Are you having challenges in helping your players reach another level? These 10 tips are win-win-win. Coaches become better coaches, athletes become more skilled, and the relationship between the two is greatly enhanced.
- Be an advocate who understands interests, struggles, and ambitions.
The more you understand your athlete, the more you can advocate for them. The more understood an athlete feels, the better their effort will be.
- Help shorten the learning curve of athletes.
As a coach you have experiences that the athlete does not have. Sharing these experiences, as well as other knowledge and insights will reduce the time it will take for your athletes to learn the same information.
- Facilitate the work. Produce quiet confidence.
Guide them in what is to be done, but make sure they are learning how to determine for themselves the areas in which they are getting better.
- Praise the acts to be repeated.
It’s easy to see what’s wrong. To coach athletes to another level, it takes an eye for what is being done well. The more you acknowledge right actions, the more those actions will be repeated.
- Be tough and still show respect.
Coaching does not require yelling and put downs, but it does require discipline and direction. Regardless of age, skill, size, show each athlete respect, and you will be amazed at what they will do.
- Set standards. Believe in the process.
Excellence is the standard, but it can vary from athlete to athlete. Help each athlete discover their goals and create a training plan that will help them get there. Sometimes it may seem like there is regression, but stick with it. Refuse to load dysfunction. Commit to the basics and build on them.
- Constructive adjustments lead to more discovery.
Personally, I think there is nothing constructive about criticism. Adjustments, on the other hand, are what help athletes become and do better. Explain what they can consider doing more of, less of, starting, and stopping.
- Slow them down enough to see.
It’s easy to get caught up in quick results and quick fixes. Help your athletes see what they are capable of, how far they have come, and where they are headed.
- Praise strengths. Catch them doing well.
Everybody is good at something. Catch your athletes doing the things they do well. To add to this, encourage them when you see them using what you have worked on even if the end result is not most favorable.
- Provide knowledge, tools, resources to transform.
Help your athletes feel spectacular. The more competent they become, the more confident they will be. With more confidence comes better performance.
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One Response
Very well written article! Can’t wait to read more of your amazing work.