Some thoughts from The Importance of Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy from Morgan Sullivan
When athletes succeed in high-pressure situations, you’ll inevitably hear people say they have “ice in their veins.” Conversely, athletes who fail in these same situations might be labelled “choke artists.” The difference between the former and the latter is self-confidence.
For athletes, having a high level of self-confidence is as important as the physical skill set needed to perform their sport. We as coaches understand the importance of having our players perform with confidence. The question is, how do we get them to do it?
Some steps outlined by leading sports psychologists include the importance of calling on past success, employing positive self-talk, remaining positive and modelling behaviours of higher-performing athletes. Of all these different strategies, the one I have found most effective is reminding my athletes of their past successes.
Throughout a softball season, I spend a lot of time talking with players about the work they’ve put in and the successes they’ve had. I ask them to tell me about their successes in school, at home and on the field. This reminds them that they have had successes, both on and off the field. This is important because we humans, by nature, remember our failures more vividly than our successes. Recalling a specific big hit or a great defensive play in a big situation is especially effective.
This brings me back to the title of this post: “The Importance of Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy.” While these terms are commonly thought to be interchangeable, they’re quite different. Self-confidence is an overarching view of one’s own aptitude, while self-efficacy is situationally dependent. Many sports psychologists consider self-confidence to be a personality trait; one that can—and often does—adjust over time.
The major benefit of an increased state of self-confidence is the ability to overtake negative emotions and anxiety. This can be applied in all facets of life. Self-efficacy differs in that it is a concept that can be measured on many different levels. While self-confidence is the broad stroke of the paintbrush, self-efficacy is the fine-tipped pen. Self-confidence is a deeper part of one’s personality; it remains constant over time and shows a slower, more gradual change. Self-efficacy changes much more quickly and can do so from one simple task to another. It’s assigned based on the confidence an athlete has in the immediate skill he or she performs.
Coaches and parents, make sure you understand the difference and support them both. It can be a big deal for your young athletes!
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What techniques do you use to help boost your athletes’ self-confidence?
How do you help them perform with confidence?
Share your tips and best practices!
Richard Samuels – Basketball – Durham – 15 years
“…I think the first thing you want to be able to do with most young athletes is to have them identify both their greatest strengths and weaknesses so that their personal path to being their vision of an ideal player can be defined. Once defined it is really a matter of being there and assisting them in their personal pursuits, making sure that it isn’t a matter of telling them “they can’t do ….because,….” but more of “they can do this if they work on …” by creating a personal action plan for that athlete, and then placing snippets of development to assist that athlete, in your practice plan as a coach, you will be surprised at how empowering that can be for your athletes. I have found It usually results in a more attentive, encouraged and cooperative athlete, as opposed to building a “chip on the athlete’s shoulder”, which only further frustrates the athlete and his teammates.”
Ashok Kumar – Wrestling – Mississauga – 20+ years
“…Believe in yourself
Take a little risk to try
Keep on trying correct move
Test with the best”
Joe Benedetti – Fast-Pitch Softball – Hamilton – 20+ years
“…Ask any coach if he wants a confident athlete and we all know what the quick reply will be – but ask that same coach if they want to develop and train VERY confident athletes and there might be some hesitation. The danger zone is when our athletes and teams become over-confident and in extreme cases – arrogant. That could stem from a lack of respect for their opponents. Surely we only enter athletes in competitions when we are confident that they can compete with confidence – that they have faith and belief in all their training and preparation. All humility stems from confidence. The key message that must be delivered – sometimes with words, but mostly with actions is simply this; ” I believe in you, believe in yourself, get out there and show them what you got !!!”
Meaghan Spykerman – Ringette – Corbeil – 3 years
“…Personally, I found that giving players a say in how they are practising has always helped with their confidence. Usually one or two drills a practice I try and cycle through the players and let them choose one, that way they feel more independent and confident. I also find that boosting them after every shift with compliments (even the smallest ones) can do a lot for their self-esteem too. After a shift instead of bogging them down with everything, they have done wrong I tell them a mixture of good and bad things. However, I try not to give too much criticism that way they are not getting stressed during a game.”
Stephen Catania – Soccer – Toronto – 10 years
“…I would have to agree with the introductory comments made to self-confidence. Those being having your players/athletes remember past successes gained through practice and repetition, using a timeline of sorts that tracks where they were to where they are now. Also using emotion as a detonator that takes frustration, anger and low performance results can positively feed through a determined mindset, goal setting, and plain and simply hard work, can lead to building tangible self-confidence and self-esteem. These are not only valuable on the playing field, but become cornerstones that build a complete athlete/person.”
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Thoughts from Jim Thompson’s book: The Power of Double-Goal Coaching
Historically, young people have apprenticed with their parents’ business. My father talked with great joy about going to work in the fields of the family farm with my grandfather at the age of 12. Today there is little opportunity for this, but coaching your own child can be a wonderful experience in working together. Many parents and children look back on their times together on a sports team as some of the best moments of their lives. Here are some tips for making that shared experience a positive one.
Your time coaching your child will pass by very quickly. Whatever happens, I encourage you to stay in the moment and enjoy this special time.
Do you coach your own child?
What are some great ideas for making it a positive experience for everyone involved?
Raj Venugopal – Judo – Ottawa
“…I have coached my three children in Judo. It has been a wonderful experience so far. My kids are 18, 15, and 9 years of age. At times it is a great experience, and at other times it has caused me to doubt my ability as a coach… and as a father! When our interaction on the mat is poor, I try (and sometimes fail) to keep negative thoughts from affecting our home life. In my head, I try to leave what happens on the mat. I also try to not bring our personal and private home life on to the mat. Certain private family matters should stay private. And to make things fun, I try to ask my kids about what games or teaching strategies we can use in class. Lastly, I understand that there is a tendency (especially with young kids) to mistakenly equate their parent coach’s knowledge as their own. When that behaviour shows itself, I try to correct the behaviour on the spot, but not in an embarrassing way. Great discussion topic, and a touchy one for sure!”
Coach Conrad – Basketball – Durham – 10 years
“…I’ve coached my son’s 14U Basketball team for approx 3 years now, and one of the things I try to do is treat all the players as though they are all my child. Both myself and my co Coach have son’s on the team, and we play off each other, and we are unified with how we treat/teach the kids”
Roy Summers – Nordic Skiing – Thunder Bay – 6 years
“…I have involved my child in helping to prepare a lesson at home prior to going to a practice or lesson. While this is not a regular occurrence, it helped my child to understand the effort I put into coaching to ensure a fun and quality experience for all the kids (she also had some really great ideas). It really helped to change my child’s attitude and understanding of sport – now she wants to ensure everyone has a fun time and enjoys coming out to participate. It also led her to understands she has a responsibility to be coached and not parented during the lesson. It was a real win-win for everyone.”
Christina W – Swimming – Hamilton – 5 years
“…My dad was my first coach. Working with family can be very frustrating. It was his passion and the sparkle in his eye when he talked about the sport of swimming and how much it meant to him to be apart of something that he loves so much that inspired me to keep going.”
Lisa Burton – Figure Skating, Hockey and Lacrosse – Northern Ontario – 30+ years
“…WOW, I can not believe this is the topic for discussion.
I have to say both my husband and I have coached both of our children and different times in their lives – 3 years to even now (my daughter is 24). The two children are completely different and we had to take that into account. We had one group of children one season we were coaching Initiation hockey program over 50 skaters on the ice and well it was only at the Christmas party that most of the parents even realized that we had two children of our own on the ice with everyone else. Every child deserves to learn and be challenged, it doesn’t matter if it is your own or not. At the rink for figure skating though my daughter and I did have to learn to separate home, Mom and daughter. So at the rink, she called me “Lisa” this way it did help her more than me when skaters were around that they didn’t feel I was giving her special preferences etc. Looking back on it, I was harder on her so she would know how to work hard, sacrifice and be a leader. Well, she is a Figure Skating coach now too and has thanked me on countless occasions for directing her training the way I did. For our son who we also coached for many years, he has now told us that he didn’t really enjoy any time in sport unless we were coaching him. He saw us giving all Fair Play, teaching new skills, getting the players to excel farther than they could have on their own and in having fun.”
Ken Anstruther ChPC – Taekwondo – Brampton – 30+ years
“…Not all parents should coach their children. It should be dependent on the nature of the relationship and the age of the child and the experience of the coach. If the child experiences, “You don’t love me”, rather than, “you need to rotate your hips”, then better to have another voice express the corrections. The child has lived with the parent and has a powerful emotional connection. The tone of voice, expression, posture and so on could negatively impact the psychological development of the child both as athletes and outside of sport. As coaches, I feel strongly that we have to take a holistic view of our athletes.”
Mike Miller – Soccer – Milton – 25+ years
“…I coached both of my children, as well as drove them to other events, such as officiating. My wife would come when they were little, but when they were 8 and up, it was Dad’s job and it was a way for my wife to get a break and have some alone time. It was also a way for me to get to spend some one-on-one time with my kids without rehashing sports things. The only privilege that they received for having me as their coach was to be able to choose their jersey number before anyone else.”
Coach Marko – Soccer and Basketball – Toronto – 15 years
“…Like parenting, there is no magic formula that works in every situation. Each circumstance is unique and must be treated for what it is. I’ve been coaching my son’s soccer team for 4 years and my daughter’s basketball team for 3. The same message I say to some kids on the team doesn’t necessarily resonate the same with my own kids. It’s important to know who they are and how to manage that relationship. Quite often, not knowing the personality, can lead to unwanted tension on the ride home, to the fault of nobody but circumstance. I encourage coach parents to be involved, but be fair and set boundaries. Have open and clear conversation as a coach and parent with your kid(s) so they know that you care no matter what role you take. My final advice does not allow your personal relationship to cloud your decisions as a coach, or unfairly use coaching to deal with parenting problems. This can have an adverse strain on relationships. Meaning to say do not use “I’m your dad so you will…..” when coaching. They are different things altogether and should be treated independently. Not to say you can’t discipline as a parent, but don’t threaten or use sports as a mechanism for life learning as this can be interpreted as unfair by your kid and will only serve to destroy the relationship as a parent and coach. Always be fair, always stay within the guidelines of a coach or parent, do not mix the two. Engage your kid in conversation about how they feel they performed and then ask if they want feedback from a coach or parent. Always, always, always, tell your kid you love them no matter what.”
Chris Caunce – Basketball – Burlington – 25+ years
“…A very important thing I learned coaching my own children (too bad it was number 3 by the time I figured it out) was to stop being coach once you live the gym. When I coached my son I would still be a coach on the ride home and I would point out things he could have done differently to improve. While I was only trying to help my son become a better player, I realized I was really taking the fun out of the game and he could not wait for the ride to end. Coaching my daughter has been a very different approach as taking off my coaching hat as we leave the gym and although I would like to help her and tell her what she could do to get better I simply ask, “did you have fun?”. As she has become older we may have a discussion about the game or practise on her initiative and I make sure to keep my dad hat on to support and help her.”
Coach Manny – Fastpitch – Ontario – 16 years
“…Have another team coach give her instructions even if you are the one who notices and asks the coach to tell her. You are her parent first but treat her like every other player when doing team activities. On the car ride home only talk to her about the game if she brings it up and stays positive. Negative talk will only put stress on your relationship.”
Jesse P – Speed Skating – Ottawa – 9 years
“…I am not a parent coach myself, but I work with mostly parent coaches. I often see kids respond negatively with their parent coaches. When I see this, I speak with the participants and let them know that I am available for them to talk to if they want someone other than their parents. However, I have yet to have any kids take me up on this. I think the problem is that kids think they will be in trouble if they want that space from their parents at practice. I am working to limit interaction between parent coaches and their own kids during practice, but as everyone is a volunteer, it is difficult. I am actually very interested in hearing more about this topic.”
One of the most satisfying experiences in sport or any other domain is being a member of a team that gets along well and works as a cohesive, collaborative unit. When you live, work, and play together in harmony, the chances of enjoying the journey and achieving mutually beneficial goals increase significantly. By committing yourself to interact in simple, positive ways that make teammates feel valued, appreciated, respected, and supported, you go a long way toward improving team spirit, harmony, and performance. […]
When Olympic and professional team performance enhancement consultant Cal Botterill studied the link between mood and performance in highly skilled team athletes, he discovered that team harmony was a key factor in performance. Each athlete’s mood had a direct effect on his or her performance, and athletes on the road often cited positive interaction with their coaches, roommates, and teammates as having a positive influence on their mood and performance.
Some of the Olympic and professional teams I have worked with have had more than their fair share of disharmony and interpersonal conflicts. Some team members felt ignored or left out, some athletes believed that the coach did not respect them or believe in them, and some team members withdrew emotionally or physically from the group. […]
The root of many interpersonal conflicts within team contexts is a lack of commitment to the overriding team mission, a lack of awareness of other people’s feelings, or sometimes a misinterpretation of the actions or intentions of a teammate, colleague, or coach.
Merely being together at meetings, work, practices, training camps, games, competitions, or team parties does not necessarily increase mutual liking or performance harmony among team members. For a genuine positive team spirit to develop and grow, individuals must commit to a common mission or goal and be linked in some positive interdependent way so they know that they have to rely on and help one another to have a chance of achieving their individual and collective goals.
Harmony or compatibility sometimes flows or grows naturally among members of a team. When this ideal circumstance is not present, it is important to discuss the commitment required from everyone on the team to put the bigger mission above any conflict or disharmony so that everyone gives his or her best and supports one another to achieve a worthy, higher-level goal. When all team members make a decision to be supportive, remain flexible, be their best, find good qualities in their teammates, and work together to accomplish mutually beneficial goals, collectively they put their team on the path to harmony and excellence.
Open communication is an important step in preventing and solving conflicts or problems among team members. Respecting another person’s needs, feelings, and perspective is difficult when you do not know or understand what they are. It is never too early or too late to move along a more positive path, turn a negative into a positive, transform wrong into a right, or turn an error into a positive lesson. The best time to begin this performance- and the life-enhancing process is right now.
From In Pursuit of Excellence, Fifth Edition by Terry Orlick
Copyright © 2017 by Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc. Excerpted by permission of Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. Available to order from Human Kinetics Canada at www.HumanKinetics.com or by calling 1-800-465-7301.
How do you foster and encourage Harmony on your teams or with the athletes you coach?
Martin Cavanagh ChPC – Curling – Hawkesbury – 15 years
“…”Everything on the table “ sessions. Once a week, we round table anything and everything that is good, bad or indifferent with any situation, training plan, teammate or coach. Nothing ever gets to the boiling point because everyone knows and understands to “Park it” until the weekly session. This also allows time to self-resolve. We also have the “Red Button” emergency for issues that must be dealt with immediately. Pushing the red button does mean that you must supply Tim’s coffee and Timbits though!”
Jane Elliott – Rowing, Volleyball, Tennis, Baseball – St Catherines – 30+ years
“…It is important to listen and develop an understanding of common goals. There are many paths to achievement both as a team and for athletes and they need to agree on as many common goals as possible, whether they be long term (season ideals) or short term (behaviour and direction of practices). Once there is some agreement on goals, team bonding and respect will assist in reaching those goals, even if the paths are as individual as the players. This serves all player’s strengths, weaknesses and personalities.”
Bert Zonneveld – Soccer – Guelph – 57 years
“…About 2-3 weeks prior to the start of the season, we have a two-day team bonding event, having given lots of notice to both players and parents, where we invite them and their families to a pot luck lunch on Saturday. After lunch, we have a number of fun-filled games where families interact with one another to get to know each other better. Other than two mothers who stay with us male coaches, the parents leave at around 4-5 pm, leaving their daughters with us for more team-oriented games and challenges. The evening ends with a sort of lip -sync dance routine competition in groups of four. Tents have been set up for the sleep-over. On Sunday, after a good breakfast, the parents pick up their kids at around noon.”
Christina Wall – Swimming – Toronto
“…Swimming is both an individual and team sport. Sometimes a teammate may do better individually and it can cause tension and conflict with others on the team. I have found that fostering harmony with the team is created when we do more team activities and volunteer in the community. The more that my athletes feel a part of the same team and are friends; the more encouraging they are of their teammate’s success and become genuinely excited for them when their fellow teammates do well.”
Joe Benedetti – Fastpitch – Hamilton – 30+ years
“One of my mentors, the late Gil Read of Ottawa, always told me the most important thing he did EVERY year was open up his home and host 6, that’s right, 6, pool parties for the team, parents and siblings. He made it clear everyone was welcome, but the team and players had to organize and agree on the dates and times and plan the food and refreshments. He knew the secret was simply to give the players opportunities to spend time with each other in order to get to know and appreciate their teammates and their families. Gil went on to be a leader on our Women’s Olympic Softball team in Athens in 2004. May his soul rest in peace.”
Lillian Mendoza – Basketball – Mississauga – 27 years
“… We have hosted “team bonding” days and nights as well as team homework time. Ironically, the drama between teammates has developed. Since we developed a genuine family-like relationship among coaches, players and parents, we do some fact-finding by first communicating with the parents then have a heart to heart with each individual before placing them in front of each other to “get it out and leave it out”.”
Steve – Volleyball – London – 7 years
“…@ LVC we foster team harmony in as many platforms as possible. We start every year creating our team’s standards and expectations to ensure we are all on the same page. A few weeks in, once we all know each other better, we as a group create some shared team goals that are congruent with individual goals. A few weeks after that we sit down and create a team mission statement that gets turned into bag tags for all of the girls to read when they feel like we are not working together towards our goals. We continue to check in on our goals and mission statement to ensure it stays relevant and appropriate to us. Finally, we try and do monthly team bonding events. These events are run either by coaches or players. Some ideas have included escape rooms, costume bowling, team dinners and other events. We give the athletes the freedom to plan these events too. When the culture of cohesion is fueled by the athletes, it becomes more authentic and holistic than the forced events by coaches.”
Take a moment to think of the various roles you play and the different hats that you may wear in your day to day coaching. At any given time you could be a team manager, marketer, administrator, office manager, league convener, HR manager, psychologist, facility manager, just to name a few.
There is a lot to do, and often not enough money, time, energy or staff to get it all done. Not only that, but you also need to consider how much time you’re spending wearing each hat.
Depending on the size of your organization/club it can make sense for a few people to inherit and manage many tasks. We become “expert” jugglers at switching from task to task and many jobs, although part of your program, is being done in addition to the actual time spent on a field, deck, court etc.
So while wearing all these hats yourself may seem like an effective strategy, it can become disadvantageous not just for your athletes and program, but for you. Do you find that these other hats take away from your coaching? How easy is it for you to change hats without messing up your hair?
Here are a few ways to help you spend more time coaching and less time juggling
Build a team around you
Be aware of, and open about, your weaknesses. You don’t need to be a genius and expert at everything to be a great coach or run a great club or program. Bring in people who complement your hats by excelling where you struggle. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
Use technology
Let applications and great pieces of technology take the hassle out of keeping track and managing multiple hats by having one closet. This will allow you more time to spend on working with your athletes on the field, deck, court, video room etc. You would be surprised to know that some hats you wear could be combined into one.
Delegate
This plays into the above point of creating and surrounding yourself with a team that you can trust. Delegating some of those hats can help you achieve more in less time, which leaves you more time to coach on the field, deck, court etc.
Coaching is a big responsibility and the role often comes with more than just one hat. The key is balance and learning to separate every part of your job into equally important parts.
How do you manage your many hats while balancing coaching duties?
Do you find the day to day management of your club or team takes away from your coaching?
How would you change it?
Rolf Waffler – Football, Skiing – Thunder Bay – 25 years
“…Having a committed manager who is able to recruit volunteers to fill key positions i.e. fundraising, etc is key. Then as the head coach, you only have to keep tabs on things rather than do it all. It is key that you give the people below you the authority and confidence to do the duties and not micromanage them.”
Connie Groom – Gymnastics – Ottawa – 31 years
“…With many years of coaching and being exposed in 6 Provinces and 1 territory, I have experienced small to large organizations. The saying If I only knew then what I know now, so true. Don’t go it alone, if you need help ask. When you are asked to help make sure you are not putting yourself in a position where you will burn out. Passion needs to be with you as days are long, coaching as we all understand can be tough. The gains of helping our athletes reach their goals should be a priority and everything else will get done eventually. Refer to professionals where the need is and keep your knowledge-based within your level of knowledge. It’s okay to say ” let me get back to you on that” Overall take things 1 day at a time, try to keep work at work, and home at home. Set goals for yourself as a coach, today, the week, the month and stick to it. The best is to make sure you schedule within a week ” me time” and of course if you are in a relationship you need to schedule ” date night”
David Gentry – Basketball – Ottawa – 25 years
“…Back in the day, of my 25 years of coaching, managing a small basketball club, It was up to me and me alone to not only coach but manage all aspects of the club. Registration, signs ups, competitions, scheduling, etc. We didn’t have the fancy things that exist today. Fast forward 25 years and now we have a club administrator and the opportunity to use technology like scheduling, league management, even emailing all from one single app. The only thing I would change is I wish it all had come sooner in my coaching career!”
Lisa Loney – Gymnastics – Waterloo – 10 years
“…There should be a coaching course on how to find and use the best technology. There is a lot out there and some coaches don’t know they exist! I can’t see how any club or team runs without the use of some scheduler like TeamSnap or video software like coaches’ eye or dartfish. It often takes just the chance to see something in action and I would welcome the opportunities to see and hear more about what exists.”
Michael Weiss – Alpine Ski Racing – Ottawa/Gatineau – 49 years
“Perform the roles or functions that are your strengths, delegate tasks that distract you from achieving your priority of the day or week or season. Arm yourself with the best team that supports what you cannot attend to as effectively these might be capable of doing. Trust your team!”
Stephanie Knill – Soccer – Brampton – 1 year
“… I just starting coaching my son’s soccer team this summer. This is the first time I have ever coached and I found that it took much more than I thought it would. I thought I would just come to each session and basically supervise since they were U05. Boy was I wrong. I became a coordinator, communicator, supporter and role model for some awesome young boys. I also had to work with the parents of the team to keep everything on track and organized. This meant staying in constant communication with the league as well.
I found that some of these things did distract from my actual coaching of the team. I found that I became more worried about getting pictures together and communicating information, rather than setting up activities and ensuring the skills are transferred to the kids.
With all of this, it would have been great to have an assistant coach to help take care of the administrative side, so that I could really take the time to focus on skills and the sport.
With all of that said, I wouldn’t give up the experience for anything. I think I may even be coaching this indoor season as well!”
Lee – Figure Skating – Eastern Ontario – 20 years
“…I am a mother as well as my two kids coach. I find it hard to keep my kids separate from the business side and the drama. I have dealt with this by moving to the kid’s dressing room instead of having the kids in the coach’s room.”
Alyne Azucena – Ultimate Frisbee – Toronto – 3 years
“We have a team roles spreadsheet that requires every player to sign themselves up for a position that contributes to the team. This includes sideline match-ups (matching players on and off the field for a defensive ear), team doctor (brings band-aids, pro-wrap, tape, etc.), tournament organizer (book hotels, organize car rides), etc. We make sure to communicate a strong team culture from the beginning and every role is important and appreciated. The delegation takes a huge load off the leadership team!”
Emily Scott – Ringette – Toronto – 8 years
“…if every club/team had enough money to hire an operations manager who ran the website, registration, marketing, community outreach etc, that I feel would go a LONG way to improving how coaches can balance what they are meant to do, and that’s the coach.”
What kinds of technology do you use to manage your athletes and team?
Have advances in technology made coaching easier or harder?
Every day it seems like a new piece of technology comes out and it doesn’t matter what you use, it can be hard to stay up to date. From new phones, electronics, and apps, technology continues to make major changes in almost every part of our everyday lives.
In the world of sports, technology has impacted almost every aspect of playing, watching and coaching. Have those advances in technology made coaching jobs easier or harder? Depending on who you ask, you may get a different answer. In many ways though, technology has increased the demands of coaches from team management and communication, but also created new ways to get the very best out of training and performance of athletes.
Training & Performance
Whether you’re working at the grassroots or high-performance level, technology has greatly impacted the way coaches and athletes train and perform. With the rise in wearable technologies, athlete monitoring systems measuring and tracking athletic progress in real-time, athletes and coaches can see not only how, but how well their athletes are performing at every point in a workout and or competition.
Like a machine, athletes are able to look at a dashboard that shows how their engine is running, and coaches are like their mechanics, fine-tuning the engine to perform at its best.
Communication & Management
With the rise of social media, email and applications, the advances in communications have increased dramatically. The need and ability to share instant updates and information is paramount to the management of one’s team, club or league.
Apps like TeamSnap exist to help coaches save time communicating and managing their teams, clubs and leagues. Acting as a central location for all of your information, you can schedule, communicate and administer every aspect, including registration online rather than paper forms!
Technological advances have enabled coaches to be able to better communicate and manage everyone and all aspects of their team at the click of a button. With better communication comes faster results, timely updates, and winning outcomes.
Video & Analysis
Every electronic device it seems nowadays has a camera and every coach, parent or athlete is equipped with a phone, tablet or recording device.
Everything from smartphones to Imovie, tablets and mobile applications, offers the easy ability to record, review and replay performances instantly. These technological advances have revolutionized the way coaches coach their athletes. With frame by frame analysis and performance metrics available at the press of a button, video continues to offer coaches strategic performance enhancements.
Coaching can be stressful no matter which level, sport or how long you’ve been coaching and new technological advances are there to help your athletes perform better and make your job easier. From advances in training, communication, and analysis, technology will no doubt continue to evolve from where we are today.
How has technology impacted your coaching?
Coach Lisa – Multi-sport- Kingston – 14 Years
“…Advances in technology don’t make our jobs harder, they make them better. Without the video technology (Coaches Eye, Hudl), athlete monitoring or apps like Teamsnap, how can we as coaches be the best we can be for our athletes? It is part of our jobs to be the best coach we can be for our athletes and that involves using time-saving, performance-enhancing (in a positive way) applications and equipment that allows our athletes to shine!…”
Coach Russell – Volleyball – York – 12 Years
“…The hardest part is finding the right ones for you. There are so many out there it can be very hard to find the one that works best for what we do. I have no problem paying for technology that makes our lives easier and jobs more effective, but it is annoying when clubs and organizations cannot see the value in some of the applications that exist. I use CoachesEye for video, TeamSnap for communication and club management and WordPress for our website. I find you cannot just have one piece of technology, as they all cant do it all, but by having a few top-notch pieces parents and your athletes will love it, and you will sleep better at night!…”
Coach Bollers – Hockey – Toronto – 20 Years
“…The majority of players I coach are referred to as Gen Z or iGen, the generation after Millennials. Social Media (Twitter/Instagram/Youtube) has impacted this generation and many are often found wandering the mall, rinks, schools and rinks aimlessly looking down at their mobile devices or tablets. I have nicknamed this generation “Generation looking down” Today players learn better visually than verbally. I have implemented the following teaching aids throughout the season:
I also find it effective to use the following for communication:
Precise and clear communication will help the individual player meet your expectations and exceed their…”
Coach Sam – Baseball – Mississauga – 27 Years
“…Sometimes I feel like we as coaches can become too dependent and complacent and become reliant on technology. Don’t get me wrong I like being able to send a mass team email practice is cancelled or track attendance or schedule practices, each of those are lifesavers to me and other coaches. But we cannot get bogged down in what fancy new gadget exists. Just like in the baseball movie, trouble with the curve, a scout still needs to be able to watch, listen and feel. Some technology is better than others and saves us coaches loads of time, but remember to watch, listen and feel and then use technology to help you help your athletes and teams…”
Coach Jonathon – Toronto – 15 Years
Technology has been an integral part of my coaching practice. As an amateur athlete, my ‘ah-ha!’ moment came following a metabolic test on a cycling erg. I was so fascinated by the science of the VO2 test, that I changed my career path!
As a coach, I have built my practice around leveraging technology to maximize the human engine, based on an athlete’s goals. Combining real-time telemetry with historical data from devices that measure and record performance metrics, along with the ever-evolving platforms that allow for better and better analysis, we are able to look inside that human-machine, infer as to genetic gifts, the shape of engine and level of conditioning. But one of the greatest benefits is to see the potential of all of those elements, and identify when mental and emotional factors are actually the limiters of success. All of this great data, when in the hands of someone who actually understands when it applies and how to apply it, is very powerful.
The flip side is that although most of the metrics collected are vital, they are only helpful in relevant scenarios. Given that just about anyone with a credit card and enough room on it for a good meal, can purchase some of the new wearable tech and access analytic tools online, the combination of data with the lack of education, can lead to harmful training practices and ultimately hinder performance and health.
My advice to anyone who asks about whether to invest in this tech is always the same; If you can afford it, buy it! Put save some of that hard-earned money to hire a coach, so you can get the value of both the tech and the data that comes along with it.
Coach Sandra – Swimming- Ottawa – 22 Years
“…All of the video technology and athlete monitoring has been a great boost to performances. One thing I can say is not having to wake up at 430am for morning practice to ensure everyone knows it’s cancelled is the best thing ever! When now I can send a push notification my Teamsnap app, send a team email to parents etc, that practice is cancelled, or warm-up times have changed, is honestly magic! The best thing technology has done has created better means to communicate. And we all know it is the parents who get the kids to practices and competitions. Happy parents mean more likelihood of success!…”
Coach Ken – Taekwondo – Mississauga – 30 Years
“…Still using Dartfish both laptops and apps. Faster response due to upgraded technology. Many people use video, but not as many use it effectively. Multiple planes of motion viewing are more helpful, but not as easy to get. Have added Whole Body Vibration to add efficiency to tight training schedules. Activation, strength and recovery are all features of this…”
Written by Coach E. & Coach D
How do you evaluate the progress of your athlete’s midseason?
How do you evaluate yourself?
We can sometimes get bogged down in our training maps, yearly training plans, and even with all the planning in the world things still can go array. With any good plan though comes even better evaluation and feedback reporting to track that plan. As we ring in the New Year, now is a great time to evaluate how the season is unfolding for your athletes, parents, and oneself.
1. Your Athletes
I use this opportunity to provide each athlete with a print out of their performance. With numerous competitions completed up to this point, I sit down one-on-one with my athletes and review their performances in relation to their goal set at the beginning of the year. We review practice logs and training habits along with competition performance and determine if the SMART goal needs to be re-set or is on track to be achieved. It is a great opportunity to highlight how far someone has come since the beginning of the year and learn what challenges they are facing.
2. Your Parents
We all know that parents, athletes and coaches make up the triangle of success. The midseason evaluation is just as pertinent to the parents as it is to the athlete.
I make a point to inform the parents in my monthly newsletter that I am having one-on-one meetings with the athletes and providing them with a printout of their progress. It’s as much about evaluating an athlete’s progress as it is providing parents with essential information on their child’s progress. Parents want to know their athlete is being treated fairly and provided with opportunities to succeed. Keeping them in the loop and showing that their child is progressing and has goals for the remainder of the year keeps parents informed as part of the ladder to success.
3. Yourself
It is the learning and growing you do as a coach that can have the biggest positive impact on your athlete’s performance throughout the remainder of the season. I make a point to sit down with my colleagues and discuss not only the progress of the program but for me as an individual. Are there things we could or should be doing differently? Are there things I can be doing differently? What coaching strategies have been successful in training and competition thus far? Remember that as fast as time flies, this time also serves as a reminder to you of just how far your athletes have come.
Although we would love to just sit back and relax and watch those plans come to fruition, unfortunately, our amazing jobs don’t come that easy. But hey it’s true in what they say; if it was easy everyone would be doing it!
Do you have a midseason evaluation?
How do you monitor and evaluate your athlete’s midseason? What tips do you have to evaluate yourself?
Coach Pierre – Gymnastics – Kingston – 44 Years
“…At our club, we have a mid-year meeting with our pre-comp and competitive athletes and their parents to discuss progress, plans, and any concerns. With athletes who are adults, it is also a good idea to include other supporting staff such as their sports nutritionists, physiotherapist, psychologist, or other treatment specialists in the meeting as well. If the athlete is at a level where they have a financial advisor their involvement in the mid-year review can help ensure that the financial resources will be in place for the remainder of the season to meet the athlete’s needs. This puts everyone on the same page and gives the athlete the peace of mind to focus on their training…”
Coach Joe – Softball – Hamilton
“…I have tried, from time to time, a ridiculously simple technique, around mid-season: Simply ask:
Where are we?
How did we get here?
Where do we want to go?
If we can get the athletes to critically reflect on these questions, and honestly share their thoughts and feelings and hopes for the rest of the season, then maybe, just maybe – together we can make it happen…”
Coach Rob – Swimming – Etobicoke – 4 Years
“…I use this time of year in my sport to re-set expectations for both parents and the athletes. Goals are meant to be broken, and the processes you set back in September need to be monitored and re-examined at this time of year to highlight the positives and areas needed to continue to be worked on. It also is a great time for me as a coach, to re-evaluate my strategies and what has been for the past 5 months is working. What is the feedback from parents, my athletes and colleagues?…”
Coach Lisa – Hockey – Ajax – 7 Years
“…It doesn’t matter just what we think as coaches, but what do your athletes and parents think? This is a perfect time to ask how do they think things have gone so far. What has worked, what hasn’t worked and how are we going to build towards achieving the goals set for the end of the year? What can we change, from not only a coaching side but athlete and parents perspective…”
The True Meaning of Competition – (Written by Multi-Sport LF & Coach Joe)
What is the true meaning of competition?
What do you want your athletes to take away from competition?
There is nothing so unsure as a sure thing. As they say on the Pro-Line commercials, “Because anything can happen, anyone can win.” Anything can happen in a competition, and it usually does.
Your team might be highly favoured to win, you might be bigger, stronger, faster, older, more experienced or whatever, BUT there is no such thing as a sure win. The result is always in doubt, upsets happen – often. That’s why they play the game. Underdogs become Top Dogs. The vanquished become victorious. David did defeat Goliath – you can look it up. The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Teams often surprise their favoured opponents, with increased focus and motivation.
So guard against complacency. Respect all opponents. Play hard, Get ahead early, Don’t let the opposition “hang around”
Play fair and practice good sportsmanship always, but when you think about it, the most sincere way to respect your opponents is to show them your best effort at all times. Regardless, upsets will happen – you can only do your best to reduce their frequency!
So when they happen, make no excuses, and congratulate your opponent on their hard-won victory. They deserve no less.
In his book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Robert Fulghum says:
“About winning: It isn’t important. What really counts is how you play the game. About losing: It isn’t important. What really counts is how you play the game. About playing the game: Play it to win!”
Teams will learn lessons. There are no mistakes only lessons. Lessons will be repeated until learned.
Be the type of player and team than learns lessons quickly. Play with passion. Play with purpose. Play to dominate.
How do you inspire your athletes to understand the meaning of competition?
Coach Silvia – Sport Climbing – Toronto – 5 Years
“…I often aim to keep my athletes focused and relaxed, we review their warm-up and ensure they are clear about what they need to do to be ready. When we debrief about how their performance was I ask how they felt about their effort, as long as they feel like they truly gave 100% then they achieved what they came to do. Try their hardest, stay focused and enjoy the challenge…”
Coach Edward – Karate – Ottawa – 12 Years
“…I strive to have my athletes understand that competition is a means to an end. it is not the end result of today that matters, but the result you want for tomorrow is what you are working towards. Everything had a purpose, and each race, no matter how big or small provides opportunities to learn not only about performing better but learning about yourself…”
Coach Gordon – House League Hockey – Ottawa
“…This is a challenging issue in non-competitive (house) leagues. We deal with the notion of participating versus being competitive. The challenge is inspiring everyone to be as competitive as they can be while dealing with the mindset that they are only involved to have fun. Have fun and be competitive at the same time…”
Coach Michael – Basketball – Durham
“…While we have all hoped of winning the championship, losing in the National High School Championships, I looked at the bigger picture of what we had achieved. We did not win the championship trophy but we got a lot of respect from our opponents, coaches and organizers. Organizers were so impressed with how we carried ourselves during the course of the tournament that we got an automatic slot for next year’s championship. We will always treasure the lessons learned and the experience we have gained. We made lots of friends and followers. With this, I came to realize that winning was not all about the championship trophy but finding peace and pride knowing we did our best and gave it all…”
Coach Louisa – Swimming – Windsor – 4 Years
“…The Greek meaning of ‘competition’ means to ‘strive with.’ Competition is meant to make each other better. Every time you step into a ring, on a field or in a pool, it is an opportunity to better yourself. Remembering that although there are a winner and a loser, in the end, you strive to be better for having to compete…”
To Maximize Development, Change Your Mindset – By Beth Barz
Do you believe that only perfect practice makes perfect performance?
What is the right coaching mindset?
“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect performance,” once said Vince Lombardi. Is that your mindset, too?
In the case above, Lombardi expected perfect execution of every repetition, even in practice. This is a very plain example of the “fixed mindset” popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, where the focus on expectations of success outweighs the mistakes made in the learning process. There is definitely a time to focus on perfect performance in practice yet this type of standard can cause more damage than good when employed with youth. So, what if coaches like Lombardi changed their mindset on practice?
Instead, by encouraging a mindset that favours growth through failure and the grit (Duckworth 2006) to keep working through multiple practice opportunities, we can instill both positive life lessons and the ability for our athletes to think at the moment when pressure-filled competition circumstances arise. This type of environment can be created when a coach changes their own mindset on the purpose and outcomes of practice.
Further, coaches who use a question-based approach in their coaching (Kidman et all 2001) will model the way for athletes who feel stifled by specific directions and the mile-high expectations for immediate success. The mindset here is that the coach focuses on the needs of the athlete and allows the athlete or team to drive the practice goals. This occurs while the coach simply guides and supports through identifying the next step in the learning process as it presents itself. Rigid outcomes become less of a focus and athlete learning becomes the primary goal.
Allowing athletes to fail in their learning and to be an active part of the practice process ensures that they stay engaged and learn even more deeply during practice. The mindset of perfect execution of a skill or tactic can be changed to allow for many more opportunities for athletes and for coaches to grow. To do this, coaches need to change their mindset about perfect performance at all times.
References: Dweck, C. S., (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House. Duckworth, A., (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. New York: Scribner. Kidman et al., (2001). Developing Decision Makers: An empowerment approach to coaching. Christchurch: IPC Print Resources.
What is your mindset in practice and training?
Do you believe “only perfect practice makes perfect performance?”
How do you develop a positive coaching mindset?
Coach Travis – Tennis – Grimsby – 11 Years
“…My mindset is the creation of a learning environment that is conducive to learning from failure but practicing with a purpose. This practicing with a purpose drives continuous improvement in athletes, driving them to be “perfect.” Without failure, one cannot learn, but without a purposeful purpose one cannot achieve positive outcomes leading to perfection…”
Coach Lisa – Synchronized Swimming – Toronto – 6 Years
“…It depends on the age group you are working with and a balance is needed. Certainly, the idea of perfect practice is important, ie not practicing a drill consistently wrong, but instead teaching how to do it correctly. However, failure during practice leads to closer perfect performance. One must learn from failure to achieve “perfection”…”
Coach Norm – Baseball – Ottawa – 15 Years
“…While I do believe that perfect practice does make for improved performance, the notion of perfect performance does not exist. A famous coach I once heard said even though their athlete broke a record, the coach felt they could have done better. Even though this so-called “perfect” performance of breaking a record and reaching the podium was achieved, failure still exists. The very nature of the sport is continued persistence to “perfection” by learning from one’s own mistakes and demise. You never get too high or too low, but instead, learn from each to improve performance…”
Coach Wendy – Swimming – Toronto – 7 Years
“…Certainly, with little kids, I teach practice does not make perfect. We instill that practice and training must have a purpose leading to the desired outcome. Whether it is a technical component such as a drill, or an intense workout, simply going back and forth does not make you better. It is the goal and purpose of each piece that contributes to your performance outcome at a competition…”
Some tips and tricks to parental involvement – By Jessica Cunha – Skating Coach
Parents are an athlete’s number one fan; driving them to all of their practices, games and competitions, encouraging them during times of self-defeat and pushing them to be the best versions of themselves. So how can we have parents feel like an integral part of the association?
Building and maintaining parental relationships allows parents to develop a sense of connection that increases their loyalty and trust in the organization. This not only helps to grow and retain membership but also positively impacts club culture.
Volunteer Opportunities
Encourage parents to volunteer for club events. Volunteers not only help alleviate extra duties, but volunteering will allow parents to feel a sense of responsibility as they contribute to the success of an event. Alternatively, encouraging them to volunteer as board members is also beneficial. Parents will be able to provide insight from their perspective that may have been overlooked when running programs. They can also relate to other parents and help ease their transition into the new environment.
Communicate!
The key to any good relationship is open communication. Provide meetings at the beginning, middle and end of the season to discuss what parents can expect from you as a coach, what you expect from their athlete, and what the parents expect from you. You can also utilize this time to talk to parents about the importance of putting down the technology. Often times I have had my athletes looking at their parents after a great execution of a skill, only to be disappointed when they see them playing games on their tablet. Communication between the athlete, coach and the parent is a triangle, the more communication, the better the experience.
Educate
Offer monthly workshops where you can utilize what you have learned from your NCCP training courses. Teach parents about proper nutrition for their athletes and psychological practices they can do at home such as envisioning their routine. Something I personally enjoy doing is giving my athlete a book filled with exercises they need to work on at home and have their parents understand the positioning to look for as they execute it. Some parents even join in on the exercises!
How do you engage your sports parents?
How do you build and maintain positive parental relationships? What are some best practices, tips or tricks you use to keep parents engaged?
Coach Edward – Baseball – Thunder bay – 11 Years
“…Communicate, communicate, communicate. Did I mention communication? Put yourself in their shoes, and think about what would you want to know. Or better yet, ask! Have a meeting, ask the parents what they would like to hear about, how often and in what form. But go into the meeting with a general idea of what you would like to share with them. Now they are part of the solution and not the problem. Parents want to know that their child matters, and is important to you, the coach. The parent is part of the triangle of success, it takes an athlete, a coach and parents to achieve success…”
Coach Sally – Soccer – Ajax – 7 Years
“…Encouraging parental volunteers is always tough. We found a way at our club that really works. We give discounts to families who volunteer. The more you volunteer, the more they save, up to a certain degree of course. We give away things such as savings on equipment, registration fees, travel discounts; who don’t like to be rewarded! We find it is a very effective way of saying thank you, but also works as the incentive to get people in the door, so to speak, and involved with the club…”
Coach Sue – Swimming – London – 6 Years
“…I always have 2 meetings per year; one at the beginning and one-half way, to deliver my expectations, your role as a parent, what we plan to achieve and why we do things the way we do, answer questions. I find that it really helps alleviate parent questions, especially at the start of the year when you have a new coach for the year, travel trips planned etc. ON top of this I send monthly newsletters with all information upcoming about competitions, practice changes, what we have been working on and where we are going. Parents just want to be kept in the loop, and most are very appreciative of the constant updates…”
Coach Marg – Figure Skating – Kawartha Lakes
“…Regularly communicate by email as sometimes sets of parents have some pretty set views on how things should be. By emailing they have the opportunity to digest what could be coming down the pike and enter a meeting with some times less adverse positions…”
As coaches, we inspire our athletes to perform to their potential. And an enlightening, thought-provoking game-day speech is a must.
The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. – Hall of Fame NFL coach, Vince Lombardi.
There are plenty of questions to consider before delivering a pre-game speech. With only a few minutes to spare before athletes begin competing, how can a coach convey an impactful message that mentally and emotionally prepares our athletes for competition?
From my experiences as a university athlete, elite coach, and graduate student in the area of sport psychology, I recommend coaches consider three fundamental rules when delivering a pre-competition speech:
Reiterate the importance of team values
In the opening quotation, Lombardi identifies the values of hard work, dedication and determination as to the keys to success. As coaches, we should communicate the importance of similar values to our athletes. I recommend coaches address the importance of commitment, hustle, and respect to name a few.
Avoid last-minute instruction
It’s our job as coaches to offer technical and tactical instruction. However, with a few minutes before your athletes begin to compete, it is best to avoid any last-minute instruction, which may confuse your athletes or add additional stress. Remember, your athletes want to begin competing with a clear and calm mind. As a result, refrain from bombarding them with a list of instructions right before a competition. This information is most effectively communicated after the game or at practice.
Offer continuous support
Finally, support your athletes by complimenting and reminding them how proud you are of them. Aside from being coaches, we are also mentors and role models. Our athletes look up to us and value our opinions. We must communicate with our athletes that we are proud of their efforts and confident in their abilities to perform. This positive social support will undeniably equate to a higher success rate, as our athletes enter the playing field with increased self-efficacy.
What do you say before a game to help your athletes/team perform at their best?
Coach Juan – Soccer – Hamilton – 15 Years
“…I can not agree more with the importance of a positive, and encouraging pregame speech. Three years ago, I was an assistant coach for a U11 girls team. Our game was against the best team in our division, a team that just didn’t lose to anyone. The parents knew what was coming, the players were walking with their heads down, not wanting to even take the pitch.
I pulled the team away from everyone and sat them down, not having any idea on what I was going to say, to at least get them to play and have fun. I started by making sure I didn’t mention the words win or lose. I told my girls, in order to have success on the pitch, you have to work together as a team. You have to make sure you take care of each other. Trust your teammates, but more importantly, believe in your ability to play the game. Also that before they stepped on the pitch, to tell themselves that they were going to work harder than anyone on the pitch, including their teammates. Let’s face it, I didn’t tell these girls anything that coaches have not been saying for years and years, but for some reason this time it stayed with them, they understood what it would take to be successful.
The game ended 1-1. After the game, the girls said they were only able to do what they did, because of my pregame speech. We’ve had success since that game, but the reason I like to share that story is because of three years later and the girls still talk about that great game they played and the reason why they were able to achieve success.”
Coach Saajidh – Karate – Scarborough – 4 years
“…We will enjoy every moment. We Own the Win, We will play to save it, We play to protect it.”
Coach Stuart M. – Multi-Sport – Sierra Leone – 10 years
“…Sometimes it’s what not to say. Don’t bring in any new information, concepts, or strategy…despite what you see in movies. If you didn’t do it last week at practice, it’s too late. Before a game, players often think about the latest trick or play they learned thinking it will help them get an edge. Instead, remind them to focus on fundamentals.
Keep things simple. Trying to execute something new (complex) at the cost of previously mastered fundamental skills is a game day mistake I’ve seen many times. You could mention ONE thing they should be working on to improve, provided you have gone over it at practice the week before.
Close with something to reduce athlete pressure (lower the stakes), or ramp it up, depending on what your athletes respond best to. Some need help calming nerves, some need to be challenged.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 13+ Years
“…I tend to just remind them how much work they have put in and that they know their stuff. Just to trust themselves and they will be fine. To play their game and not let the ref’s or other teams affect them.”
What does it take to coach? What are the fundamental skills required in coaching? A lot of what a coach does goes beyond technical know-how. We know that some of the best coaches have not been elite athletes themselves, but have developed strengths in key areas such as motivation, communication with athletes, and demonstrating leadership on and off the playing field.
Some universally required skills are:
Leadership: Whether coaching a team or an individual, coaches need strong leadership skills. To lead the development of players and teams, coaches also must develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Communication: Central to coaching is the coach-athlete relationship. Coaches should enjoy working with people, have strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work within a team environment.
Passion: Not to be forgotten with the modern focus on sports science and analytics, great coaches still possess a love of the sport. Communicating their passion for the game is as important as anything they do. Along with that passion comes a desire to make a difference in a person’s life.
What other skills do you think are required to become a great coach?
What role do they play in your coaching?
Coach Ken Anstruther – Taekwondo – Mississauga – 15 Years
“An athlete must believe they can do what needs to be done. The coach must help instill that belief by using positive inputs throughout the training. The coach must be a good listener, observer and translator. He or she must allow divergent thinking but have the ability to converge on the right things.
He or she must be able to listen to and observe the athlete and translate the words, emotions and sports actions into adjustments that fit with their athlete. E.g. a parent came to me and advised his son was developing OCD characteristics. I researched strategies for dealing with their fears and anxieties and discovered that this could apply to other athletes. The right answer could lie anywhere, so the coach must be prepared to look everywhere.”
Coach Sean Ferguson ChPC, RGP – Swimming – Waterloo – ?? Years
“A great coach also needs to be mature. ‘Mature’ is one of those funny words, as many may assume that the younger you are, the more immature you may be, and therefore the older you are, the more mature you will be.
However, I personally don’t equate one’s maturity level with their age; age is only a number, and to me, it’s a fallacy to assume one way or the other with respect to age and maturity level.
Mature individuals make great coaches, because: they walk the line calmly, they educate themselves/seek information, they choose to be open-minded, they learn how to wear different hats when needed (multi-skilled), they are not afraid to admit fault, and they adapt to their environment all while being a great leader which is not an easy thing to do.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 15 Years
“I think having patience is the key to becoming a great coach. Knowing how to let certain things go and when to spend time on something or move on. This is super important to helping you grow and your team develop.”
Coach Howard Dewsbury – Baseball – Barrie – 18 Years
“The skills that make a good coach change as the athlete develops, here I will talk about what I think makes a good coach for entry-level athletes. At all levels, a coach must understand that they cannot win a game only the athletes can do that. It is the coach’s job to prepare the athlete for winning.
To prepare an athlete for winning the coach must teach the fundamental skills required to play the game, to do this the coach needs to be able to demonstrate those skills and explain them to the athlete. The coach must also realize each athlete is different and be able to vary their approach to suit the individual athlete.
A good coach also understands that the time for teaching is at a practice or a careful word when they are on the bench not while they are on the field during a game. On the flip side, a coach can lose a game by not properly preparing the athletes, too many times I have seen coaches teaching their team about game strategies without having taught them the skills needed to execute those strategies. Many times they are doing this while the athlete is playing the game.
As a good coach you are prepared, understand the needs of the athlete and present a positive environment for the athlete to play in.”
Coach Patricia Careau – Weightlifting – Pembroke – 20 Years
“Human beings are hard-wired for connection and vulnerability. You need to be able to listen and hold space with athletes especially when the going gets tough…or even when they share their fears, anxiety, anger, disappointment and everything else that they bring with them on the field of play.”
Coach Joe Benedetti – Fastpitch – Hamilton – Too Many Years
“…I recall reading a short article on this topic and the 3 top assets of a coach were:
We certainly cannot ask our athletes to work any harder than we are. We must all strive to be life-long learners and stay up to date in the area of knowledge and skills and attitudes. Finally, what better way to develop the passion and motivation of our athletes than for them to see us having FUN coaching.”
Coach Rolf Waffler – Football and Skiing – Thunder Bay – 20 Years
“Patience. Regardless of the level of sports athletes acquire, consolidate and refine skills and abilities at different rates. Patience is required to develop training that includes athletes who are refining skills and those that are still acquiring the same skill. Age, athletic ability and mental maturity all factor into the teaching of sport and life skills. In teaching this the coach’s patience will always be tested by the athlete and more often by the parent who will be questioning why isn’t little Johnny at the same level as the remainder of the team. Patience is required to stay the course of a well-laid training plan.”
Some thoughts from the By Coach Jessica Cunha
Connecting with a new team or athlete can be difficult, even if you have been coaching for many years. There are multiple things you don’t know: what coaching style works best for them, how they manage their stress, what their goals are and of course what motivates them to continue participating.
After reflecting on my experiences with my own coaches, I believe that I performed better for the ones that took the time to get to know me as an individual. I knew they cared about me, and as a result, I cared about doing my best for them. Now as a coach, I continuously see the positive impact a strong coach-athlete relationship has on a team or individual; greater cohesion increased trust, and most importantly, respect for one another.
Don’t skip the introduction
Sharing a little about yourself and your coaching style is a great way to help your athletes feel comfortable and build trust. Do tell them how long you have been coaching for but stem away from how many awards and honours you have received. Instead, discuss the expectations you have for them, and what they should expect from you. This helps resolve assumptions they may have picked up from a previous coach. Finish off with what or who inspired you to begin coaching and why you continue.
Discover your athlete’s goals and motivations
Schedule one- on- one meeting with your athletes either before or after practice. Find out what their goals are for the season and how they want to accomplish them. Now is a good time to ask about what motivates them and why they are passionate about their sport. Be open to feedback and end with asking what you can do for them.
Have Fun!
Focusing on the fun in the first few practices allows athletes to feel comfortable being themselves and reduce the stress of meeting a new team or coach. Your role as a coach carries a certain authority, but too much formality creates distance. Allow yourself to interact with your athletes on a level that goes beyond watching them execute skills in drills. Consider joining the end of a practice scrimmage, a fun obstacle course, or participate in the team led warm-up or cool down.
As a Coach, how do you go about connecting with a New Team or Athlete?
Coach Sean Ferguson ChPC, RGP – Swimming – Waterloo – 19 Years
“As a coach, I think it’s important not to go in with bravado and expect people to like you just because you have “x” years of coaching or experience doing this or that. I’d suggest a more humble approach by showing your vulnerable side and letting the athletes or new team get to know you by way of interactive, fun, and silly activities to introduce one another.
When you are humble in your approach and allow the athletes to teach/coach you in those activities, you might find that your ways will encourage and bring forth the participant’s leadership styles and abilities…which hopefully, benefit the team environment down the road and allows for a cooperative atmosphere.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 10+ Years
“Adding new players is always tricky, I make sure I talk with them ahead of time let them know how things were the last season and what is expected. I also take extra time to get to know them so that they don’t feel that I don’t value them as much. I also warn them that I will be on them more because I am getting to know them still so I want to see how much I can push them.”
Coach Leilani Torres – Synchronized Swimming – San Juan – 8 Years
“When I coach synchronized swimming, being such a technical sport, I would tell the athletes not only their corrections but also how to fix them. They learn to appreciate me through the feedback I can give them.
It’s not so fun at the moment, but when we aren’t training we can joke around.
I believe it’s important to have a balance. When it’s time to train, let’s focus on that and when its time to have fun, let’s not worry about anything else. Balance is key in a Coach-Athlete relationship.”
Coach Carolyn Horner – Equestrian – Mt Albert – 16 Years
“As an equestrian coach when I meet a new rider-horse combination I am really meeting two athletes who speak a different language. I introduce myself and then let the rider tell me about their riding background and their goals. I ask them about their horse and any concerns they may have about their equine partner. I will check that the equipment is safe and properly fitted to both rider and horse. I will then ask them to show me how they normally warm up their horse.
Unless I have any safety concerns I try not to make any corrections for the first several minutes. I am just an observer trying to assess the relationship between horse and rider. I don’t want the rider to feel judged because of any tension they have will show up in the horse. I watch the horse’s body language to see how happy he is with the rider’s communication. I then ask the rider to come into me and I discuss the good things that I saw and a few things that need to be worked on. I invite them to ask questions at any time and to tell me if things I say conflict with what previous coaches have told them.
It can take a bit more time to find out what the equine athlete’s needs are. He may need changes to his diet or the amount of time he spends outside. He may need changes to the equipment that the rider is using. It is very important that the horse is a happy and relaxed athlete to perform the tasks his rider expects of him. It is also important to make any changes gradually.”
