The role of the coach is not just “to coach!”

Coaches are responsible for training athletes in a sport by analyzing their performances, instructing relevant skills, and providing encouragement. As a coach, you  are also responsible for the guidance and motivation of the athlete in order to get the most out of that athlete in life and in their chosen sport.

You can find many definitions that all sound similar to the aforementioned description. We have all had a variety of  coaches with different personalities. Some of them have captured our admiration while others have derailed our enthusiasm.

The beauty of being coached by several personalities is that we get to filter and embrace the messages and instructions that we are given  as players and tailor them  to meet our individual needs. What works for some doesn’t always work for others.

We all learn and interpret differently. I tell all my players to keep an open mind and listen to every coach, then you can make the decision to use what makes sense to them and discard the rest. It is up to the player to decide what to keep and what to throw away.

It is up to the coach to connect and gain the trust of the player in order to deliver the message that he intends to the best of his ability. We cannot connect with and be everything to everyone, but we can be something to someone.

Even a lot of “someones.”

Knowing when to push and when to pull and WHY is your ultimate purpose . This is what makes a coach.