This study presented a case study of coaching a female high school kendoist to acquire her signature techniques. It provided practical insights for improving technical and tactical coaching at the developmental stage. An interview was conducted with a coach who trained a female kendoist in high school. This athlete later went on to compete at the international level. The coach's narrative was analyzed qualitatively.
The findings were as follows:
(1) The coach identified the athlete's strength in executing an excellent “Men” strike, but also recognized her weakness in being countered by opponents' “Do” techniques. To address this weakness, the coach helped the athlete master the “Kote from below” strike as an opposing technique.
(2) Simultaneously, the coach focused on enhancing the athlete's proficiency in “Men.” As a result, opponents increasingly reacted to her “Men” strikes, creating more opportunities for executing “Kote” attacks. As a result, the “Kote from below” technique surpassed the athlete's excellent “Men” as her signature Waza.
(3) During actual training, the coach engaged in “one-on-one practice” with the athlete, confronting her directly. Through immediate assessment of her weaknesses, the coach created simulated situations to facilitate the acquisition of techniques.
(4) Beyond technical instruction, the coach encouraged the athlete to think independently about what actions to take in daily life, regular training, practice matches, and official competitions. This approach aimed to cultivate her “awareness ability.”
