Best Coaching Advice

Discussion:

Some thoughts from PCA DevZone:

Sometimes it only takes a few words of advice to inspire great leadership or change the way you look at something. The advice we get from our coaches, teachers, mentors and peers can stay with us a lifetime.

This month we want to know what is the best coaching advice you’ve ever received?  Something that has stuck with you through the years and still resonates today.

Positive Coaching Alliance has collected hundreds of quotes from athletes, coaches, business leaders, authors and philosophers. Here are a few quotes to get you thinking about some words of wisdom that have meant something to you…

“The more positive you can be with your players the better they’re going to play.” (Doc Rivers)

“My responsibility is leadership, and the minute I get negative, that is going to have an influence on my team.” (Don Shula)

“A coach’s job is to change the hearts, minds, and actions of those he leads in a positive manner.” (George Raveling)

“Leadership, like coaching, is fighting for the hearts and souls of men and getting them to believe in you.” (Eddie Robinson)

Bert Zonneveld – Soccer – Rockwood – 59 years

“…’You only get out of a practice what you put into it!’ and ‘Manage yourself so others don’t have to’.”

Rebecca Brown – Equestrian – Cobourg – 10+ years

“…Best coaching advice I received is to not get tunnel vision when learning. What I mean by that is be open to new ideas on how to do something eg some skills taught by Natural Horsemanship, Centered Riding instructors can be integrated into your lesson plans without being “labeled”. This applys to life also and has opened the opportunity to advance my development as a person/mentor/coach and to share it with my students.”

Brenda Robson – Equestrian – Lowbanks – 10+ years

“…Best advice – give them time to think, don’t micro manage.”

Robert Sargant – Sprint Canoe/Kayak – Burlington – 10+ years

“…Keep your instruction brief and to the point. Brevity is much more effective than long winded explanations.”

Coach Darren – Soccer – Surrey, BC – 9 years

“…Last year I attended a baseball clinic that was put on by a group travelling around the province. The clinic occurred before the start of the season. The organizer called the parents in. He told us that youth quit team sports around 14 years old. He suggested the number one reason that youth quit team sports is the ride home. Their parents criticizing what they did in the game. I read once that after the game we should say three things to our child. Did you have fun today? Did you get to use any of the skills you learned at practice? What would you like to eat?”

Angela Desjardins – Ringette – London – 5 years

“…There’s an indirect correlation between the volume of words uttered and impact of the message (less yelling, more 1:1 talking!).”

Carole Binsky – Swimming – Collingwood – 2 years

“…Encourage GOOD self talk and say something good every ten seconds.”

Joe Benedetti – Fastpitch Softball – Hamilton – 20+ years

“…Gil Read, Olympic Team Leader – Women’s Fastpitch, would often remind us that the best thing he ever did was insist that the team plan six pool parties to build team and family unity and camaraderie. You read that right – 6. He truly understood the importance of that crucial F – Friendship”

Kathy Crawford – Gymnastics – London – 10+ years

“…Best thing my Head Coach did for me, was to encouraged me to take my athletes to other gyms for training. By doing this, it not only helped my athletes but it validated that my coaching was on point J By taking my team off site I received the encouragement to further my coaching certification so that I could take my own athletes to the National Level and NOT have to send them to someone else”

Fawn Mulholland – Soccer – Ottawa – 4 years

“…You do not have to be the source of all knowledge. You do not have to dominate conversation. You do not have to control all aspects of game day to be successful. Empower the players and watch them thrive.”

Nancy Leo – Race Walker – North York – 13 years

“…I was an athlete before I began coaching. As an athlete, I was driven, committed and self motivated to succeed. I assumed all athletes shared and operated under the same philosophy. I was surprised to discover that some athletes need external motivation. Some work best in a group rather than train on their own as i did and preferred. Some needed constant encouragement. Some seemed not to care all that much. I think I was trying to make them all fit into one mould, my mould. I would get frustrated that they were not like me, until my former coach who became my mentor coach told me,” You can’t want it more than they do.”. I realized the truth of that and changed my methods to be more centered on what each individual athlete needed. Coaches should be selfless, giving their athletes what they need, when they need it. I’m now a stress free coach and having more fun.”

Aaron Wade – Volleyball – Ottawa – 7 years

“…A few pieces of advice that I recycle each season …

1. You cannot want it more than our players, they must decide to be the best possible version of themselves [We can become quite passionate about our level of effort and performance as coaches. This advice put me back on the path where responsibility and accountability are transferred to the player]

2. I don’t care who beats us, just as long as it is not us! [I received this advice as a player and use it each season as a coach. It is important to understand the difference between getting beaten and losing.]

3. We are in an EFFORT based program where a relentless effort to reach your optimal performance level is required to play, stay and be successful here.”