Author: Vernon Gambetta
Stimulus Threshold
Basically the challenge in preparing athletes for competition is to find the optimum training load with the appropriate stimulus to ensure continual adaptation. That requires determining the stimulus threshold for each of the physical qualities being developed and what is right for each athlete. The stimulus threshold is the minimum load required to achieve this response. You are saying minimum, has he lost his mind, and yes you read it correctly, the minimum. Recognize that training is cumulative, so you will achieve more over the time of training by working at the stimulus threshold. I am convinced we are fixated on more because volume is easy to quantify. Stimulus threshold is all about quality. I also want to emphasize that stimulus threshold is different for different physical qualities and varies for each athlete. This is where knowing your athletes and how they respond to training is so important – it is called coaching. Determine optimum not maximum.
Poetry of Motion
Human motion is beautiful to observe. The older I get and the longer I coach the more I have a sense of wonder at the intricacies of the connections, rhythms, and varied tempos of running, jumping and throwing and all the various permutations. The bodies ability to constantly self-organize, to adjust according to the movement problem it has to solve is amazing. The wisdom of the body is wondrous and infinite; there are no limitations – just possibilities. As coaches we need to focus on the possibilities and take advantage if the wisdom of the body. Think connections and flow to facilitate what the body can do, don’t get in the way.
Jessica Costanzo 1991 – 2014
Jessica was tragically killed Thursday morning in a car accident. In times like this it so hard to find words to express the feeling of sadness and loss for all who knew her. She was a member of the Venice High School girls volleyball I had the pleasure of working with from 2007 to 2009. It was very special group of young ladies. Once again it made me think of what coaching is about, it is about people like Jessica. We coach people not volleyball players. Jessica was a great person who will be missed by all who knew her. Although Jessica was not the most talented player on the team she stood out because of her spirit and enthusiasm that was an inspiration to us all. She was the type of person who just by her presence could light up a room. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family. She had so much life ahead of her; next week she was due to graduate with a degree in Sports Management and in January was to begin working at IMG Academies. Jess you are gone but will not be forgotten. Your spirit and zest for life will help guide us. God bless you and your family.
Balancing Art & Science in Coaching
I am fascinated by science. The empirical nature of the scientific method has an innate appeal. It allows us to study and explore the deepest dimensions of our being and our existence in the world. That being said at the end of the day I am a practitioner. My job as a coach is produce results, to apply the science to the best of my ability by transferring it into practice. The nature of this leans heavily on the art that is based on practice-based evidence. You can learn the science but you have to practice the art to get better at it. Maintaining a healthy balance between art & science is essential to progress as a coach. In the words of Winston Churchill at the end of the day to get results “Science should be on tap, not on top.” I firmly maintain that for the performance team to produce repeatable excellence that the coach must drive the bus but if the coach does not know the science then he will driving the bus without a map or a GPS. You might get there but who knows when and how? Science can help provide needed direction and purpose.
Dimensions of Communication
The ability to clearly communicate your message is the key to effective coaching. Unfortunately as coaches we too often rely on one dimension of communication – talking. A wise coach once told that you that have one mouth, two eyes and two ears for a reason. Watching and listening should occur in that ratio to talking. Don’t forget your persona, body language, energy level; they all go a long way toward determining your effectiveness as a communicator. When you do speak be aware of your tone of voice – sometimes it is not what you say it is how you say it that makes the difference. Last but not least remember if you don’t know what to say or don’t know what to do then don’t say or do anything. Sometimes in a stressful situation it is good enough and means more to the athlete for the coach to just be there.
Letter to a Coach Beginning Their Career
Dear Coach: Congratulations on beginning an exciting journey of discovery. You have checked all the boxes in terms of your preparation, you have interned, you are certified and you have your degree in sports science. Those are the keys that unlock the door. Now the fun starts, the real work begins, you get to apply what you have learned. Be prepared to pay your dues, 90% 0f coaching is grunt work. Not much science, just a whole lot of detail work that no one ever teaches you in school. Now you have to practice and learn the art of coaching, to become skilled at your craft. You will learn by doing, by making mistakes and correcting them and moving forward. Find a mentor as soon as you can. Preferably it should be someone who has been there before, someone with gray hair or no hair who has had successes and failures and is willing to share. Honor and respect those who have blazed the path for you. Know your sports history and study the great coaches who have gone before you. Practice self-refection. Keep learning! Don’t follow fads. Be an informed skeptic. Beware of Internet training porn and slick marketing. Define yourself by developing a clear philosophy. Your philosophy is your guiding light. Maintain your principles and ethics. Winning is not everything. There are no gray areas – there are very strict moral guideline in regard to PED’s and personal behavior. Remember you coach people, not the sport. It is not the technique, training methods, the offense or defense that matters most, it is how you relate to and communicate with athletes you coach as people. Be sure to have a life. Take time for yourself and your family. Be an example to those you coach. There will be tremendous highs full of elation and celebration where you think you have it all figured out. There will also be tremendous disappointment where you will wonder why you chose this path. Maintain an even keel, a level steady approach that doesn’t allow the highs to be too high and lows too low. If you are steady and consistent this will be reflected in your athletes. Hone your communication skills. Remember it is not what you say it what they hear that matters. Talk less and say more. Listen carefully and observe. You can see a lot by watching. Be willing to say you were wrong. Be honest with yourself and your athletes. Lead by example. Empower your athletes – you don’t have be in control all the time. Be yourself. Develop your own coaching style that reflects who you are. Stress fundamentals and you will grow adaptable athletes. Don’t stray far from fundamentals. Good fundamentals are robust and will serve your athletes well under the pressure of competition. Never lose sight of the ultimate goal – Competition. Develop adaptable athletes who are not dependent on coaching. Give the athlete control of the game. The competition is your final exam that is when you find out if you have done your job. Recognize that change is constant. Learn to manage and lead change. Be proactive. Be a generalist, don’t become so specialized that you lose sight of the big picture of preparing the complete athlete. Coaching is a special calling. Be thankful for that calling and treat it as a special opportunity everyday. I will close with an email I received from one of my former athletes after a visit with him after not seeing him for thirty years. Words like this are better than any championship! I was thinking about what you said about the bunch of athletes from SBHS that you felt were a great part of your career. As I look back, I believe a coach can have a significant influence on a young persons life in terms of lessons to take forward. Although none of us at SBHS achieved Olympic or world-class athletic status, I think that many of us have been very successful in other aspects of our lives. I believe that your influence on us included such attributes as the understanding of perseverance, importance of character, the development of self-confidence, maintaining a life balance and the love of physical conditioning. I know that the life lessons you taught me led to my work in physical therapy, the perseverance to obtain a PhD, and the love of a life filled with running, cycling and swimming. Thank you for enriching my life Vern. I would not be where I am today without your early guidance. Yours in coaching Vern Gambetta
Words
Communication is the essence of coaching. Obviously there is verbal and non-verbal communication. Lets focus on verbal communication. What you say and how you say it has incredible power to convey the message. The basis of verbal communication is the words we use. In my first year of coaching one of my mentor coaches emphasized to me that words create images in the receivers mind, subsequently those images create action. Therefore it is very important to carefully select the words that will convey the action that you want to see the athlete achieve. Sounds easy, but just like everything it takes practice. Over the years I have learned to lean on what I call power words – single words or phrases that are clear and to the point, they leave no room for interpretation or nuance. This makes it easier for the athlete and easier for me. The terminology is an essential part of the system. Doing this saves time and frustration. It clears the lines of verbal communication and enables direct and immediate feedback. Just a reminder – It is not more words, it is the correct words needed to convey the desired action.
Changing the World
The challenge of the day is: What are you doing today to change your world? Notice I did not the world I said your world. It is the only world you have the power to change on a daily basis. Your world is the people, places, and situations within your physical and vitual reach, that which you have the power to control. Too often we allow outside influences change our world. Re-reading the Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters has made me think about this. We are in command of our own ships, so take the wheel and start changing what you can change now. Don’t wait! Never underestimate the power you have within you to lead change. Heed the advice of Gandhi “ Be the change you want to see in the world.” Change is uncomfortable and not easy but it is constant so take charge and be proactive and lead the change. Start now – Take Action – Small steps lead to bigger steps and bigger steps lead to profound change. Change yourself and then you can change others. Soon by changing your world you will have a chance to change the world.