What Makes a Good Sports Coach? Five Ways You Can Improve

Great coaches are not only those who can hone the best athletes. The best coaches are able to inspire their team to be better not only in their chosen sports but in other fields as well. If you’re a young and aspiring coach, then you should know that such a profession is not all fun and games.

You’ll need to overcome the bad times before you bask in success. There will be a lot of challenges that you and your team will face. However, with patience and persistence, you can help them, and yourself improve. If you’re looking for ways that can help you get the best results for both you and your team, here are some tips that can help.

Establish rapport before anything else

As a sports coach, it is your job to make your athletes feel at ease and, eventually, earn their trust. One will find it hard to trust you if you’re not giving them a reason to do so. If you’re able to establish rapport, you’ll find it easier to make a connection. Learn to respect them, and your team will start respecting you. By establishing trust in your team, you can break down barriers, improve communication, and prevent resistance.

Have the necessary tools and accessories needed to coach

Depending on your field, you will need to find ways to provide yourself with the essential tools to help your team improve. Aside from a whistle, whiteboard, and marker, consider what you can add that can assist in training your team. This can include the technical equipment, accessories, and training aids for your team, such as radar guns. All these will depend on the sport of your team.

Use different coaching styles

There are times when not all members of your team are as skilled and smart as the others. This is why it is important to realize that every player is a valuable member. Find ways to motivate your best players, but don’t forget about the rest. Know each of your athletes and learn how to best help them improve. Remember that there are different learning styles. Do they learn more by verbal cues or visual cues? Use a variety of coaching styles until you find the best one for your players.

Say yes to humor and no to sarcasm

Think being sarcastic is funny? Then think again. There are times when sarcasm can make someone laugh. However, in coaching, what you need to make things light is humor. Your team will make mistakes – grave ones even. Being sarcastic may make then laugh, but in reality, you could be hurting their feelings even without meaning it. So, it’s best to use humor instead. You’ll hurt them less, keep their respect and trust in you, and you can find it easier to move and do better the next time around.

Keep it hands-on

Coaching doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to do all the talking. Often times, you also have to walk the talk. If you want to keep your team engaged, then stay engaged yourself. If you want your athletes to improve, then let them you’re also doing the same. Would you believe a strength coach if they themselves can’t prove their strength?

Being a coach is not easy. It takes guts and passion to survive in this field. The great thing about it is the fulfillment and rewarding feeling that comes with being a good coach. You’re not only here to guide your team and help them improve but to also touch their lives in ways no one else can’t. It is not the long years of service that won’t make you a good coach, but how you care and handle your team in the best way you can.