The ultimate question to ask is what makes for a good coach? Better yet, what makes one coach better than the next? Is it strategy? Is it knowledge of proper technique? Is it the ability to convey thoughts in a way that any audience can easily understand? The answer to all these questions is yes, however, it is not limited to just these aspects, and i think a lot of times we tend to forget this. Possibly the most important quality of a superior coach is humility.
When you are open to suggestion and genuinely consider what is being said, despite neither the position of he who makes the suggestion, nor the possibility that the information contradicts your current ideology, then consider yourself elligable for superiority. I think too many coaches out there are set on doing things their way, shunning away criticism, even if it may be proven fact. The key is to be curious and challenge any information in question; You should be able to explain not only 'HOW', but also 'WHY' about any thing you teach; "Because, that's the way it is," is absolutely no sufficient. By no means am I saying you have to change your ways upon every suggestion, however, merely CONSIDER what is being said, you'd be surprised how quickly you can grow with an open mind.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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7 comments:
Joey, How right you are! For 26 years I have been coaching and each and every day I let my ears be open and learn. AS we spoke about this week, I have been working with Jorge on the inline racing Institute clinics and I have allowed myself to learn so much from him and the way that he learned to train and skate. There are differences in how other countries train as well as ethics, standards and what is expected. When you say what makes a good coach, a good coach is one who keeps an open mind, listens to others and takes it all deciphers it and puts it into a program that works best for all. Thanks for your blogs and insights, hopefully more and more will listen, pay attention and learn.
What you wrote here today is absolutely true. I'm not only an international speedskater and one who love sports. I'm also a coach and i'm graduated in Sport Sciences and i really liked a lot to read your point of view... A good coach is the one who always wants to learn more, always... and that's how the athletes get more and more.
Great Joey :)
Your perspective is very Mature and you are for the "Skater"
Great stuff.
Naturally,if have a good coach,you are very lucky. but if have a bad coach, that is very awful, awful than not have coach, because they compel us do the mistakes technique.
thanks
(sorry ,my English not so good,hope you can understand.)
I'm 22 years old and just now trying to get back into the sport after about six years of not skating. Realistically I don't have any aspirations to be a professional skater (I'm more likely to end up a photographer for a team than a skater), but never-the-less this blog has been quite inspirational. Makes me wish I had stuck with it over the years and taken it a bit more seriously.
Thanks for the good read.
Hi Joey Merry Christmas!
How very true this is. The only way I can really add to this, is to mention the obvious:
The humility and open-mindedness which you describe as being essential to being a good coach is applicable, and should be applied to any field and, indeed, to life in general. No matter what you do, humility, open-mindedness, and an openness to change will always hold you in good stead.
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