Being a Great Athlete Does Not Make You a Great Coach! How often have we seen top athletes in their sports try to become a coach and fail miserably. On occassion it works but not as often as it doesnt. I believe there are many areas coaches have to be good at to manage the coaching gig: 1. Coaches must know the science. They must truly understand their sport. They must understand the skills and how to properly execute them. Often times great athletes do it so naturally they never had to think about it. That all chages when you have to teach it. 2. Coaches must know and have a feel for the Art of coaching. Knowing what buttons to push and when to push them is developed through feel. Understanding how to manage varioius personalities is a feel. Learning the Cueing Game takes time to master. Learning when to put the brakes on the art and rely on the science/proven is developed over time. 3. Passion for helping athletes develop on and off the field/court. Being able to read posture and knowing an athlete is struggling today- and a beat-down practice might push them over the edge. Knowing they may have just had a tongue lashing from home and not really focused today- making sure you give them a literal or figurative Hug so they know you care and are hearing them. 4. The vision to develop and cultivate for the future. Coaching a team is different than being the head coach of a program. Programs need leaders with vision and a workable adjustable plan. Too many coaches show up when practice starts and leave when it ends. 5. Great athletes often didnt have to put in extra work just to learn how to perform a skill correctly (not saying great athletes dont work hard because they absolutely do- they just pick things up easier at times). Mid level athletes had to ask for more coaching and because of this they learned the breakdown of skills. Mid level or low level athletes had to learn how to learn athleticism or sports skills. This becomes great information when and if they choose to coach. There are always exceptions to the rule, but you dont see many of the greatest athletes of our time in the coaching seat of our professional teams. its the guy who had to figure out how to be good and had to be coached in depth just to make it on the team. Train Smart! LeeTaft
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:36:23 +0000
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