Getting the most from coaching in sport – part 1
Written by Stuart Haden on June 10, 2014
We can learn so much in our lives and work from the world of sport. With the World Cup only a couple of days away this weeks posting seeks to explore how we can get the most from coaching. Whether you are playing at the highest level or in the park read on…
Are you coachable? And if you are – how coachable are you? These are the two questions that my book (It’s Not About The Coach) aims to answer. Players and teams often don’t realise their full potential because they don’t take advantage of coaching. Outfits can spend plenty of money on in coming coaches, but, if the coachee isn’t ready – the coach will not appear. Just as it makes absolute sense to develop our coaches it makes absolute sense to develop the player to make the most of coaching.
Like many aspects of their game the ability to be coached (sometimes referred to as coachability) is lacking. Performance in sport is comprised of 3 areas…
- Skills – ability to apply a wide range of skills to high standards…
- Strength and conditioning – making the most of your size, height, speed and endurance…
- Psychology – the mental game and desire to win…
Just as any player worth their salt would improve their skill levels and endurance, why do so many of them ignore their coachability? Of course my approach firmly sits in the psychology camp, but it is still an untapped area. I have conducted 85 interviews over the last 5 years and I have yet to find cases where coachability has the recognition it deserves.
