How this Site Works: A Quick Overview

ConnectedCoaches is a community for curious coaches – from any sport or activity.

Here, members are creating a wealth of knowledge to make great ideas freely accessible to all coaches.

Read on to find how you can be at the centre of this amazing community. Or, if you have already read this page, go to:

• Quick Guide to Getting Started
• How to Guides if you need help with a specific task, such as adding a video, starting a conversation in forums etc.

Your Personal Home Page

Every time you login, you will arrive at your personal ‘My Home’ page. It updates in real-time with group posts or posts by coaches you connect with.  

You can post whatever is on your mind on your personal space. However, only ‘your friends’ will receive notification of this.

Join Groups

Specialist interest groups are the centre of activity of ConnectedCoaches.

In each group, you can browse forums, blogs, videos and posts in the activity stream.  And as a group member, you can participate.

New posts in groups you have joined will appear on your personal ‘My Home’ page next time you login. And your daily and weekly ConnectedCoaches digest emails will update you what's been happening in groups you have joined.

So to ensure you don’t miss out. View All Groups and join those that interest you straight away. You automatically join the Welcome and General group at registration.

Make Friends

You can start to build your coaching network by using the search box to find coaches you know. Or to connect with someone you have something in common with, browse a list of coaches and their coaching stories at people in the Welcome and General.

You can request members as a ‘Friend’. Your Friends’ activity will then appear on your personal ‘My Home’ page and vice versa.

You can also send members a message.

Search

You can use the site search at the top right to find whatever you need. Perhaps searching for an answer to a problem you are having.

Participate

We warmly welcome your contributions. Indeed, the future of ConnectedCoaches depends upon on members’ levels of activity.

We believe all contributions help to build an open and collaborative community spirit, helping to spark coach-to-coach conversations and in turn, fostering learning. So please don't be shy.

At ConnectedCoaches, you can:

• Start a conversation - or respond to questions in group forums.
• Share a video: Videos are a great learning aid for coaches. Coaches learn most by watching others in action but they don’t often get the opportunity.

Be brave. Ask someone to video you in action. Or video yourself talking about your coaching story and post it to your personal space so other members can get to know you.

• Add a photo: take a 'selfie' at a match or competition perhaps or, capture your coaching flipchart doodlings and share it with the community.
• Submit a blog: if you are interested in contributing a regular blog or column, go to the blog section in our Participation Guidelines.

We've worked hard to make participating intuitive. That said, our How to Guides will help build your confidence to participate.

Earn Points

You will be awarded points every time you make a contribution. Your points determine your ConnectedCoaches ranking. There are five levels:

• ConnectedCoach
• Medal Contender
• Bronze Medallist
• Silver Medallist
• Gold Medallist

All members can see the number of points you have earned and your ranking on your profile

Our Ethos

We believe that members participate more and learn more when ideas flow. So we do not pre-moderate posts. That said, we are also serious about creating a welcoming, supportive and respectful community for coaches. Therefore, all activity is governed by our common-sense guidelines.

Your Data and Privacy

We take the privacy of your data very seriously and are committed to keeping your information safe – and putting you in control. We won’t ever display your email address and we don’t ask you to enter your address or telephone number.

We won’t ever sell your details to a third party.

So that you can stay up to date with what's going on in the community and we can pursue our legitimate interest of sustaining a vibrant and supportive coaching community, we encourage members to participate by sending regular emails (if you want us to). View the 'What you will receive from us?' section in our privacy policy for full details of these. You can adjust which emails you receive in preferences located in the settings tab. For full information, read our privacy policy.

Your Views

Your views are important to us. Indeed, members views and experiences  shape the community.

Firstly, to help us understand the evolving needs of today's coaches, we urge you vote on  what are the most important challenges facing you as a coach right now?

Then, we'd like you to help us by joining in on this conversation about What would your dream coaching community look like?

And we warmly welcome your views in our feedback and suggestions forum at any time.

What's Next?

You can get help in our Quick Guide to Getting started.