Coaching Philosophy

In 1969 in a Foundations of Coaching class at UCSB, the professor, Dr Art Gallon, constantly stressed to us the need for a coaching philosophy and it importance as a foundation for everything we would do as coaches. As look back to that course I realize that his sole objective was for us to leave that course with the foundations of our philosophy established. A coaching philosophy is the coaches guiding light. It is the cornerstone upon which everything else is built. Without a sound philosophy you cannot be effective as a coach. The philosophy consists of foundational beliefs that you will never compromise. They are absolute and will never change. Think of the foundational beliefs as the center of a three concentric circles.  The core of the philosophy, the center circle probably will not change after you have a coached a couple of years. The second circle can and should change slightly as you grow in experience and learn. The outer circle can change and in fact should be modified to reflect current situations and as part of the growth process.

The following quote from George Bernard Shaw sums up my own philosophy: " Some people see things the way they are and ask why?  Others see things the way they should be, and ask Why not?” This is the attitude that has driven throughout my coaching career. The pursuit of excellence has it's own rewards. I am the coach of people not sports.  Coaching sports is easy, that is the X's and O's, the sets and reps, the intervals, and anyone can learn that stuff in a book. Coaching people is tough; it demands understanding of what makes each athlete tick. You must never compromise your foundational beliefs. Know why you coach. Know why your athletes participate. Make sure your management or coaching style is your means of implementing your philosophy and remember the cornerstone of any effective coaching style is communication.