As a coach you know coaching matters – you also know it is the matters of coaching that make a difference. The matters of coaching are the mundane, the administrative tasks, things you must do to prepare for the fun the stuff, the real coaching the interaction with the athlete. What really matters in coaching is how you communicate, how you interact and act. It is so far beyond X’s and O’s, that is the easy part. It is turning those X’s and O’s into people with emotions and feelings. There is no formula for doing this, you must follow your gut, sometimes it is saying nothing, other times it is being demonstrative, it really all depends on the individual athlete and the situation. Certainly each athlete is a case study of one. Each is a new canvas that requires a different pallet of paints to help make them better. Coaches do not make athlete’s better, athletes improve themselves with guidance from the coach, some require more guidance and direction others less.
A few thoughts on improving yourself as a person and as a coach:
Search anywhere and everywhere for ideas, inspiration and guidance. Borrow and connect seemingly unrelated ideas to create new ones.
Look for surprises and uncertainty, get out of your rut and make yourself uncomfortable. Don’t be afraid to try new things, push the envelope
Look at the same things with new eyes. Be a kid and see with childlike eyes and curiosity. Look for similarities and differences.
No matter what you do as a coach keep it fundamental, basic, directed to the point and take the journey step by step.
Adam Ringler
Vern,
I enjoy your writings and encourage you to continue sharing your message. As a younger strength & conditioning coach, I appreciate the wisdom that a person like yourself is sharing with the masses. There is often no better knowledge than that ascertained through years of experience in the trenches. Keep up the great advice.