Koh Yi Nian (left) represented Singapore with his partner Tan Jen-E (right) in the 49er class at the 2023 Asian Games. 

As part of our efforts to promote our sailing coaches, we sat down with Koh Yi Nian, a 49er national sailor who took part in the 2023 Asian Games. He recently took part in our SG-Coach Level 1 course, and we asked him about his journey from a national sailor to being a coach.

Read about his journey below and how his personal experiences as a sailor gave him insight into how impactful a coach can be!

Q: What first sparked your interest in transitioning from athlete to coach?

Yi Nian: Being an athlete for much of my teenage years and through university, the years of experience have given me the privilege of working with multiple coaches. While I did not really appreciate the value of having a coach in my earlier years, my perspective changed when I transitioned into the senior Olympic classes. 

While sailing the 49er, we had to plan for major events. This included many back-and-forth discussions with my partner & coach on how to maximise our program in the timespan we had. Through this process of achieving our goals together, I found the role of my coach to be more of a mentor who provides guidance rather than merely giving instructions.

This gave me more perspective & understanding of the diverse roles coaches played in working with athletes. As such, after the 2023 Asian Games, I found greater intrinsic motivation through my deeper understanding of the role of coaches, which sparked my interest in becoming one. Furthermore, having previously competed in double-handed classes, I understood the importance of being in a team environment. 

Picking up the transition from athlete to coach was eased by the constant communication I had with my coaches as an athlete, which provided me with fresh perspectives on how to guide my future students. 

Though the transition may seem like an uphill task, I acknowledged the challenge and embraced it by relying on my past experiences as an athlete. Till this day, I’m deeply satisfied to have made this choice, and I continue to remain open to future opportunities to develop myself.

Q: Our SG-Coach Level 1 course covers theory, safety, and practical application. Which module did you find most valuable, and why?

Yi Nian: I found the safety modules the most valuable. As an athlete, having always placed priority on performance, I find myself occasionally neglecting the safety aspect at the expense of performance. 

This quickly backfired on me, as I experienced injury throughout my career that hindered my performance then. As such, I realised that having safety at the top of mind always pays dividends, whether it is teaching beginners or in high-performance. 

Without safety in mind, our accomplishments would be regarded as insignificant since just one incident could greatly hinder our progression. As such, being a coach, I always place priority on safety for my students, and it is through the safety module that I’m able to understand the appropriate way to ensure it.

Q: What is the most useful thing you learned from the SG-Coach Level 1 course that you now apply in your coaching sessions?

Yi Nian: The most useful thing taught is the coaching philosophy. Without a proper coaching philosophy, many of our coaching sessions would not be filled with purpose. Personally, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment whenever I coach students, knowing that I ticked the checkboxes of my philosophy. 

To ensure this, during the first encounter with my students, I always start by sharing my coaching philosophy. 

This enables them to understand my purpose in teaching and justify my approach in explaining a new skill. Furthermore, having a personalised coaching philosophy also enhances my long-term motivation for teaching and allows me to continuously give back to the sport in a meaningful manner.

“If you feel in doubt, always know that others before you have felt that way and that taking the first step by taking the course is usually the highest hurdle.”

Q: What would you say to an experienced sailor who is passionate about the sport but hesitant about taking a formal coaching course?

Yi Nian: I would say “find a purpose in teaching that is personalised to yourself” & “approach the challenge with an open mind”. 

Furthermore, if you feel in doubt, always know that others before you have felt that way and that taking the first step by taking the course is usually the highest hurdle. 

Keeping these pointers in mind, I’m sure you will find the course to be effective and empowering as you envision becoming a coach in the future.

Are you ready to take a step towards being a sailing coach? Then click the link below to sign up for the course:
https://www.sailing.org.sg/events/list?category_id%5B%5D=13468