I have coached multiple sports for over 30+ years, and in that time, I have been able to reflect upon my coaching strategies, tactics, and behaviors. As a young coach, I was adamant, and some of my players would fear me. I am unsure if it was because of my immaturity, my ego, or just because I wanted my athletes to be great. But I also developed a great relationship with my players, allowing me to be approachable. They would work hard for me and would laugh with me. The fact that I could speak to and joke with them made a difference. They knew there was a fine line between coach and player, as the coach-athlete relationship must always be balanced.
This does not mean you cannot still coach and be tough. When you build a rapport with your players, you build player confidence. When belief is instilled, they are inspired. Communication opens, and players speak up because they feel comfortable asking questions.
Young athletes should be encouraged to ask questions no matter what. Young athletes should never be afraid to ask questions in practice or during games. Mistakes will be made in a game, but how your players rebound from that mistake is up to you as the coach. There should never be an issue where young athletes are too nervous to make a play, too nervous to ask the coach a question, or so consumed with anxiety that all they do is make one mistake after another. A good coach should be able to identify what is happening with their team and reflect on their coaching behaviors and what they can do to empower their athletes better. A great coach can pull the best out of a player in many ways, but leading in a manner that creates fear is not one of them. Having some fun does not mean that your athletes will not continue to follow your lead.
As a coach, you set parameters for your athletes to follow, but governing by fear can be detrimental to a team’s growth and success. This is why athletes participating on a team that is athlete-centered instead of coach-centered is more advantageous because learning outcomes can be improved. When players feel they are part of the process, they respond accordingly. Considering how to elevate athlete responsibility and accountability through applying the positive principles of coaching can open the minds of the athletes and create positivity, hence improving productivity.
Over the last few years, I have observed team behaviors in sports such as basketball, softball, football, baseball, and volleyball. I noticed teams that looked nervous spoke less on the field/court and were less supportive of one another. They become too consumed with their performance. These teams made simple mistakes. Then, some teams looked focused and relaxed. Although errors were still made, you would not see one mistake after the next, like the team that looked like they were playing scared. The issue with the nervous team is that it will break down. Teams that play scared often become tense, hindering the ability to perform well, and increasing the likelihood of injury.
This will affect the team’s behavior, adherence, communication, and cohesiveness. The relaxed team that has fun on and off the field/court is the team that has achieved balance, which will be an advantage toward long-term cohesiveness and success.
Another observation has been that a coach’s age can sometimes be a limitation regarding maturity, experience, and how they handle their athletes. I am not sure if all coaches realize that they can adversely affect their team dynamics, but failing to realize the influence a coach has over their team can be detrimental to its growth and efficiency. In my blog, I asked these questions: Does this coach have enough discipline to determine the personality traits that will affect his/her athletes in these situations? Does he/she know each player individually enough to know who will step up and rise to the occasion? At this age, does circumstance determine certain behaviors?
Coaching to Bring the Best Out of a Team
Today, youth sports carry more pressure. There are travel teams that limit children at an early age to choose one sport over the other. These teams practice year-round to gain an advantage for their upcoming seasons. They were created to assist athletes in finding their way to play a collegiate sport. The issue with this is that many of these coaches are losing sigt of coaching and teaching children who are still learning and growing both mentally and physically.
Young athletes understand what it takes to win; they understand the skills necessary and the work they need to put in, but they also need to know that, as a coach, you are human with real emotions and make mistakes, too. All too often, coaches let that fall to the wayside, and as time goes on, their team will fall like a house of cards. It is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when. All coaches must learn positive pedagogy; it is the best way. You should want your athletes to ask you questions when they get confused or miss something; you want them to ask if they forgot something. It is okay. Instead, wouldn’t they ask you a question now, so they do not make a mistake later? I have seen coaches place such grand expectations upon their young athletes that these kids are afraid to ask questions, and then when they make a mistake, the coach holds them accountable. A coach should never punish/penalize them for making an error, as the primary purpose of a coach is to teach the athlete about the game and how to improve skills. Mistakes will happen. Even professional athletes make mistakes.
When athletes are just talked to, yelled at, and ignored, they get lost and sometimes shut down mentally. This can influence how they see themselves as athletes, promoting self-doubt and negative self-talk. Screaming and yelling at players will not bring out the best in them. Young athletes must understand why something they might have done is fundamentally wrong. If they cannot learn and feel unable to communicate, then chances are these athletes may begin to lose their love for their sport. I have worked with many athletes who had big dreams to play in college and walked away after experiencing a coach who took the fun out of the game.
Being Real and Approachable
My message to the youth coaches is to be authentic and approachable; let your athletes know that you are human, have emotions, and make mistakes. You can still be competitive and have fun with your players.
The great John Wooden stated, “A leader, particularly a teacher or a coach, has the most powerful influence on those he or she leads. I consider it a sacred trust, helping to mold character, instill productive principles and values, and provide positive examples to those under my supervision. Having that responsibility, opportunity, and obligation is a privilege that should never be taken lightly.”
until next time,
Coach Nye
*Assistance from Psychology Today