Topic Thread

Hello everyone!

As you know, we want to tie in more values into the new beginner curriculum, as well as recommendation for training policies.

For this, we want your experiences and feedback:
- What's working for you in terms of coaching/team/league agreements?
- Maybe you have specific training values?
- Do you have a mission statement that reflects the way you talk to each other during training? How? 
- Do you have anti-bias policies for tryouts in place you can share with us?
- How do you present your values and league culture to new participants coming into your league?
- And anything else you can think of that you'd like to share with us.

Let us know! 
Feel free to post here, or write me under catherine@wftda.com
Thanks!

------------------------------
Catherine Beat-Her Bonez / Katharina Bohnert
WFTDA Education Senior Programs Manager
Bear City Roller Derby
She/her
------------------------------

This is a general outline our discussion points with some of our trainers. Feel free to ask any questions for clarity or follow up!

For this, we want your experiences and feedback:

- What's working for you in terms of coaching/team/league agreements?

• We don't currently have a written agreement between training and players, but our unwritten agreement is outlined below...
• Coaches giving examples of how the skills/drills would be used in live gameplay
• Coaching - be mindful of each level and providing examples of each skill/drill for each level
• Skaters come prepared with basic things, shirts, water, markers, gear, etc
• Skaters - Be open to each skill/drill and commit to learning/engaging with that drill
• Respect the trainers
• We also have an exceptional mentor program for our rookies, breaking them into smaller groups of five. Our mentors maintain open and regular communication lines and do regular open skates with their groups. Not really an agreement, but it sets the standard early on that they are welcomed and to get engaged.

- Maybe you have specific training values?

• That every skater matters - every skater has potential
• Safe skating - not just for the individual skater but for the team as well - want everyone to feel safe and be safe
• Safety - warm up , cool down, watching out for each other
• Positive framing of goals and ability
• Celebrating each other - bootcamp graduation and team drafts
• Celebrating and acknowledging improvement (minor and major)
• Community 
• Accountability - We address code of conduct issues as they arise 
• Everyone can learn, no matter your level, rookie to all star

- Do you have a mission statement that reflects the way you talk to each other during training? How? 

• No, but it is on our list for discussion points 

- Do you have anti-bias policies for tryouts in place you can share with us?

• Not technically, but we did create a new process last year...
• We recently created a game play level assessment for travel teams
• Used multiple trainers to assess and cross assess each skater
• We don't currently have tryouts for our home teams

- How do you present your values and league culture to new participants coming into your league?

• By demonstration and example - initially through the mentor program
• Our website also has good descriptions of who we are as a league
• We use media of all of our members in our marketing material to show not only the diversity of who we are but also to highlight everyone who contributes our success

- And anything else you can think of that you'd like to share with us.

• We have also established the Trainers in Training program - Back up new trainers with experiences trainers - Give skaters opportunities to learn to be trainers
• We are trying to find/create more ways to engage with skaters outside of practice (videos, questions, homework, etc) that engages but doesn't overwhelm them
• We also run open skates with rookies at local rinks, parks, trails, etc

Original Message:
Sent: 11-10-2020 10:05
From: Katharina Bohnert
Subject: Open Call: Training Policies and Values - What is working for you?!

Hello everyone!

As you know, we want to tie in more values into the new beginner curriculum, as well as recommendation for training policies.

For this, we want your experiences and feedback:
- What's working for you in terms of coaching/team/league agreements?
- Maybe you have specific training values?
- Do you have a mission statement that reflects the way you talk to each other during training? How? 
- Do you have anti-bias policies for tryouts in place you can share with us?
- How do you present your values and league culture to new participants coming into your league?
- And anything else you can think of that you'd like to share with us.

Let us know! 
Feel free to post here, or write me under catherine@wftda.com
Thanks!

------------------------------
Catherine Beat-Her Bonez / Katharina Bohnert
WFTDA Education Senior Programs Manager
Bear City Roller Derby
She/her
------------------------------

Thank you, this is great!

We are always curious to hear more feedback from other leagues or teams, and in the meantime, we just posted the additional guide on inclusive training environment for review. Go check it out and send us your thoughts.

------------------------------
Catherine Beat-Her Bonez / Katharina Bohnert
WFTDA Education Senior Programs Manager
Bear City Roller Derby
She/her
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-18-2020 15:48
From: Christina Simpson
Subject: Open Call: Training Policies and Values - What is working for you?!

This is a general outline our discussion points with some of our trainers. Feel free to ask any questions for clarity or follow up!

For this, we want your experiences and feedback:

- What's working for you in terms of coaching/team/league agreements?

• We don't currently have a written agreement between training and players, but our unwritten agreement is outlined below...
• Coaches giving examples of how the skills/drills would be used in live gameplay
• Coaching - be mindful of each level and providing examples of each skill/drill for each level
• Skaters come prepared with basic things, shirts, water, markers, gear, etc
• Skaters - Be open to each skill/drill and commit to learning/engaging with that drill
• Respect the trainers
• We also have an exceptional mentor program for our rookies, breaking them into smaller groups of five. Our mentors maintain open and regular communication lines and do regular open skates with their groups. Not really an agreement, but it sets the standard early on that they are welcomed and to get engaged.

- Maybe you have specific training values?

• That every skater matters - every skater has potential
• Safe skating - not just for the individual skater but for the team as well - want everyone to feel safe and be safe
• Safety - warm up , cool down, watching out for each other
• Positive framing of goals and ability
• Celebrating each other - bootcamp graduation and team drafts
• Celebrating and acknowledging improvement (minor and major)
• Community 
• Accountability - We address code of conduct issues as they arise 
• Everyone can learn, no matter your level, rookie to all star

- Do you have a mission statement that reflects the way you talk to each other during training? How? 

• No, but it is on our list for discussion points 

- Do you have anti-bias policies for tryouts in place you can share with us?

• Not technically, but we did create a new process last year...
• We recently created a game play level assessment for travel teams
• Used multiple trainers to assess and cross assess each skater
• We don't currently have tryouts for our home teams

- How do you present your values and league culture to new participants coming into your league?

• By demonstration and example - initially through the mentor program
• Our website also has good descriptions of who we are as a league
• We use media of all of our members in our marketing material to show not only the diversity of who we are but also to highlight everyone who contributes our success

- And anything else you can think of that you'd like to share with us.

• We have also established the Trainers in Training program - Back up new trainers with experiences trainers - Give skaters opportunities to learn to be trainers
• We are trying to find/create more ways to engage with skaters outside of practice (videos, questions, homework, etc) that engages but doesn't overwhelm them
• We also run open skates with rookies at local rinks, parks, trails, etc

Original Message:
Sent: 11-10-2020 10:05
From: Katharina Bohnert
Subject: Open Call: Training Policies and Values - What is working for you?!

Hello everyone!

As you know, we want to tie in more values into the new beginner curriculum, as well as recommendation for training policies.

For this, we want your experiences and feedback:
- What's working for you in terms of coaching/team/league agreements?
- Maybe you have specific training values?
- Do you have a mission statement that reflects the way you talk to each other during training? How? 
- Do you have anti-bias policies for tryouts in place you can share with us?
- How do you present your values and league culture to new participants coming into your league?
- And anything else you can think of that you'd like to share with us.

Let us know! 
Feel free to post here, or write me under catherine@wftda.com
Thanks!

------------------------------
Catherine Beat-Her Bonez / Katharina Bohnert
WFTDA Education Senior Programs Manager
Bear City Roller Derby
She/her
------------------------------