More Than Just an Athlete

--The Keys to Achieving a Lasting Positive Impact--

Most coaches would agree that coaching is about a lot more than just relaying technical information to an athlete. It's about establishing a quality working relationship where goals are set, a training program is devised, and elements of trust and respect are fostered. Not surprisingly, it's within the matrix of this kind of relationship, that the character of an athlete can be molded into something positive.

Looking back over my 10 years as an athlete I'm often astounded by how influential my coaches were not only in the development of the level of my performance, but also in the development of my character. Now, after having made the transition from being a team-sport player and a nationally-ranked decathlete to a coach of high performance track and field athletes, I see how critical my experiences as an athlete have been in the formation of my own approach to coaching. Especially as it pertains to the manner in which I try to treat each of my athletes.

Impact, then, is a given. Regardless if we coach an athlete for a week or a decade, it will happen whether we like it or not. The question is "to what degree?" and "will it be negative or positive?"

So how can we, as coaches, achieve maximum positive impact with our athletes?

The following, then, is a framework. A checklist, of sorts, for coaches who wish to offer athletes more than just information.

KEY #1: Treat athletes as people, not as instruments to win an event. As a coach at the university level I find it easy, almost tempting, to recruit an athlete solely for what they can do for my professional reputation or how they might improve the image of my program. Let's face it, the general basis for judging a coach is the success of their athletes. It's shallow, but true. But often we forget that the road that leads an athlete to success involves a coach's ability to consistently install of a variety of core values - values which transcend the athlete's involvement in sport and shape them as people. Values such as commitment, respect for officials, quality communication and discipline.

On another level, treating athletes as people requires a coach to demonstrate care for the other facets of an athlete's life (i.e.: school, family, work). It doesn't mean the coach has to suddenly become the athlete's best friend, mother, or confidant, but it does mean showing concern for the personal development of the athlete.

How do we do this? Sometimes it can be as easy as asking the athlete questions unrelated to sport (i.e.: family, interests, hobbies). Other times it can be in how you handle certain circumstances that arise in their life (i.e.: academic problems/success, personal tragedies, or injuries). Even if we don't entirely understand what the athlete is going through, a sense of approachability and/or a listening ear may speak more loudly than we realize.

KEY #2: Respect is a two-way street. So often coaches assume they will be attributed respect based on their credentials and accomplishments. And to a certain degree they are. But what we sometimes fail to realize is that the best way to earn respect is to give it. Some coaches feel that their athletes deserve respect until they prove otherwise. Others offer it based on the belief that all people, regardless of who you are, deserve respect. But in either instance, respect is first offered by the coach.

But there's another facet to this. For, in order to gain a lasting respect from our athletes (and vice versa) we need to earn it. In other words, respect is earned by how professionally we conduct ourselves and our programs. It is very hard for an athlete to respect a coach who is constantly late, ill-prepared for practice, and/or never lives up to his word. Similarly, it is hard for a coach to respect an athlete who is constantly late, ill-prepared for practice, and/or never lives up to his word.

Athletes want to follow a coach who has strong leadership characteristics. Someone stronger than themselves. But also someone who is willing to exhibit a strong sense of loyalty and security. Respect is birthed when a coach is willing to go to the mat for their athlete. It is also produced when discipline is administered justly and graciously. However, the key which not only aids in a coach's ability to treat athletes as people and foster respect-based relationships but also prevents a myriad of complications is in how well a coach communicates to his athletes.

KEY #3: Communicate clearly and openly. Like any important relationship, communication is paramount in creating a lasting positive impact in the life of an athlete. The reasons are simple. For many problems between coach and athlete stem from unmet unspoken expectations. These lead to misunderstandings, and, if unrectified can lead to blow ups and hurt feelings of all kinds. So what is a coach to do?

Establish your rules for communication early. Right from the start, your athletes will need to know how and when they can approach you. Some coaches have office hours, some allow athletes to call them at home, some use email, while others would rather be pulled aside before or after practice. Realizing that some athletes feel uncomfortable approaching the coach directly, some coaches have captains or intermediaries for athletes to express their ideas and concerns through. Choose the method that suits your unique situation and stick to it.

Create time for interaction. Not that conversation has to be forced or staged, but time for discussion is necessary so that instructions are well articulated and understood, pertinent issues are fleshed out, and casual bantering can lighten the mood. During the course of a practice, the warm-up time is a perfect setting. It can also give you a guage as to whether or not the athlete is "all there" or not.

Let the athlete have their say. Dictators with no regard to the concerns and thoughts of their athletes don't tend to have large followings these days--especially when taking into consideration the essence of the post-modern mind. Letting athletes have their say does not imply a transfer of authority to the athlete. Coaches should always have the final say in whatever issue comes to the table. But it does allow the opportunity for the athlete to come to the coach with pertinent ideas or concerns and be heard. For example, I'm often very surprised at how much better a personal program I can carve out when I understand the specific needs/issues/concerns of each athlete. Similarly, one of the roles of my team captains is to periodically give me a read on the disposition of the team. Their feedback provides me with significant information on how I can increase morale, provide encouragement, or address certain circumstances.

Show transparency. All coaches make mistakes. Successful coaches, however, recognize their errors, learn from them, and work to provide corrections. This likely requires us to accept the consequences of our actions rather than blaming others. Athletes come to admire a coach who is honest about who he/she is and their shortcomings.

Be a Barnabas. Barnabas was a Palestinian figure known for his amazing ability to encourage. Many coaches expect their athletes to encourage themselves, but most athletes require frequent doses of encouragement to bring out their best. Encouragement provides energy and motivation--especially when mistakes are made. I'm not implying that a coach shell out praise when it is undeserved, but we should not take acceptable work for granted neither. Instead, we should thank athletes for their efforts and high-light times when improvement is evident. John Maxwell notes, "everyone values encouragement and looks for it--especially when his leader is a consistent encourager."

Some of these notions may require some reconfiguration to our approach to coaching. But if we wish to experience the best possible working relationships with our athletes and witness improvement in their state of character, then change is well worth the effort.

Shane Wiebe is the Head Coach of Men's and Women's Track & Field at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC, and author of Into the Eyes of Payne, released by American Book Publishers.