At Xi'an International School, Athletics Director Douglas has been leading efforts to strengthen the school’s coaching culture by investing in structured staff development through UPskill, the learning platform changing school sport. 

Across international schools around the world, sport plays a powerful role in shaping students’ confidence, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. But behind every positive sporting experience is something even more important: confident, capable coaches who know how to support young people.

One of the challenges many international schools face is that not every teacher arrives with a background in sport.

Teachers are often enthusiastic and willing to help, but may not have had the opportunity to play sport themselves or develop coaching knowledge.

As Douglas explains:

“Some of our teachers come in without sport experience. There’s a great willingness to learn and enthusiasm for a sport, but they may not have had the opportunity to participate themselves.”

For an athletics director, this creates an important responsibility: supporting staff so they feel confident leading teams and activities.

That support extends beyond teaching basic skills.

Teachers need guidance on:

• Motivating students

• Leading teams

• Creating engaging sessions

• Adapting activities for different ages

• Understanding how young people learn through sport

Because, as Douglas highlights, coaching a kindergartner is very different from coaching an 11th grader.

When asked what he hopes teachers gain from coach development, Douglas didn’t hesitate.

Confidence.

Many teachers step into coaching roles unsure of themselves. They may worry about:

• Whether they’re teaching the right skills

• How to organise practices

• How to motivate students

• How to respond during games

Without support, that uncertainty can lead to hesitation. Douglas describes the transformation he hopes to see:

“Before, we may have someone without sport experience. After, we want that person to be confident in what they know and able to teach others.”

The ultimate goal isn’t simply to train sports staff. It’s to develop leaders who help grow the coaching culture across the school, with UPskill this is made easy. 

Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning

At Xi'an International School, learning doesn’t stop once someone begins coaching.

Douglas emphasises the importance of continuous development:

“If you're not growing, you're not moving forward.”

This philosophy aligns closely with the school’s wider values around wellbeing and lifelong learning.

Even experienced coaches benefit from professional development. Coaching methods evolve, students change, and new ideas emerge about how young people learn best in sport. By investing in staff development, the school ensures that coaches continue to grow alongside their students.

Why Structured Staff Development Matters

Without a structured development pathway, coaching in schools can become inconsistent.

One coach might run engaging sessions built around games and reflection. Another might rely entirely on drills or repetition.

Structured staff development using UPskill helps schools create:

• Shared language

• Consistent coaching principles

• Clear expectations for coaches

• Better learning experiences for students

Through the UPskill Platform, coaches at XIS can access:

• Learning modules

• Coaching frameworks

• Reflection tools

• Practical strategies for sessions

One aspect Douglas particularly values is the UPskill Learning Paths feature, which allows staff to begin at an appropriate level.

“You can start someone with a starter module rather than throwing them straight into the deep end.”

For teachers new to sport, this structured entry point makes coaching far less intimidating.

Supporting Teachers Beyond Sport

While the focus is coaching, the impact of coach development extends far beyond the sports field. Douglas notes that many of the ideas in coach development programmes also apply to the classroom.

Teachers learn how to:

• Ask better questions

• Encourage student autonomy

• Create engaging learning environments

• Support reflection and discussion

In other words, better coaching often leads to better teaching.

Starting Small, Growing Strong

Rolling out a new development programme across a school requires careful planning.

At XIS, the process began with internal testing before gradually expanding to staff.

Steps included:

1. Testing the platform internally

2. Identifying key staff members

3. Introducing learning pathways

4. Supporting coaches through early modules

By focusing on early adopters and key coaching roles, the school has been able to build momentum and enthusiasm.

Douglas also recognises the importance of energy when introducing new initiatives.

Teachers already juggle many responsibilities, so development programmes must feel supportive rather than burdensome.

Across schools worldwide, many teachers step into coaching roles with enthusiasm but limited experience. By investing in structured coach development through the UPskill Platform, Xi'an International School is demonstrating how schools can build a stronger coaching culture.

The result is simple but powerful: Confident coaches create better sporting experiences for every student.