Author: Vernon Gambetta
Be Humble
Foundational Beliefs #12 Be Humble Last but not least be humble. Humility certainly is a virtue that has become scarce in sport today. Be thankful for what you have and learn to appreciate the athletes you coach no matter what level of ability. Coaching is so special, it is a real privilege to be able to help people grow and excel to reach their potential. Just the process is humbling in itself because there is so much that is out of our hands. That should serve as a reminder to do our part and do it well. One of my best friends and coaching colleague Jim Radcliffe says that coaches should be back stage not onstage. I could not say it better. Put the spotlight on the athlete and take satisfaction in your contribution to their success. Let the results of your coaching speak for themselves. If you are coaching for the attention, fame and fortune then I suggest you go to Hollywood.
Be Passionate and Enthusiastic
Foundational Beliefs #11 Be Passionate and Enthusiastic To me passion and enthusiasm underscores everything I do as a coach. It conveys belief in what I do. Passion is a powerful fuel. Enthusiasm is important but it must be real, not a phony front. There is no excuse for not having passion and enthusiasm. They come from the heart. Be real and genuine and it will reflect in your athletes.
A Little More on Simplicity in Coaching
Sport performance occurs in an information rich, dynamic environment that requires complex coordination patterns to produce optimum performance. Along with that we need to understand that the body is self-organizing – it will find a way to get the job done if we put it in position to do so – The implication being to use more implicit learning and let the sport or the event be the teacher at certain times in the process. We can do that in practice by not always trying to replicate the game but instead distorting it so that the game is “easy.” The following are some systematic athletic development concepts on which I base my training. They are very simple and straightforward and they can be made as complex as necessary. Dynamic postural alignment and dynamic balance are the foundation for all training Train movements not muscles Train fundamental movement skills before sport specific skills Train postural strength before extremity strength Train body weight before external resistance Train joint integrity before joint mobility Train strength before strength endurance and power before power endurance Train speed before speed endurance Train to build work capacity appropriate for your sport or event Train sport appropriate – You are what you train to be
Less Is More – Simplicity Yields Complexity
Foundational Beliefs #10 Less Is More – Simplicity Yields Complexity As coaches very early on most of us were taught K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Simon. Sounds good but how many actually follow it? Simplicity yields complexity. You start with the basics and progress systematically by achieving mastery of each step. Throughout my coaching career I have seen a clear difference between good and great coaches, those coaches who were able to sustain excellence and those whose careers resembled shooting stars – SIMPLICITY. In one session you could see the trend of their program, there was a constant emphasis on the essentials, nothing very complicated. It was mindful repetition of basics presented in different packages. More is not better. They focused on the need to do and stayed away from the nice to do. There is simple message to being a better coach it is: Be a simplifier not a complexifier.
Never Take No For Answer
Foundational Beliefs #9 Never Take No For Answer It may sound negative or contrary but I have always refused to take no for an answer. I learned early on not to listen to the naysayers and those who said I could not do something. Telling me no or I could not do something only served to strengthen my resolve. I would not be writing this blog if listened to the priest who gave me an F in ninth grade English (some may argue he was right). I could cite numerous other examples. If someone tells you no or tells you can’t do something, go back re-examine what you are doing, reframe your arguments and come back and try again.
Always Ask Why?
Foundational Beliefs #8 Always Ask Why? It is too easy to focus on what you do, that is what everyone does. I learned early in my coaching career that if I did not know why then ultimately what I was doing was not going to be very effective. It is not good enough that something works or something failed, I want to know why it worked or failed. That affords me the opportunity to repeat it if it worked or not use it again if it failed. There are some things that I have done for years that I know works, that have stood the test of time, and I don’t why. But that does not mean that I am not still trying to find out why. Just the process of trying to find out why has refined and fine-tuned them. I guess ultimately it is curiosity that drives me, I find the more I see the world with a child’s eye the more I see and the more I ask why? As Gertrude Stein said: “The answer is there is no answer” but that is not a good reason to stop asking why.
Embrace The Difference – Nobody Is The Same
Foundational Beliefs #7 Embrace The Difference – Nobody Is The Same Recognize that no two athletes are the same. They may be in the same sport, in the same event or play the same position, no matter – they are different. It is the difference that makes coaching so interesting. The differences can be very overt or very subtle but as coaches we must take them into account if we want to be effective. Remember one size does not fit all. The key is to get them all to the competition ready to compete and produce on the day. When you coach large numbers it seems like an impossible task, but it can be done. Group the athletes, know their personalities, learning styles, and recoverability and adjust accordingly. It is all about the difference.
Use All Dimensions Of Communication
Foundational Beliefs #6 Use All Dimensions Of Communication Coaches are usually great at talking, but talking is only one dimension of communication. A wise man once said you have two eyes, two ears and one mouth for a reason. It is easy to talk, but that is not necessarily communication. Are they listening? Are you delivering a clear concise message that they are listening to that will elicit the desired response or behavior? Explore listening more. As a coaching improvement exercise today try listening twice as much as you speak. I think you will be surprised at what you learn. I was! When you do speak, make it count. The message should be filled with words that elicit action. Make it short and on point. Explore watching, you can see a lot by watching. Don’t forget body language. Without saying a word you can convey happiness, approval, anger or displeasure. In some ways as coaches we have to be good actors. I know the hardest thing for me to learn has been a so-called ”poker face.” I am still working on that. Sometimes just being there is enough. After a tough loss or a disappointing performance it is better to say nothing and offer a handshake or a pat on the back, rather than letting your emotions speak and saying things you will regret later. In today’s world unfortunately a significant portion of communication is in writing via email or text messaging. These mediums are fraught with problems and potential pitfalls. I have become very careful sending emails that are responses to anything significant, a missed practice, a violation of team rules or a poor performance. If I use email in these situations then I hand write it first and let it sit for at least an hour, preferably longer, then reread to make sure the message is clear, then and only then send it. Emails and texts are poor substitutes for face-to-face interaction. Make sure that you master all dimensions of communication to be an effective coach. It will make coaching a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.