When I was growing up, my father "pushed" towards soccer right from the start. At the time, it was less about feeling we should specialize in just one sport but more of a cultural situation as soccer had been his main sport. It doesn't mean at all that we discouraged from seeking out other athletic opportunities. As kids, we skied regularly, like a lot of younger kids, I tried hockey although, I just didn't have the skill set to get very far, wrestles fairly successfully in high school. My brothers sought out different sporting experiences, however at the core of it all, soccer was the one activity that our father directed us towards.
In my case, soccer has become a very important part of my life although not in terms of athletic success but for my role in coaching. With the rising costs associated with participation at elite level sports and the dreams of getting scholarships or perhaps even making the pros, many parents are looking at pushing their kids towards specializing in one sport. Children are choosing one sport to focus on and specialize in at alarmingly younger ages. And we’re not talking just about sports that have long attracted early specialization, such as gymnastics, figure skating or swimming and diving. Sports such as soccer, tennis, ice hockey, basketball and others are also attracting early specialization. Most experts define early specialization as focusing on a singular sport by age 12. Boys and girls as young as nine or 10-years old are whittling their athletic pursuits to a single sport. So, is this good or bad ? In most cases, an in my opinion, the answer is no. There is also strong, quantifiable evidence that single-sport specialization for children under 12 often have long term effects both athletically and socially. Whereas the thought behind having young athlete focus and specialize in one sport is to have them excel, in many cases over time it will actually cause much the opposite. Players who are multi-sport athletes can develop of more extensive skill set that will allow them to become more successful. First among them the diversity of skill sets and overall athleticism hat they develop. It also allows opportunities to be leaders, to stay in good shape, to stretch themselves as athletes, communicators, teammates and leaders. Another benefit, maybe in one sport the kid shines and is a leader. In another sport, they may not be the superstar. So they learn to be humble, to be a good teammate and to support the go-to players. That’s a tremendous benefit. There are physical and emotional risks associated with specialization at too young an age. There is significant evidence that having pre or early teen athletes focus on just one sport and the very specific physical requirements an repetitive motions of playing a singular sport year-round, lead to a greater risk of overuse injuries. At these younger ages, the physical growth is still ongoing and often the body has not completely achieved a level when it cab ne put under a repetitive singular stress. Using the example of someone who is a baseball pitcher, focusing just on this, can cause degenerative arms problems which lead to serious injury. Putting an emphasis on competition, working towards scholarships and elite-level success has led to increased pressure to begin high-intensity training at young ages, often in only one sport. It puts young kids in environments that they are not yet emotionally or mentally capable of handling. Early specialization often leads to attaching an excessive amount of one’s self-worth and identity to one sport. The extra time commitment to specialize in one area can also lead to social isolation and missing out on normal childhood activities and relationships which are part of kids growing into well rounded adults. Over time, if the aspired athletic results are not achieved, it can lead to a negative perception of sport and physical activity and in the worse cases, a level of burnout. So why is the trend of sports specialization apparently becoming so prevalent and required ? Well, to begin with, originally seen as a way to stand out among peers or perhaps seek some form of non academic success, this trend has trickled down to younger ages. Many parents of this generation feel their child should find their purpose or “passion” at a precocious age. Finding one’s so-called “passion” and early specialization go hand in hand or so it is perceived. The more young athletes specialize, the more likely they are to travel. A decade ago, the youth sports tourism industry wasn’t even tracked. Now it’s the fastest-growing segment in the domestic travel industry, and in 2013 was estimated at more than $7 billion annually. Even in the changing economic times, parents still seem to find the resources to spend on their children when it comes to athletic participation. This has led to a vicious circle effect, starting with sports complexes being built at an apparently growing rate. Communities want a piece of the youth sports financial return. With more facilities, tournaments, competitive level leagues etc, more teams are needed to fill the calendar year-round. More local coaches convince parents that their children need to play nearly year-round and travel to seek the best opportunities and experiences. The more emphasis put on early specialization, the more opportunities exist for adults to profit. There has been an explosion of club (non-school) sports in the past decade. Many more adults are making their full-time living, or in many cases, supplementing their income through youth sports. The list includes coaches (mostly non-parent coaches hired by clubs), trainers, league organizers, tournament/showcase/camp organizers, website owners and employees, the youth sports travel industry, and workers at mega-youth sports complexes being built all over the country. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and many other social media platforms, have become a great companion for the family who invests a considerable amount of money, time and emotional resources into their child’s sports specialization. It feels good to share something they are proud of, or something they sacrificed for (maybe that big out-of-town tournament where their child's team won 1st place). Before social media the sharing of children’s accomplishments and activities, coverage and exposure of youth sport accomplishments was usually limited mostly to face-to-face conversations, phone calls and if lucky perhaps some coverage in a local paper which led to the box full of clippings. Now with with such accessible opportunities to use different mediums in order to broadcast accomplishments and successes, via, images and updates not to mention in real time, parents have an additional motivation to create little "stars" at an earlier age. It has become so much easier to reach family and friends, not to mention a wider range of strangers with the click of a button leading to one post or photo. Now, I don't think a majority of parents are really pushing their children into early competitive sports specialization for ego or selfish reasons. The over involved parents is a real occurrence but overall, I still believe that parents are interested in the well being of their kids. So if this is the case, why are parents still buying into this growing trend even though there is sufficient evidence and documentation showing it isn't ideal? It’s easy to dismiss something you read, even if it’s from nationally prominent medical or coaching experts. Despite the fact they have years of experience and no apparent vested interest in the impact of their opinions, the reality is that words on a page when there is no interaction with these individuals don't have the same impact as "advice" given by someone you've grown to trust ( like your child's coach). The so-called local “experts” have face-to-face interactions with the parents and often have financial or other motivations (like wanting to build a stronger team to boost their own coaching profile). It’s hard to say no to them, despite the fact that they often have a conflict of interest and far less credentials than others. Many parents allow ego to get in the way. Some have unfulfilled dreams of their own. Others have over inflated opinions of their child’s potential. Yet, others spend too much time comparing their own child to others and their current status with club or select teams. Understandably dreams of university scholarships or the enviable dream of reaching the pros are in the heads of youth sports parents. Youth sports organizers have developed a set of vocabulary within each youth sports culture, which also resonates within the ego of some parents. Is your child on a Select team, a Premier team, or an Elite team? Which league do they play in, single, double or triple letters? There are acronyms galore and many status symbols for leagues and teams, even within one organization. And when it comes to convincing parents that their children should specialize, don’t underestimate the power of fear. A universal parental desire is for their child to have good opportunities. No parent wants to hear that there child will be “missing out on something special. Coaches who offer early specialization opportunities play right into those fears. Don't get me wrong, specialization may make sense for athletes at a certain age or after showing a measurable level of ability. However it is important to keep in mind what’s really at play when it comes to making this important decision in their athletic career.
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As November comes to a close and the deadline for submitting applications to Concordia is 3 months away, I will start to get an increase in contact from prospective student-athletes looking to be considered for fall 2018. Reality is that for top recruits, they have probably been in contact for a while and I myself have been talking to a few for almost a year,
Come January, we will hold our annual Recruit Day bring in mostly 2018 recruits but a few top 2019 grads that we hope to initiate an early discussion with. During the next few months, I will get quite a few inquiries from potential players asking questions about what kind of players are we looking for, how many spots do I have on the team next fall, what their chances of making the team might be etc. One guiding principle of my recruiting is that I am not looking for the best players but rather the best individuals that I feel can both make our soccer team better on the field, but just as importantly fit in with the culture and environment that I trying to create around the soccer program. Remember, we are talking about student-athletes, who must do well in school to keep playing. I am also looking to create a rewarding student-athlete experience which hopefully will provide all the athletes with a skill set that will make them successful long after their playing careers are done. A lot of athletes assume that coaches are solely focused on the talent of an individual when recruiting players. They will reach out, listing all their athletic accomplishments. While it is easy to get caught up in the sheer technical talent and abilities of athletes, as the coaching in a student-athlete environment, I'm looking for more than just what is quickly seen in competition. Talent has become exponentially important when it comes to recruitment, there’s no doubt about that, but to say this is all that matters, is well, incorrect. Talent is a minor attribute in the wide array of characteristics that I am looking for in athletes who I feel should be given the privilege of calling themselves Concordia Stingers. This might of course change if and when, a new and different coach takes over. So specifically, what do I look for ?
Becoming a student-athlete, is making a lifestyle choice. It is accepting that for 3, 4 or even 5 years, as an individual you are committing to making good decisions that will allow you to succeed on and off the field ( and the off the field being the priority when you think big picture.) The obligations of a student-athlete become an integral part of their lives and I want individuals to accept all of the responsibilities that go with that, not just the ones that that are fun, beneficial or convenient. Do I get my assessment right every time, absolutely not. In addition, the reality is that in talking to an 18 or 18 year old, their plans and objectives, even their commitment level might chance over time as they proceed through university and discover other passions. Being a student-athlete is not for everyone, and my role as a coach is to provide each potential athlete with an honest, frank picture of what they are getting themselves into and to be very upfront of what will be expected. How they interact with me during these discussions will often serve as a good measure of whether or not, they are the right fit for the soccer program I envision building. I think it would a safe assumption to make that anyone who has spent any significant amount of time leading a group of athletes has had to deal with malcontents. This is not unique to sport but prevalent in any group environment where people of different backgrounds, expectations, personalities are thrown to together to work towards a set of common objectives.
Specifically to sport, this is even more frustrating when these malcontents are athletes with talent or at the very least significant potential. As a coach, you want to be the one to unlock their potential and help them perform at the level you feel strongly they can. When an athlete doesn't have the required skill set to deal with the competitive demands, the decision to cut ties is easy, but what happens when the real negative aspect is their attitude. It is not uncommon for competitive level coaches to see really talented athletes but choose not to make the effort to work with them, because these athletes can’t seem to get out of their own way. More times than not, those prospects lose out on the incredible opportunity to perform to their true potential, and in my specific coaching role, enjoy all the experiences that come with being student-athletes. So how as a coach, can we deal with malcontents? You know the type: They complain about practices, coaches, dugouts, uniforms, playing surfaces, weather conditions, opponents, game officials, you name it. These malcontents are that way for a reason — they have always been allowed to be that way with no consequences. Either through their own stubbornness or over-lenient parents, relatives, friends and coaches, they have learned that being a grouch is the only way they can get attention or get their way. And a lifetime of acting that way has turned into a habitual personality trait — a bad one. In defense or out of frustration, someone on the team may make a snide remark or snaps back in anger, but that usually only creates more tension. Then, after things settle down, the malcontent’s bad behavior comes back with a vengeance. Some people see the problem, want to help, but the seemingly never ending cycle of eventually discourages them from intervening. In the end, if not corrected, these athletes are abandoned and left to deal with stuff on their own. It doesn’t have to be that way. Some suggestions how to deal with them.......
It is important for coaches to always remember that coaching is about inspiring and motivating all your athletes, not just those you get along with or think are worth coaching. If a player is really not contributing to the group, then sometimes you have to cut ties, regardless of how good they are or how much potential you think they might have. I believe in approaching coaching with an optimistic point of view, that every athlete can be coached, every problem can be solved. I've been coaching long enough that I think I am very familiar with how sport teams work, what makes them tick, and what they need to do in order to win. It would be an understatement to say that it’s a complex undertaking. Doesn't mean I always make the right decisions, but I consider myself able to properly read a group. You have a team of individuals, which need to be work as one toward a common goal. Sure, it takes talent and hard work, but those will only take you so far. Arguably, the most important ingredient for success is motivation. It’s easy to keep your team inspired when they are winning, but if they are losing, you need to help them handle the pressure and the expectations, so they are still able to remain confident and to make the most out of their abilities. In every sport, success begins before the game, with your team putting in endless hours of practice. But, as pointed out before, hard work will only take you so far, because they will not always give their best if you haven’t created the right environment for them to thrive in. The right environment can be anything from having a decent court and equipment, good communication between you and your players, to demonstrating a passion for the sport and hoping the players follow suit. One of the problems of coaching a team is that everyone is so focused on teamwork, that they neglect the individual aspect. After all, each team is made up of individuals, and even though they are a part of the same team, their individual actions can make a difference between a win and a loss. This is especially true in basketball, where just one point, one ball possession, and one second can change the outcome of the game. Make sure your players realize that every time they hustle for the ball as an individual, it has a significant impact on the rest of the team. Sometimes a huge goal, like making the playoffs or winning a league title, can serve as a source of motivation. But, it can also cause your players to cave under the pressure of such monumental expectations. It’s up to you as a coach to break down that massive goal into smaller ones which are easier to handle both on an individual and team level. Examples include, lifting more weight, running a few seconds faster, or increasing team shooting percentage. Every major goal should consist of smaller success metrics, which help your team focus on what needs to be done here and now to reach the big goal. Once they start making significant progress, you can concentrate more on the big picture. Inside your team, each player will have different strengths and weaknesses, and furthermore handle criticism and encouragement differently. Each individual member is a separate piece of the team dynamic and needs to be nurtured differently. Some players give their best when they pushed harder, or shown some “tough love”, while others tend to perform better when they are encouraged to take on more responsibility. While you shouldn’t change your coaching style, you should make small tweaks when working with each player, so that you get the best out of them, which will ultimately benefit the whole team. Practice is essential to your team’s progress. Not only will practice allow them to learn what will happen during a game, but in a controlled environment they will also be less prone to injury. In addition, practice provides a structured setting to improve conditioning. Players don’t usually take it upon themselves to build their cardio, as a coach it is your job to ensure the team is in game condition. The best place to achieve this is practice. Being in game shape helps individuals feel more confident in their skills. Fatigue causes sloppy performance. After every practice session, your team should walk away as better players than they were when they woke up first thing in the morning. Those who practice hard will fight even harder during the game, because they’ll know how much effort they have invested in it, and they will not let victory slip through their fingers as easily. As a coach is you have to maintain a belief in your team and the ability of every single player. You words, actions and body language how to reflect a level of confidence that you know the team can succeed. Competitive level , experienced coaches are more confident, so they don’t need as much empowerment, but if you are coaching younger players, it may be just the thing they need in order to make significant progress. I want to finish they post with a quote from Ted Kennedy's biography " The Compass" that my former athletic director shared with me a number of years ago during a rough patch in my coaching. “This is the greatest lesson a child can learn. It is the greatest lesson anyone can learn. It has been the greatest lesson I have learned: if you persevere, stick w/it, work at it, you have a real opportunity to achieve something. Sure, there will be storms along the way. And you might not reach your goal right away. But if you do your best and keep a true compass, you'll get there.” Before we discuss what qualities and skill sets that make for a good coach, we need to first acknowledge how very difficult the coaching profession can be. While everyone see the high level coaches, making great livings in prof sports, the reality is the majority of coaching is done on a part time volunteer basis and even when there is some form of remuneration or compensation, coaches are overseen and supported by volunteers. It’s an occupation that is most often done in a public fishbowl. In other words, if you coach, then you are in a highly visible position that continually exposes you to the public’s scrutiny and evaluation. It’s one of those professions where individuals with little or no experience and more importantly, little or no insight into the reality surrounding a team can regularly weigh in on what kind of a job they think a coach is doing. Often the "feedback" is unsolicited, unwanted and more an issue of payback or frustration than an actual objective evaluation.
When it comes to judging your job performance, everyone seems to be an expert and have the “qualifications” to criticize you. Fans, parents, students, alumni, the media, and the team’s organization or administration all seem at the ready to offer you either the thumbs up or thumbs down signal. What’s even more frustrating for a coach is that so much of this external judgment comes from individuals who don’t seem to have a clue about you, your players, or what you’re trying to accomplish with the team. Coaching is also one of those jobs where your professional effectiveness is almost always narrowly measured by something that is very often totally out of your control: winning and losing. In many ways you can be a bad or ineffective coach, yet because you are lucky enough to have great players on your squad, you win all the time. Because of this external record you are considered in your profession to be a “great” coach. Similarly, you can be a wonderful coach and teacher but because of a lack of player talent, luck, or other circumstances beyond your control such as player injuries, your won-loss record is just mediocre and, as a consequence of this, you’re seen as an ineffective coach. As I how often shared with groups to whom I present about the role of coaching and leadership, the quality of a coach is often measured and judged by the outcome of decisions and not the quality of the decisions themselves. So what make a "good coach " ? Opinions will vary and I am a believer that the real measure of a coaches ability is very dependent on the level at which he or she coaches. Could a coach with experience uniquely at the highly competitive or professional level, coach 8 year old kids on a recreational team... I will let you answer that as you feel is best. If you’re an athlete then what follows MIGHT help you objectively evaluate how your coach measures up. It will give you some valuable information that will allow you to more intelligently evaluate how your coach conducts him/herself in relation to you and your teammates. In this way it will give you the ability to better “reality test” the coach-athlete situation that you currently find yourself in. It's very often quite difficult for an athlete to really know if there’s something wrong with him or the coach. Most often in emotional coach-athlete interactions, the athlete typically comes away feeling badly about him/herself. Hopefully the information that follows will help you better understand what is really going on and help you not blame yourself for things that you shouldn’t. If you’re a parent of an athlete, maybe my the thoughts shared here will help you get a good idea of what to look for in individuals coaching teams your kids are involved with. How do the better coaches conduct themselves? How do they treat their athletes? How do they interact with you as the parent? How do they deal with winning and losing? How do the better coaches deal with mistakes and failures? Parents need to be educated as much as possible about their child’s sport and coaches in order to help their son or daughter have the best and happiest experience possible. If you’re a coach, well hopefully some of what I might share will resonate with you and if nothing else, cause you to reflect on your coaching style and level of commitment. There is no one way of coaching, It's about being able to adapt, adjust and react to different teams athletes. I am pulling from my experiences but also from years if interacting with other coaches and feeding off of their experiences. The very best coaches get their athletes to believe in themselves. Good coaches inspire their players to do more than they think they can. In fact, anyone in any capacity of teaching or leadership have the chance to do this. They get individuals under their charge to explorer and entertain possibilities that stretch the limits of their beliefs and imagination. Part of this involves building the athlete up rather than knocking him down. Good coaches always build self-esteem rather than undermine it. This self-esteem building is not a gimmick nor is it done artificially. In other words the coach doesn’t praise a mediocre effort. He/she simply makes it a practice to catch his/her athletes doing things right. The good coach doesn’t get caught up in playing head games that leave the athlete questioning his/her abilities. Coaches should never use embarrassment or humiliation as tools to push their athletes to do better. They understand that embarrassing or humiliating a young athlete for a mistake, failure or short-coming is an aggressive assault on that athlete that doesn't build mental toughness or enhance performance! There is nothing educational or constructive about it. It tears down that athlete and grossly undermines his/her self-esteem and creates performance problems. I've covered this point before but successful coaches in sport are also successful in being life coaches to one degree or other. A good coach understands that what he/she is teaching goes far beyond the X’s & O’s. This kind of coach does not just teach the skills, technique and strategy within the narrow confines of the sport. Instead he/she looks for opportunities where the more important life lessons can be taught such as mastering hardship, handling and rebounding from failures and setbacks, trusting your teammates, sacrificing individual needs for the benefit of the group, emotionally dealing with winning and losing, good sportsmanship, fair play, honesty, integrity, etc. Successful coaches do not let their egos get caught up as part of the outcome or process. It is and should always be about the athletes. The best coaches are mentally healthy enough to know that they are NOT their performances, regardless of what others around them may say. They do not feel diminished as an individual when their teams fail nor do they feel that much better about themselves when their squads succeed. These individuals understand that coaching is only one thing of many that they do and therefore they do not let this one thing solely define themselves as a person. Coaches who get into trouble with their athletes do so because they are emotionally more vulnerable and tend to feel threatened by a loss or failure. Their egos are on the line whenever these individuals compete and therefore they feel like they have much more to lose. Many blatant coaching mistakes come directly from the coach’s overemphasis on the game’s outcome because that individual self-esteem is too caught up with this outcome. A good coach recognizes and understands the differences that might exist among their athletes. Coaches should have a basic understanding that each athlete on their team is different in attitude, personality, response-ability, sensitivity and how they handle criticism and adversity. These coaches take the time to get to know each athlete’s individual differences and styles. They then hand-tailor what they say to, and how they treat this athlete to achieve maximum coaching effectiveness. They know that while one athlete may respond well to a hard edge and raised voice, this approach may totally shut another one down. Really effective coaches take the time to get to know the athlete as a person. They take an interest in the athlete’s life off the field, court or ice. They don't see personal, academic or social problems as a distraction to the job of coaching. They view “outside problems” as an opportunity to further build a relationship with the athlete. This kind of caring is never lost on the athlete. Coaches who take an interest in the athlete’s total life are more trusted and respected than those who don’t. As a result, coaches who really care about the athlete as a person find that their athletes are more motivated and work harder. You can’t ever separate the athlete as a performer from who he/she is as a person. Coaches need to be flexible in their preparation and interaction with athletes. They need to approach their coaching by continuously looking for a better way to reach each athlete. When an athlete struggles to learn something the better coaches do not look at this as a “learning disability” and blame the athlete for their incompetence. Instead they approach it as a “teaching opportunity” and therefore change how they are presenting the material to that athlete. If one approach doesn’t work, then they try another until they figure out the best way to reach that particular athlete. Just because that athlete may not be responding to your coaching does not mean that he/she has an attitude or commitment problem. Coaches who are rigid, who continually adopt the attitude that “it’s my way or the highway” are far less effective than those coaches who have mastered the fine art of being flexible. Understand here that flexibility does NOT mean being a pushover always giving in. You can be flexible and strong at the same time. The great coaches are generally also great communicators. The days of the coach is always right and athletes do what they are told are over. Effective coaches understand that communication is a two-way street and involves a back and forth between coach and athlete. Bad coaches think that communication is a one-way street. You talk and the athletes listen. Instead, effective communication entails that you as a coach carefully listen to what your athletes are saying. Unless you carefully listen to them when they talk then you won’t have a clue as to what your athletes are really saying or how to best help them. Far too many coaches are too busy countering in their head what their athletes are saying to actually hear them. If you can’t learn how to listen then you will never truly be effective in reaching your players. As a good communication it is important to be empathetic and tuned into your players. I often say that as I get older and the average age of my athletes stays the same, it is harder and harder to fully relate to my athletes but it is important to find ways to connect with them. When you are empathetic you leave your athlete feeling that you as his/her coach deeply understands. This goes a long way in building athlete loyalty, self-esteem and motivation. Keep in mind that being empathetic doesn’t necessarily mean that you are an emotional pushover. You can have the ability to understand where your players are coming from and still make the coaching decisions that you feel are necessary. Coaches who lack the ability or don’t take the time to tune into the emotions of their athletes because they mistakenly believe that “all this emotional crap” is a total waste, end up inadvertently undermining their best coaching efforts. Effective coaches are able to interact with athletes and yes even parents in a manner where they don't take things personally by still manage to convey the message that in end , it is the coach who is responsible for the group. They make it a regular practice to communicate with the parents and educate them about the sport and the role that they need to play on the team. Coaching success at the youth level often depends upon getting parents to work with you, not against you. Do not wait for a problem or crisis before you decide that it’s time to actually approach your parents. Do so right from the beginning of the season and do it often. Let them know about their support role on the team. Help them understand that their job is not to motivate or coach their child. Teach them what are appropriate and inappropriate behaviors at games and on the sidelines. Educate them about the sport and what it takes to excel. Explain your philosophy about competition and playing time. Be open to feedback in a non-defensive manner. Understand that part of being a good communicator is being open to negative feedback and criticism because within this feedback there are pieces of information that any coach can use to becoming a better, more successful coach. Coaches should ensure that the environment around the team is a positive and emotionally safe one. As a coach it is important to always remember that the emotional climate on the team dramatically affects how players practice and perform. It is your role as a coach to directly and immediately deal with scapegoating, bullying, ostracism and petty jealousies that sometimes arise between players. They give a very clear message that cruelty and mistreatment of others will not be tolerated and are counter to the mission of the team. As a consequence this kind of coach creates an atmosphere of safety on the team that is absolutely crucial for optimal learning and peak performance. Keeping the point above in mind, coaches need to continually find ways to inspire their athletes to do better and push the perceptions of their limits, dare to dream so to speak. Find ways to inspire athletes to believe in themselves by continually putting them in situations which challenge their limiting beliefs. Good enough is not good enough, if they can do something once, they can do it again. Don't be afraid ways to get the athletes out of their comfort zones. However, in challenging athletes, good coaches are always also willing to challenges themselves. Understand that regardless of past success, you can always learn new and better ways. Over time, things change, the attitude of athletes, expectations, technology, the reality of the competitive environment, etc so a a coach looking to have a sustained relevance, be willing to seek out opportunities to improve yourself. Be passionate in everything you do related to coaching. Like any role, there will be part of the role you enjoy and others, not so much. However let you passion for the sport, for the role of coach and for the reward of seeing the athlete achieve their objectives be the force that pushes you over obstacles, beyond setbacks and through frustration until you achieve success. Passion is infectious, motivational and inspiring. Successful coaches need to be honest and conduct themselves with integrity. While you may thing that some of your action go unnoticed , few actually do. How a coaches conduct themselves in relation to their athletes, the parents, opponents, the referees, spectators and the general public is never lost on their athletes. A good coach always strive to demonstrate the very best in character and class. This is not always easy as we are all human and like anyone else, life's frustration can get to us. Finally and in my opinion most importantly, The best coaches make the sport fun for their athletes. Sports at the most basic level remain games, and games by definition are meant to be fun. Find creative ways to integrate this fun in different ways over the course of the season. When an athlete is enjoying him/herself, that athlete is loose and relaxed. Since loose and relaxed are two of the most crucial ingredients to peak performance, it is in your best interests as a coach to find innovative ways to keep your athletes smiling. Hopefully some will have found this post interesting at a minimum and helpful to some extend for others. Anyone who has regularly followed my blog post, has probably gotten a good idea about the impact that sport has had on my life. In my case, sports has played a major role in modeling the adult I have evolved into. My managerial and coaching styles along with my system of beliefs and ethics are very intertwined as my work in one role often dictates how I make decisions in the other. Whether I am coaching or functioning in my managerial role at work, the lines between the two and how I handle day to day situations are often very blurred. The reality is that if today, I find myself working in an academic setting rather then a private sector, business focused job, it is in a very large part due to my involvement in sport, especially since my time at Concordia, which influenced me about the type of environment I wanted to work in.
However the influence of sport in my adult life goes beyond just in terms of my managerial style and the environment that I work it. It has permitted me to find my voice, to become an advocate for women's sport and women in sport. To believe in the important of eliminating the gender gaps and bias that exist in sport and ultimately society in general. This is not to say that my involvement in youth sport did not have any impact on my life and passage from being a child, to being a teenager to being an adult. I am sure it did, in fact I know it did. Sport was always important to me, I participate in various different sports and was always very active. My father believed heavily in the importance having an active lifestyle. I am sure that many of the social skills and habits that are part of me today, had their start via my participation in sport. Of course, as I have mentioned a few times, sport also allowed me to meet my wife. However, my personal path aside, I do believe that sport is a great tool to compliment the traditional educational and developmental paths for our youth. I am not saying that only individuals who participate in sport can develop into positive, contributing and well rounded members of society. There are many many successful people who have had little or no sports involvement. The point of today's blog post to is to point out that sports have potential impact in ways that go beyond just being about being a pro and making huge salaries, being active or as the old ABC Wide of Sports promo said learning about ' The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. As human beings, we tend to think of teachers as those who work in schools. We also tend to think of education as the knowledge we acquire in a classroom. This is true if you’re looking at the conventional definition. But, if I think about the best teacher I know, and the best education I’ve received, my answer doesn’t follow the ordinary: sports. They say good teachers can inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning. For me, I think coaches also have the ability to do that, and even more importantly, have the responsibility to do so. At the base of it all, when you are a coach at the youth levels, it should be about wins and losses. I certainly hope that when my body of work as a coach is examined, I have been able to provide that to my athletes. I believe that sports far exceed these requirements and do so in the most unconventional, extraordinary and meaningful way. When I began to think about what exactly I have learned from playing and coaching sports, I realize that the list is seemingly endless. With that being said, I think that every athlete would agree that teamwork, leadership, balance, work ethic, the importance of a positive attitude and being selfless, are some of the most important things and lessons that we’ve taken, and continue to take with us even after our time in sport is done. Being a good teammate is one of the greatest things you can be. You learn to be humble when given opportunity because you may be given more playing time than the kid beside you. You learn when to speak up and when to listen. You learn the value of cheering others on and genuinely wishing them the best, even if you’re fighting for the same position. The ability to work with others is so crucial in the real world, and sports teaches this to us every day. Some would argue that leaders are born not made, but I believe it is a bit of both. Of course individuals have to have it in them but sports teaches you how to be a leader in more ways than one. You can be a vocal leader, a leader by example, or simply a member of a team who steps up when need be. Being a leader on a team doesn’t require a specific skill set or personality, it means knowing and accepting your role, whatever it may be, and doing the best you can so that others can follow. We need more leaders in the world, and playing sports develops these qualities every day. In the “real world,” people talk about time and schedule management, balancing work and play and priority maintenance. Athletes are the best examples of how to balance the most hectic and chaotic lifestyles while competing every day in the classroom and on the playing field ( or arena, gym, pool, track, whatever). Sports teach you how to balance a million things and do so with ease. Just ask an athlete to explain a “day in their shoes,” and you will know what I’m talking about. Athletes are some of the hardest working people you’ll ever meet, and the sports world fosters this trait more so than anything else. Whether you’re working to achieve a personal goals, team adjectives, or to win a National Championship, the work comes before the success. Every athlete knows that you can only control two things- effort and attitude. This work ethic carries over to the real world, because we know that the only way to reach success, break records, and increase the odds of being the best, is to first work- when your teammates are watching, and when they aren’t. Adversity is a huge part of the sports world. Getting cut from a team because of politics, getting injured and not being able to play or losing your spot in the lineup when at that given time, someone else is more fit for the role, are all part of the game. Whatever the adversity and however it presents itself, sports teach us to bounce back and do so with a positive attitude. Even if your confidence is at an all-time low and things aren’t going your way, being able to smile amidst the storm is one of the hardest things to do. Yet, it is a necessary requirement of being an athlete. Because at the end of the day, it’s just a game, and you are lucky to be playing the sport you love every day. So when you come across a bad boss or a lousy co-worker, know that sports have taught you that no matter what, you must smile, love the journey and stay positive. Perhaps this is the most relevant lesson that you learn through sports because it creates character and defines the person you are. Being selfless means giving something to someone with the expectation of nothing in return. Being a good teammate, giving your best effort to your coach despite how tired you are, having a positive attitude even if you’re faced with adversity and cheering on your teammates even if you’re battling for that same spot, are all part of being selfless. You learn to do things for the better of the team even if it means sacrificing personal success. Being a good person, at the end of the day, is the best things that sports teaches us, because when we walk of the playing surface and into the real world, we cannot take our jersey with us, nor the goals we scored, but we can take with us the lessons that sports have given us. The world is a blank slate composed of an abundance of opportunities, lively adventures, surprises at every bend and obstacles that can make or break people. Sports teach us how to make the best of all of these things and create a life that is filled with happiness, success, and endless possibilities. So anyone who doesn't seem how sports can teach life skills or mirror real life, probably had a negative experience or never really participated in sport. Youth sports thrive on parent-coaches. When I used to run coaching certification sessions, we would always discuss how the participants had found themselves in a coaching role. It was often the case of going to register their son or daughter for a team and checking the little box that said " would you be available to coach your child's team". All of a sudden, this parent was now thrust into a role of coaching their kid's team while not having sufficient training on the coaching aspect itself but more important finding themselves in the unenviable position of having to coach other parent's children.
I don't have children, so cannot comment first hand on what it is like to be a parent-coach, however my first 4 years of soccer, I had my dad as my coach. Most parents thought it was great. Having a Spanish man coaching their kids soccer seemed like a great advantage since many parents of my teammates were not exactly familiar with the sport, let alone understand how to coach it. From my perspective, I was young but I can relate to both the negative and positive aspects of having a parent as my coach. I can also relate somewhat from my experience from coaching my wife alongside her ( and my ) friends and peers. Many of the same characteristics that can be observed in the coach-parents-athlete relationship can be drawn in my previous experience. Parents have a unique relationship with their own children, and when it comes to coaching their child’s team, it is not easy to separate being the parent from being the coach. The parent-coach/child-athlete relationship in youth sports is one that often been at the center of many discussions and conflicts. With all the anecdotal stories about the negative circumstances associated with parent-coaches, it is important that this issue be considered when sports clubs look to fill out their coaching roles. Convincing parents to act as coaches is an inexpensive, easy fix but is it the best for the athletic development in your sport and is it best for the participants on the whole. More often than not, it leads to some conflict between parents and coaches. Parental involvement and support is a necessary and important part of a child’s participation in sports. However, there is such a thing as too much involvement, and it is possible that in the unique environment of youth sports, having dad, or mom, as coach can push parental involvement toward the over involved end of the continuum. If this is the case, it could create a negative experience for the child-athlete of the parent-coach. One can wonder if there is any effect on participants in youth sports in terms of motivation for participation or in anxiety level associated with competition. Parent-coached athletes can experience significantly higher anxiety related to competition than their non parent-coached peers. It brings to question if these athletes feel they are getting special privilege from having a parent as their coach, or inversely, sometimes, the parents works so hard to prove that they are not giving any special attention to their child that in fact they do the opposite. Parent-coaches will actually end up being harder on their child to prove how unbiased they are. There are many positive aspects for the both parents and their children that are supportive of the parent-coach/child-athlete relationship. One positive aspect includes being able to spend quality time together. Additionally, the child perceives that he/she gets special attention, praise, and perks, such as being on familiar terms with the coach. In the child’s perception, having your parent as a coach is an opportunity to receive motivation and technical instruction that others on the team do not have. In the perspective of the parent, being both coach and parent provides the opportunity to teach values and skills, the opportunity to see how their child interact with friends, and the ability to see their child’s accomplishments and take pride in them. Like everything in life, there are negative aspects of having a parent as the coach. Things such as feeling pressure and higher expectations; being subject to unfair behavior and more criticism for mistakes; being on the receiving end of the coach’s anger; feeling that the father-coach lacked empathy and understanding of the child’s perspective. When a coach is not their parent, once they leave practices or games, the interaction on the coach-athlete aspect is done, but when the coach is also a parent, discussion about how the child played, how others on the team reacted, performed etc, can continue on during the drive back home, or over dinner. Sometimes the child is privy to information about their teammates that should not have been shared. Parents can often feel that it difficult to separate the role of coach from the role of parent. They also mentioned sometimes rebellious behavior by their sons as another negative aspect. A final negative aspect of the parent-coach/child-athlete relationship is the perception that differential treatment exists for the coach’s son. This perception exists not only in the minds of the sons, but also in the minds of the parent, the other teammates and of course the other parents. If you are going to coach your child’s team, there are several things you can keep in mind so that the experience is a positive one. First, it is necessary to separate the coach-parent roles as much as you possibly can so that you treat all athletes the same This may be difficult, but it is necessary. Second, force yourself to treat all players equally and fairly. While you are coaching, think of your child just as you would any other team member. Third, it is essential to pay attention to your relationship with your child off the field. Once the game ends, your child needs you to take off your coach hat and put your parent hat back on. They need you to be supportive of them and not critical. Fourth, talk to your child and discuss their feelings about you coaching their team. When they are younger, they may enjoy having their parent as coach, but in adolescence, kids tend to want their independence from their parents, and this may not be the best or most appropriate time to coach your own child. In addition, the level of play may make a difference in your relationship with your child. The more competitive the league, the more room there is for the negative aspects to creep in. Some organizations do not even let parents coach their kids at higher competitive levels. Finally, other suggestions for creating a smooth relationship with your child and other team members include: educate yourself about the sport, only coach if you really understand the game, My path into the coaching ranks took a weird path at the beginning. I have written a few times about how I got into coaching so I won't go into too much detail about that topic today. I will just say that my first full year as a head coach came before I had attended any type of coaching clinic, gotten any form of training or received the usually required certification. The team I coaches qualified for nationals and my coaching skill set revolved around approaching training games as a player who had been captain of various teams. I knew the game quite well ( although I soon discovered that knowing the game and coaching it effectively were two very distinct things.
After my initial year in coaching, I was very strongly encouraged by my club and the federation to enroll in the certification program in order to meet requirements, if I were to want to continue. Like many at the time, I figured, "whatever" I'll just go and get the required levels but what will I really learn. I can tell you that all these years later, the very first words out of the course director's mouth are something that has stuck with me every since and has become the basis for everything I have done or planned in coaching. He entered the room and said " The most important advice I can give you is to remember that without athletes, there is no need for coaches. Always remember, coaches exist for the benefit of athletes, not the other way around". This is in many ways the most important lesson I have learned in all the clinics, stages, conferences etc on coaching that I have attended over 27 years. The relationship between a coach and athlete is important. No matter how competent you may be as a coach, no matter how well you know your sport, if you can't interact with your athlete(s), they won't benefit from your coaching. As athletes prepare for a new season, a new level of competition, seek out a new team, etc they will have competitive objectives and will hope to have a coach that can provide the support and teaching that will have them attain these objectives. As coaches, we’re all in this business because we want to help others reach their goals and because we are passionate about our sport ( or perhaps I should say, we should be). However, coaching is not just about designing an annual training plan or prescribing an individual session. It’s about building successful coach/athlete relationships, and that takes hard work. For such relationships to work requires mutually compatible philosophies and an ability to get inside of the head of the athlete. This way we can work out what they want and more importantly what they need. ‘Want’ and ‘need’ are not the same thing. For most coaches, it takes time to learn to coach someone effectively. It is no different for most athletes, who often need to learn to be coached. Writing plans and prescribing training sessions is only a small part of the coaching process. Then comes getting athletes to provide effective feedback, data analysis, and for us to adapt our plans and sessions almost continually. For the coach-athlete relationship to work, athletes must have the ability, willingness and desire to be coached. Over the last few years, I have given my athletes a questionnaire that includes a series of questions, prepared to allow the athlete to share with me, what they feel are their strengths, weaknesses and what they want they feel will help them attain their potential. I include questions about how, when and what kind of feedback they want. In many ways the various questions have one basic theme to them which I hope can solicit replies to the following basic questions: “Why do you want to be coached and what do you think the role of a coach is?” The answers to the various questions allow me to get some early insight into how I need to prepare myself to interact with athletes on an individual level while still focusing on the good of the group. Regardless of the sport, at its core, coaching is a people business. As my first course director said, coaches are there for the athletes, so seeing the world from the athlete’s perspective is key. It very quickly becomes apparent if an athlete views coaching as a benefit or a hindrance who puts all kinds of rules in place. It can allow us to see how much all athlete is willing to invest in their own success or are they expecting someone else to do the hard work for them. . We must care as much as, but not more than the athlete about their success, otherwise frustration is likely to result. We must also define what that success looks like. Success to me is simply to be able to support a healthy and happy athlete who enjoys their sport. Lots of little process goals along the way give plenty of opportunities for success. Coaching a successful athlete is not about making them care about success, or pushing them in a direction they are not interested in going, but rather knowing how to take the raw potential they have and create an environment that both motivates and facilitates them to keep putting in the time and effort. When I am surrounded by athletes that I can see are really committed to their own and the team success, There’s never that moment over the course of a season when I think I can’t be bothered planning training sessions, watching video, or sometimes simply taking a few moments to have a chat. That’s because I know that all the efforts I put in will be appreciated and the athletes will apply themselves to the task at hand. As a coach, I will do everything in my control to give my athletes an experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives when I see that they don't take the opportunities presented to them for granted. As coach, its important that one realizes that it can take time to reach goals. No matter how talented they group or individual athletes might be, time and effort have to be put in. When a coach is working with a group of individuals, with their own issues, fears, strengths, weaknesses, concerns, motivations and so many other factors, there has to be trust and communication for any coach-athlete relationship to work. A good coach can create an environment where the athletes feel they are an integral part of the plan. Regardless of what level or age group you find yourself coaching remember the wise words from my course director, "you are there for them" Yesterday I attended the RSEQ university provincial final for men's rugby. Our Concordia men's team went into the game with a perfect 8-0 record and the favorite to win. They played a nearly perfect game and complete a perfect season, winning the game and championship. It is a great accomplishment, not the first championship for men's rugby and probably not the last, but what I take from it and what I have learned from my own experiences is that sport will create memories that will carry one well beyond the end of an athletic career. Athletes play hundreds maybe thousands of games over the course of their career, regardless of the sport, but there are always certain games that stick with them forever. The Stingers athletes who played last night will have a shared memory that will link them together for the rest of their lives. Anytime they get together down the road, they will always be able to say " Remember in 2017 when we ...... " and talking about it will bring back a flood of memories and sensations.
Nothing lasts forever, except memories. We don’t know which one we’re going to get next, but we can trade them, throw them and keep what we like. Memories are a part of us. We’re incomplete without them. They are what we’ve been through. Memories make us, us. When people you know become people you knew. And you remember the good times you had with them. One epic moment can give you a lifetime of memories. But we don’t appreciate the moment when it happens.We’re busy people but memories give us a chance to relive the good moments, to reminisce. Memories can cheer you up. The can make you grow. When you have great memories of something, they can guide you to remember when it was like when things were great, how you got there, everything you did to accomplish that moment and plan for how to get there again. Life is short and you only live once. Make a collection of memories you can be proud about. For the athletes who won a championship last night, it will be a highlight of their lives, and hopefully a springboard to other great moments and great memories. As an athlete and a coach, I have been around thousands of athletes some as teammates and some as players under my guidance. I have coached countless training sessions, coached in thousands of games, some I remember like it was yesterday and some I wish I could forget completely. I often tell my athletes that 10, 15 or 20 years down the road, they mostly like won't remember how many games they won or lost, the scores in most of the games they played, but they will remember the friendships, the funny moments shared with teammates, the times they worked hard to accomplish something and the motivation they felt after a disappointment. I firmly believe but at the same, I know that there are games where you remember every moment. As a coach, I remember the first time we defeated the 6 time defending provincial champion in the quarter finals, the first time we won provincials, my first game coaching at club nationals, my first game at Concordia, .... and a few others. For these games, I remember every detail, every decision. I could probably run through the entire game describing who did what when and how it rolled out. I remember who was there and who I thought of when it took place. We should never live in the past, but boy is it great to have memories and even better when we can shared it with teammates that become important to us. Contrary to what the title of this blob post might lead some to believe, the topic, unlike some in the past, is not related to gender equity in sport and coaching but rather to how a coach can and maybe should a diverse group of athletes in a team setting.
If equality means giving every athlete the same chances and opportunity, equity means giving every athlete access to the chances and opportunity they need to improve and thrive. As any coach who has spent significant time working with teams knows each athlete is different. It can be tough to meet their competing needs, Coaches quickly realize that there is no "one size fits all" method of coaching a group. At the core of everything, a player's ability to improve during training and perform under the pressure of competitive games is directly linked to who they are as individuals but also to how they might have been coached in the past by others. In any group setting, social gatherings, workplace or team environments, individuals will take in cues and react to them differently. Some require constant feedback, others constant reassurance. I think back to a former player of mine who didn't play much in her first two years but as her playing time increased in year 3, I was talking to her after a game pointing out all the things I thought she had done well. She quickly replied " I can tell what I did well but the outcome, I need you to tell me about the things I didn't do well or can do better so that I can improve and player even more ". I thought I was providing her with good feedback, pointing out how she had improved, so in essence giving her reassurance but what she needed was feedback on where she could get better. Working with a large group of individuals, athletes for the benefit of this blog post, is never easy and as a coach, it is important to finds ways to know as much as possible about each athlete individually, their background, how they perceive themselves, how they react to criticism AND praise, how they want to receive feedback... and those are just a few of the areas to keep in mind. There is no one right way to get about it but there are some habits I have tried to use with my teams. First and foremost, get to know each athlete as a unique individual. Take the time to learn where they're from, maybe what makes this tick as the expression goes. Why they play their sport, how they got started, what excites them, what scares them. Don't assume that every athlete is there for the same reason and motivate by the same goals. The more you know, the more you can build trust and differentiate your coach. However it is important to balance this with keeping certain boundaries. You are there as their coach and not all aspects of their lives is relevant to your role or more importantly any of your business. Don't be afraid expect a great deal of your athletes, but also find ways to convince them of their own potential, and help them to reach it in a disciplined and structured environment. It doesn't matter how good you think an athlete is or could become if they themselves don't realize or believe it. As you gather background on athletes as individuals, start to piece together his or her learning story:
As I wrote earlier one-size does not fit all when it comes to how you coach at the individual level. As a coach, you need to be ready to adapt, adjust and improvise. Be willing to flex or set aside your well-laid plans to individualize instruction. If pulling an athlete out of a training session to provide some specific instructions seems difficult or hard to manage, don't let it control your decisions or actions. If it doesn't feel natural surround yourself with assistant coaches that the players can respect and relate to and assign them the role of individualized coaching. Remember, when it comes to coaching, it isn't about you, it's about giving your athletes access to every opportunity to reach their potential and maximize performance. Create an environment where the message is clear that failure is just another form of feedback. When a athlete feels embarrassment or stressed at the thought of not performing as needed or straight out failing, they will hide behind different reactions, the nervous laugh, compensating by trying to be funny around teammates, revert to simple decisions and actions to avoid mistakes or to hide among the team. In an positive, equitable team environment, there's no need to hide, because struggle and failure are neutralized, normalized, and even celebrated. When mistakes are made, sometimes one on one or as a group, have a discussion, what went wrong, why did it happen, what where the factors that lead to it. You will find that sometimes an athlete, read the situation right, make a great decision and the error was simply an issue of execution. Teach the athletes to review their performance and be willing to identify the whys and and whats of what went well and what didn't. Now, here is the issue when as a coach, you try and balance, being equal with being equitable. If you apply rules, make decisions, communicate, give feedback, teach, etc with the optic its the same process for everyone regardless, you are going to lose athletes, your message won't reach some of them and you won't be able to maximize performance. On the flip side, if you adapt your coaching to individuals, and are not transparent about it, it will create the perception that you are playing favorites or have different rules for different athletes. Simple example, you have two athletes, acting out in practice, with bad attitudes, talking back to teammates and coaches, disrupting practices, etc. You look into the matter and see that in one case, that is just how the athlete is, a malcontent, who overvalues their skill set and feels they are owed everything. The second athlete, has been count off financially by his or her parents, recently broke up with their significant other, and hasn't slept in days stressed with school , finances etc. On the surface, the behavior is unacceptable and disruptive. Equal application of teams rules would mean the same consequences for the behavior, equitable application would mean consequences for both but finding a way to correct might have to be different. Being equitable in coaching requires very clear and transparent communication. For the athletes to buy in, they have to know what is expected of them and know without doubt that your only interest is in helping them perform at the maximum level while improving and giving them a rewarding and positive experience. I'll probably come back to this topic with shortly to give more details on the how if this. Je pense que certains feront jugement sur le contenu de cet article juste en voyant le titre sans se rendre compte qu'il parle quand même du soccer et le sport en générale. J'espère vraiment que quelqu'un qui a commencé la lecture de cet article, le lira jusqu'à la fin. Ma perception de mon rôle en tant qu’entraineur dans le soccer féminin à changer avec les années au point que je pense que ça peut avoir un impact au-delà du soccer simplement. Par contre, ça se peut que je me donne trop de crédit ou me prend trop au sérieux. Peut-être je suis simplement un coach.
Comme je l'ai déjà écrit dans le passé, je me suis trouvé dans le rôle d’entraineur un peu malgré moi. Ce n'était pas vraiment quelque chose à laquelle j’avais pensé comme possibilité quand mes jours de joueur venaient à leur fin. Ma fiancée jouait sur une équipe à la recherche d'entraîneur-adjoint et comme j'avais l'habitude d'aller regarder les matchs, elles m’ont demandé si je pourrais donner un coup de main. L'entraîneur-chef a décidé d’arrêter en mi- saison et du jour au lendemain, je me suis trouvé comme entraineur responsable pour une équipe AAA en senior féminin. Si je mentionne cela, c'est que quand j'ai commencé, en tant que ex-joueur qui avait récemment laissé de jouer, mon seul optique était de gagner. Essayer de mettre en place la meilleure équipe possible et gagner des jeux, des titres de champion des provinciaux, etc. J'ai heureusement hérité un bon groupe de joueuses et on a réussi à se qualifier pour les championnats canadiens 4 fois dans mes 6 années. Des choses comme l'enseignement du jeu, le développement des joueuses, la création d'une tradition, ne faisait pas partie de mes objectifs. Surtout, j’idée que je faisais de quoi pour faire avancer la cause des femmes aux sports ou le sport féminin en générale, n’était vraiment pas quelque chose auquel je pensais. J'étais jeune, à mes débuts et malgré ma passion pour le soccer et découvrant que j’aimais le rôle de coach, je ne voyais pas vraiment que ça pourrait faire partie de quelque chose que dépasser simplement l’encadrement d’une équipe. En complétant tous mes niveaux de certification et vu mon succès au niveau club, j’ai été approché pour prendre rôle avec les équipes provinciales, et après une année aussi avec le Centre National Haute Performance. Comme toujours, j'avais comme objectif de gagner mais j’ai découvert d’autres fonctions faisant partie d’un rôle d’entraineur, tel que l’évaluation et dépistage de jeune joueuses, les camps de sélection, avoir à choisir une équipe de sélection parmi les meilleurs joueuses ainsi que travailler dans un optique de former des athlètes dans un style de jeu commun suivant la direction des cadres à la Fédération. On travaillait dans le but d'aider ces joueuses se développer, d'apprendre le jeu, trouver ceux qui méritaient de s'entraîner au CNHP et, peut-être un jour arriver sur l'équipe nationale. J'ai été assez privilégié de voir une douzaine de joueuses avec qui j’ai pu travailler d’une façon ou autre porter la feuille d'érable et représenter le Canada. Je ne dirai jamais qu'elles sont là à cause de moi mais j'espère que j'ai quand même eu un petit rôle dans leur acheminement. Durant ce temps, j’ai aussi eu la chance de travailler comme directeur de cours dans le programme de certification technique des entraineurs aspirants selon le programme de la fédération et PNCE. J’avais la responsabilité de partager mes connaissances ainsi que former la nouvelle génération d’entraineurs qui seraient pour la plupart à la base d’enseigner le soccer aux jeunes. La mon rôle était beaucoup plus que juste gagner des matchs et mes gestes et paroles pourraient aider (ou nuire) un plus grand nombre de personnes. Je commençais à réaliser qu’il avait beaucoup plus que juste gérer un équipe dans mon cheminement comme entrainer de soccer haut niveau. Mais même me rendant ici dans mon texte, ce n’est pas le message principal que je voulais partager. Ça commence à partir d’ici. Je suis maintenant rendu à ma 16e année comme entraîneur à l'Université Concordia. Gagner ? Oui, toujours très important pour moi, mais je réalise que ce que je donne comme entrainer dépasse largement le simple fait de victoires et défaite. Il y a un enjeu et une raison d’être beaucoup plus important. En prenant l’âge et sachant que mon temps comme coach est sans doute plus près de la fin que le début, j'ai commencé à penser à ce que je voudrais laisser comme héritage de mes années comme entraineur. Comment est-ce que je voudrais que les gens, mes anciennes joueuse bien sûr mais les gens que j’ai pu côtoyer durant mes années au soccer se souviennent de moi Mon rôle, c’est à la base, être coach, travaillé avec les athlètes pour les aider atteindre leur potentiel comme joueuse de soccer. Je suis connue (au moins je le pense) pour mon dévouement et ma passion comme coach et pour avoir le bien de mes athlètes au cœur de tout ce que je fais. Cependant, comme le coaching n’est qu’un rôle temps partiel et pas mon emploi primaire, j'ai vécu des divers dans ma carrière professionnel qui me fait voir que peut-être mon coaching à un enjeu plus grand, des conséquences plus déterminantes et un impact beaucoup important que je réalisais. La façon que j’aborde mon rôle dans le milieu universitaire peut aider les athlètes-étudiants à acquérir des compétences qui les aideront dans leur vie au-delà du sport (sans penser que je peux tout régler, il suffit de leur donner la chance de développer ces compétences, le reste est à eux). Je regarde en arrière et je me rends compte que le fait d'offrir un environnement bien structuré, compétitif mais positif et surtout arrondi dépasse le simple objectif de gagner le plus grand nombre de matchs possibles. Et là, on arrive au but principal de ce que j’écris aujourd’hui. Que mon rôle comme entraineur au soccer féminin peut servir à quelque chose que dépasse de beaucoup le sport. Que ça peut servir à aider à démonter aux jeunes femmes de se battre pour obtenir le succès dans tout domaine qu’elles choisissent de poursuivre comme carrière. C’est devenu une lutte pour une couverture, investissement et appui équitable pour les femmes dans les milieux sportives ce qui ne fera que renforcer l'ensemble de la structure J'essaie de mettre en place. Il s'agit de créer un groupe de femmes qui peuvent être des modèles pour les générations futures de jeunes filles et femmes autant sur le terrain et qu’en dehors, dans le sport et dans la vie. C'est moi, un mâle qui fait ce que je peux pour aider donner aux femmes la place qu'elles méritent dans la société. Pour moi c’est important d’assumer la responsabilité d’aider ouvrir les portes et faire tomber les barrières qui bloquent l’accès aux rôles d'encadrement qui sont traditionnellement occupés par les hommes. Même en tant qu'homme, qui a passé toute sa carrière d'entraîneur dans l'encadrement des femmes, je pense que j’ai une responsabilité pour assurer que les femmes soient bien accueillies dans les rôles d’entrainer et / ou administrateurs dans le domaine sportif. D’ailleurs encore plus important, je pense que c’est mon rôle comme gestionnaire dans mon travail de faire pareil dans le milieu professionnel. C’est pourquoi j'ai toujours voulu des assistantes, dans l'espoir d'en préparer un pour prendre le relais. Justement c’est en grande partie pourquoi depuis quelques années, j'ai essayé de convaincre des joueuses finissantes avec de solides compétences en leadership à rester pour m'aider avec le programme de soccer. Le sport à la capacité d'enseigner les compétences nécessaires à la réussite dans la vie après que la carrière d’athlète soit finie. L’élimination des biais et stéréotypes basées sur le genre devrez être priorité dans le sport mais dans la société en générale En faisant des recherches j’ai découvert qu'au cours des quarante dernières années, on a vu une forte diminution de femmes ouvrant comme entraineurs du sport féminin d’une façon générale. Le sport féminin et en croissance assez forte mais il y a moins de femmes qui coach… et comment ça? Il fut un temps où 90 % de toutes les équipes sportives féminines avaient des coachs féminines Aujourd'hui, ce nombre a été réduit déplus de moitié, avec seulement 40 % équipes féminines étant dirigés par des femmes. En comparaison, des femmes ne représentent que 2% dans les mêmes rôles pour les équipes masculines. Avec la croissance des sports féminins, il y a plus de possibilités pour les femmes de percer comme entraineur, mais cela signifie également qu'il y a plus de postes d'entraîneur payants, plus de chances faire carrière comme entraineur à temps plein. Alors des entraineurs masculins voient le sport féminin comme une possibilité de carrière et plus intéressant comme option. Il existe encore une perception chez les athlètes féminines que les entraîneurs masculins sont plus qualifiés, de sorte qu'ils veulent, ou si vous préférez croit vouloir plus un entraîneur masculin. C’est situation assez courante de me faire répondre par des athlètes dans l’équipe avec le traditionnel " vous devez comprendre que c’est différent pour les filles”. Depuis un certain temps, j’ai pris l’habitude de revenir avec une réponse dans le genre. " Que penseriez-vous si un patron vous direz, nous ne pouvons pas vous payer autant car c'est différent pour les femmes" ou " Que penseriez-vous, si vous alliez dans une entrevue d'emploi et vous faite dire qu’ils préféraient embaucher un homme ?" La mentalité de vouloir un entraîneur masculin s'explique en partie par le fait que beaucoup d’athlètes féminines surtout celles aux niveaux le plus élites n’ont jamais connue c’est quoi avoir une femme comme entraineur. Il y a un manque de modèles dans les rôles d'entraîneur féminins. Si les jeunes athlètes féminines ne sont pas exposées à des femmes comme coach, les chances des femmes poursuivant dans la profession d’entraineur que reste dominée par les hommes vont encore diminuer. Changer cette perception tenue par de jeunes athlètes femmes et pouvoir encourager les femmes à devenir des entraineurs exige deux choses. En partant il faut que les entraineurs féminins puissent être plus impliqués dans les rôles de formation, certification et embauche des entraineurs féminins. Des entraineurs féminins former par les entraineurs masculins n’est pas selon moi la meilleure façon d’augmenter le nombre de femmes dans le milieu parce que tous les biais et stéréotypes risquent d’y rester. Deuxièmement, les jeunes athlètes féminines ont besoin d'une plus grande sensibilisation à des femmes dans des rôles d'encadrement. La première étape nécessite l’accès pour plus de femmes à des postes de chef des entraîneurs et directeurs sportifs. L'absence d'entraîneurs féminins est attribuable à un certain nombre de facteurs mais principalement que prendre des rôles comme entraineur dans les sports féminins n'était pas considérée comme une voie légitime ou option financière viable pour les entraîneurs. Par contre, ce manque est aussi attribuable à ceux qui font l'embauche. Les hommes embauchent des hommes, que ça soit un administrateur qui embauche un entraineur ou un entraineur qui embauche un entraineur adjoint. Les femmes doivent jouer un plus grand rôle dans le processus d'embauche et de l'élaboration des programmes sportifs. En étant exposé à plus de femmes dans les rôles d’entraineur, les jeunes athlètes féminins que le chemin vers le coaching est valable et intéressant mais encore plus important comme conséquence c’est que les jeunes athlètes (et là on pourrait dire simplement jeunes athlètes sans que ça soient juste des filles mais filles et garçons), verront que les femmes en rôle de leadership n’est pas juste valable mais surtout chose normale. La relation entraîneur-entraîné pourrait créer un enivrement de de non-rivalité pour les jeunes et moins jeunes femmes question de se soutenir les uns et les autres. Ça donnerait la chance à des jeunes athlètes féminins de voir qu’un rôle de coach une fois leurs jours athlète finissent pourrait avoir un impact encore plus important. Elles auraient le moyen où elles peuvent être en contact et exposer à des modèles pour discuter les possibilités de carrière dans le coaching mais qu'elles comprennent l'impact que le coaching au sport féminin peut avoir sur les plus jeunes filles dans l’élimination de tous les biais que mène aux iniquités hommes-femmes dans le sport mais surtout en société. Ne faut jamais négliger le rôle que les sports peuvent jouer dans le développement de nos jeunes. J'espère que vous avez lu ceci jusqu'à ici. |
AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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