Coaching athletes in strength and conditioning is an incredibly rewarding experience, and over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to do exactly that. During my time coaching, I have learned a variety of lessons that I hope have not only enriched the lives of the athletes I work with but have also been invaluable to me as a coach. While I have learned alot and still plan to learn more in the future, The following illustrates the 5 most important lessons that I have learned over the years as a strength and conditioning coach. These lessons range from the value of hard work and dedication to the importance of creating an atmosphere of standards and the value of positivity. I believe that these lessons are essential for any coach to be successful, and I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help other coaches to be the best they can be.
- Talent sets the floor; character raises the ceiling.
Talent sets the floor because it provides the foundation to build upon and gives you the ability to reach your goals. Character sets the ceiling because it is what keeps you from going beyond your limits and helps you to be the best version of yourself. By combining your talent and character, you can reach heights that you never thought were possible. This perspective is important to have as a strength and conditioning coach because it allows you to help your athletes reach their full potential. You can use your knowledge of their talent and character to create personalized training plans that will help them maximize their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. Not only does this ensure that your athletes are able to reach their goals, but it also helps them develop their character and become better people overall. This statement has held true over the years, as those athletes that seem to work on their character also are aware of the dedication needed day and day out to improve. While the importance of programming, periodization schemes, coaching cues, and goal setting should not be understated, I found that if this mindset is neglected, the previously mentioned become much less effective.
- Importance of Self-Reflection
Having run my own business over the past few years, I have come to the conclusion that self–reflection is paramount to its growth. As the co-owner with my wife, I take full responsibility for the decisions I make and their outcomes. Despite the challenges, I find that having the freedom to run my own business is incredibly empowering. By taking the time to reflect on my training sessions, successes, and weaknesses, I can identify areas that need improvement and then work to develop those skills. It also has helped me give a clearer understanding of my own abilities, and how to communicate effectively to each individual that walks in our door. Taking time to point out your own strength and weaknesses will help you see more clear in the given situation. As an athlete, teaching them how to self reflect will encourage the mindset of finding ways to seek continuous improvement.
- Self-Esteem Verse Self Efficacy.
In terms of coaching, there is a great deal of debate surrounding the use of positive versus negative coaching. While I think positive coaching is very important, I believe there is a place for tough love too. Balancing the two is an art form and is dependent on the individual athlete. Above all, the main objective is to prepare the athlete not only in their sport, but also to be a successful, well-liked individual off the field. One of the issues I’ve seen in coaching recently is that when the culture focuses too heavily on achievement, it can lead to lowering standards so an athlete can maintain a good self-esteem. This can create an atmosphere of entitlement. On the other hand, when the focus is on self-efficacy – teaching the athlete that they have the CAPABILITY to attain what lies ahead of them – this can help cultivate success, self-esteem, and the ability to handle tough love.
- Importance of Holding a Standard-Everyone starts at a different level.
As my wife and I started this venture, I was striving to control things outside of my reach. My attitude was that if I am so motivated, my athletes should be too in order to reach their potential. In principle, this is a good mindset, but it can also limit one‘s vision and sometimes lead to the miscalculation that all clients don‘t possess the same level of motivation. For example, I am personally motivated to reach my peak performance and taking a day off is disheartening for me, but for others, training is a way to become better at the sport or relieve stress. Although some of my most dedicated athletes didn‘t have a passion for training, they did it to become the best athlete they could be. This perspective and understanding that everyone is motivated differently has allowed me to connect with many more people and influence their life in a much better way. As a coach, it is your job to reach clients whichever level they come to you, but this doesn’t mean you lower the standard.
- Find meaning through challenges
Discovering purpose and delight through hardship can be a difficult process. Having attended a Catholic school, I recall the Bible verse Romans 5:3: “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Whether or not one is religious, this quote implies that any hurdle or obstacle we face can lead to meaning and purpose if we dig deep enough. Though this outlook can be daunting at times, I believe it‘s what sets the great apart from the good.