The Art of Coaching

The art of coaching… Yeah right, coaching is a “science” not an “art.”  Isn’t it? Well, after 20 years of coaching, I’ve come to believe it’s both.  While my formal academic background is heavy on the “hard” sport sciences – nutrition, biomechanics, physiology, medicine and motor learning, my practical, “in the trenches” education is heavy on “the art.”  The science is great. It’s important, yet it’s limited.  I’d say my academic training in the “hard” sports sciences accounted for maybe 5% of what I did each day as a coach.  Instead, I spent a great deal of time on stuff that had nothing to do with X’s and O’s or technique.  I relied heavily on the “soft” science of sport psychology and also found myself studying topics like leadership, organization, relationships, time management and communication. I rarely pulled my hair out over the execution of a particular shot or play.  My biggest headaches came from things like paperwork, parents and problems.

I hear the same thing from the thousands of coaches I’ve worked with as a senior trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance.  What keeps them up at night has little to do with technique and tactics and more to do with team dynamics, maximizing player potential, the mental game, etc.  So how does a coach develop their art?  Usually through trial and error.  And who suffers for our errors along the way?  Generally, our athletes.

My main objective with this blog is to shorten the learning curve for coaches looking to develop their art.  While I will draw upon my years of experience as a coach and trainer to write my posts, I know that’s a limited resource.  I am excited to pull together the best practices from my coaching friends, colleagues and readers.  My goal, with your help, is to build this blog into the ultimate resource for the art of coaching—a practical and essential resource to assist you in developing your craft and “art” to maximize your coaching potential, and so you bring your best game to your athletes.

Popularity: 1% [?]