Principles of Coaching

Exam 1

What is a Coaching Philosophy

Set of beliefs or principles that define your actions (Martens, 2012)

• The foundation on which you build your program

Why is Coaching Philosophy important?

The necessary foundation and roadmap for successful coaching

Creating a Coaching Philosophy

• Why do I coach

• What do I want to get out of coaching

• Why did I get involved in coaching

Components of Philosophy

3 major objectives:

• winning

• fun

• development

Your beliefs/principles help you achieve those goals

• Coaching Styles

Balancing the Triad

Coaching Philosophy/Life Event

1. Have certain beliefs/principles

2. An event occurs

3. Respond based on your beliefs and principles

4. Consequences of your actions

5. Change, adjust or solidify beliefs/principles

One size does not fit all

In order to develop a philosophy and help others, you must first know yourself

Self Awareness

Ideal self → The person you would like to be

Public self → The image you believe others have of you

Real self → authentic you

Impact on self-esteem

Positive self esteem is viewing yourself as a competent and worthy person

• feeling good about yourself

• it is not based on wins and loses

Self disclosure

When and how much is appropriate

• people don’t care what you know until they know you care (roosevelt)

• building trust

• healthy connection, mentoring relationship

How are objectives and styles developed

• experience

• observation

• Individual belief system

Coaching Style

• Authoritarian (command)

• Democratic (cooperative)

• Submissive

Leadership

Understanding the difference between management and leadership

transformative leadership = where a leader motivates and inspires followers to achieve a shared vision and exceed their potential, fostering positive change, innovation, and growth within individuals and the organization as a whole

• team influences coach

• coach influences team

What leaders do 

• provide direction

• build psychological, physical and social environment conducive to achieving team goals

• instill values

• motivate

• confront and resolve conflict

• communicate

Team culture components

• tradition

• basic operating procedures

• management of information

• nature of the sport

• power, influence, status structure

• leadership style

Character Development

Character education

• teaching young people the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, skills and behaviors to be good, fair, kind and moral

How to teach character development

• identify principles of good character

• teach the principles of good character

• provide opportunities to practice

Principles of good character

• respect

• responsibility

• caring

• honesty

• fairness

• good citizen

Teach the principles of character

• create moral environment

• model moral behavior

• set rules for good behavior

• explain and discuss moral behavior

• use and teach ethical decision making

• motivate your players to develop good character

Provide opportunities to practice

• establish routines

• reward good character

Understanding Teenagers

• Early adolescence (10-14)

• Middle adolescence (14-17)

• Late adolescence (18-21)

Maturational Differences

Greatest individual differences (physically) between 10 to 16

• matching (pairing athletes based on goals, needs, etc)

• What do you do for mismatched players

• Early maturers

• Emotional/Intellectual/Social differences

Recommendations for coaching young athletes that different in maturity

• Match based on physical maturity

• Encourage progress of physically immature players

• Work with early learners while others catch up, find them appropriate roles

• Recognize athletes that are physically more mature, aren’t necessarily emotionally mature

• Different levels of intellectual capability require variety of type of instruction 

Cultural Differences

• recognize importance of cultural heritage

• learn about cultural heritage

• balance between expecting players to adapt to team culture and respect player’s cultural heritage

Recommendations for coaching cultural competence

• be sensitive and understand athletes will hold different beliefs

• teach players to respect culture differences, find opportunities for player =s to share their culture

• have clear sense of your own cultural heritage and how it impacts your coaching (are they inclusive)

• examine expectations and potential discrimination

• encourage active participation

• discourage false stereotypes

Gender Differences

• difference between sex and gender

• physical differences

• stereotypical differences

Sexual harassment

potential for false accusations

• have others present, keep doors open

• be careful of physical contact

• apologize for any unintentional touch

Sexual Orientation

• fair treatment and equal opportunity

• come to terms with own beliefs

• establish and enforce policies about appropriate language and behavior

• include sexual orientation in nondiscrimination policies

Physical and mental differences

• sensory impairment

• physical disabilities

• mental disabilities

Language

Reasonable accommodations

understanding of disability

• how to teach

• how to accommodate/modify

• equal treatment

Communication Dimensions

• sending and receiving messages

• verbal and nonverbal messages

• content and emotion

Why communication can be ineffective

stress, passion, outcome

1. content communicated by coach is wrong

2. message communicated is not what is intended based on lack of skills

3. athlete doesn’t receive message because lack of attention

4. athletes misinterprets because of lack of skill

5. coach sends inconsistent messages

Negative approach produces

• bad habits

• unrealistic expectations

• short term success

Keys to make communication work

• send messages high in information

• send clear messages

• communicate with consistency

• learn how to listen

• improve nonverbal communication

• develop credibility

Active Listening

• mentally prepare to listen

• Show that you care by making an effort to listen

• Allow players to complete there sentence before responding

• Monitor/limit “yes/but”

• Paraphrase and ask questions

• Use supportive/confirming behaviors

Nonverbal Communication

• make and maintain eye contact

• Body posture

• Head and facial movements

• Vocal quality

• Touch

What is motivation

Motivation is the direction and intensity of effort

• direction of effort: wether an individual seeks out, approaches, or is attracted to a situation

• Intensity of effort: how much effort an individual puts forth in a situation

Guidelines for building motivation

1. Both situations and traits motivate people

2. People have multiple motives for involvement

• observe participants

• Talk informally to others

• Ask participants directly

3. Change the environment to enhance motivation

4. Leaders influence motivation directly and indirectly

5. Use behavior modification to change undesired participant motives

Rewards

Primary needs

• fun

• Feel worthy

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic

• intrinsic = internal

• Extrinsic = external

Relationship to arousal

Optimal arousal

Flow experience

• challenge matches ability

Winners versus losers

Attributes of winning/loosing

• winning, success = ability and failure = lack of effort

• Loosing, success = luck and failure = lack of skill/ability (lack of effort)

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Fear of failure

Emphasis is on performance

Unrealistic goal

Extrinsic rewards undermine intrinsic motivation

Wooden pyramid of success

Life skills model