching Science in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Limerick. His main area of research is sports performance, specifically how coaching behaviours influence coach and athlete development. Some recent research projects focused on coach communication strategies during half times in professional rugby and the communication preferences of adolescent athletes in team sports. 

Prior to moving into research Ian worked for the Irish Rugby Football Union for 13 years which included three years managing the Munster Rugby Academy helping to transition high-performing age-grade players into the professional game. Ian coached the Munster “A” and U18 squads during his time with Munster and is currently coaching adolescent athletes in rugby and hockey. He has acted as a mentor for both the Leinster Rugby initiative “Women in Coaching Programme” and the Camogie Association, LGFA and GAA Female Coach Mentorship programme.

Effective feedback is one of the most powerful tools a coach has to accelerate player learning. Small changes in delivery can make a big difference to the effectiveness of feedback. In this session, we will first explore the TACTful model: Timing, Approach, Content, Tone and follow up later – practical principles that underpin highly effective coaching. Coaches can reflect on how their delivery of feedback compares to the guidance provided by the model. While coaches provide feedback, players must receive, accept, interpret and apply that feedback. In the second part of the session, we will consider how coaches can help learners to actively receive, understand, and apply feedback. You will leave with practical strategies to refine how you deliver feedback and enhance player learning in your session.