Top Coach for Sports Communication

Recently, I was asked why I thought that being a coach or mentor was a really good idea. Indeed, I like high-energy, agility, strength, determination and perseverance, which athletes have. In my younger days I enjoyed playing not watching, I still enjoy competition and winning. In my day I was a track star. My mom went to all my track meets, I never lost must have been fun for her to watch her son win all the time.

She also went to all my sisters cheerleading and brother’s soccer games too. I do not know how she did all that, but she loved it too. I think because she was an Olympic Alternate Swimmer, who actually would have ended up competing if she did not have me. I remember those days and perhaps you remember your younger days as an exceptional athlete too? Well there are always more kids coming up who need a little bit of coaching too.

We need coaches and we need more mentors this is a good thing indeed. I had 100s, hanging out at the airport washing airplanes (my little business as a teenager) for business execs, entrepreneurs, sports stars, entertainers, trust fund babies, etc. You learn a lot doing that, interesting. After a while you learn the most from yourself. Mentoring is fun, although it is hard for me to see lack of character and wish to continue, you have to really want to do it.

You see my view is we cannot wait or trust the next generation to fix the problems we create or that we allowed to continue. This generation did not do it, although in some aspects made progress, in others failed miserably, This is not okay and it is unacceptable. Why would the next generation be any different? We must mentor the next generation to work hard, teach them teamwork so they can carry on.

Today the schools are not any better than when we were young, they are worse. The cheating in schools is outrageous. We need to teach strength of character and integrity and sports is a great way to do that and you can help. This is why you should be a Youth Sports Coach or Mentor?

Are you looking for some silver bullet to improve your golf game? There’s no such thing, but I’ve been (re)reading Harvey Pennick’s books on golf, and something struck me. Something he said really stuck in my mind: If you are an amateur golfer, you can get very good results by building your game around your #5 or #7 iron.

Now, who is Harvey Pennick and why should you listen to him? In his heyday, Mr. Pennick was golf coach to several US Open Winners – Tom Kite among the most prominent of his students. He also successfully coached university golf teams, and more than a few weekend golfers. He ended his career as the much-beloved club pro of the Austin Country Club, having successfully seen to the golfing needs of hundreds of club members.

So why does he say stick to one iron, especially the #5 or #7? First of all, the #5 and #7 irons are the most used golf irons among amateurs, being medium range clubs for many golfers. Once you are off the tee and on the fairway, you no longer need the range of the driver. Looking back, my best shots on the fairway were always aimed at some particular point I could see clearly. And any point I could see clearly was within range of my #5 iron.

The point is: when you stick with one main iron, you get better faster (with it). It becomes your best buddy, the one you go to most often. You quickly learn what it can do, and what it can’t. You learn how to bend its performance to meet your needs. A lot of uncertainty disappears.

Let’s say you make the #5 your favorite. You are faced with a tricky shot. You estimate the distance at 70 yards with a 15 yard margin of error to the bunker … you hope. You know your #5 iron can give you that distance with a 3/4 backswing. You know because you have done it many, many times in the past, because this is the club you build your game around. You swing your club, and lo and behold, the ball rolls to a stop with 5 yards to spare.

In theory, you could have done the same thing with a full swing from your #7 iron. But you can’t be sure, because you don’t play enough golf to practice equally with both clubs. So you have to choose, jack of all trades, master of none, by playing all your irons from #3 to #9, or just master one iron, which can get you most places you need to go.

Remember that you are a weekend golfer. You don’t play the US Open, and don’t need to master every iron in your bag. You don’t need the level of precision and control which every iron can give you.

Unless you can spend everyday on the golf course, the fastest way to improve your golf game is to simplify your game as much as possible. Minimize the number of clubs you actually play with in order to develop the skill and consistency with those clubs quickly. Stick with the driver, #5 iron, putter and one wedge, and you’ll see real improvement quickly. These four clubs will serve you most of your time.

If you’re reading this you have developed some interest in undertaking a coaching role in youth sport. Without wishing to discourage potential coaches, it is vitally important that you understand the magnitude of the commitment you are making when you agree to coach a youth team or athlete. Coaching is one of the most gratifying and rewarding endeavors you will ever undertake, but at the same time, life as a coach can be demanding. Indeed, coaching can involve considerable amounts of time and effort, and can also require a variety of other personal sacrifices. When considering coaching sport at the youth level, seven critical questions should be in the forefront of your mind:

Am I truly passionate about the sport I intend on coaching?

Common sense tells us that people who are passionate about what they do typically do a better a job. Coaching is no different. The best coaches are those who genuinely get excited by the sport they coach, find the mentoring aspects of the role enjoyable and feel a sense of pride in passing on their wisdom to the next generation of players. If you’re not passionate about the sport you intend on coaching, chances are your players won’t be passionate about your coaching.

Do I really have enough time and energy to be a committed coach?

As stated, coaching is a commitment. The prospective coach must understand that it will consume some of what might otherwise be their leisure time. Furthermore, as a coach, you must also be willing to put in a consistent effort, even when you don’t really feel like it, and even if it sometimes clashes with your home or social life. Despite your best intentions, if you don’t have the time or can’t muster the energy, you will likely do more harm than good.

Do I posses the skills, knowledge and experience to effectively coach this sport?

Every sport involves a different variety of skill-sets, rules, equipment, training methods and more. Some sports are relatively unique, but even those that share strong similarities inevitably feature many points of difference. Being an effective coach requires a keen understanding of these elements, ideally one that has been gained through personal experience. This is not to say that you must have played, or indeed excelled, in the sport in question, but rather that it is crucial you are operating from a solid understanding of the sport and its fundamentals. If you do not feel you have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to effectively coach a sport, you should certainly rethink your involvement.

Do I posses the skills, knowledge and experience to coach at this level?

Youth are involved in a variety of levels of sporting competition, from social and informal matches to high-pressure elite competition. Not only must a coach posses the skills, knowledge and experience required to effectively coach a sport, but also, a realistic appreciation of what level(s) of sporting competition they are qualified to coach at. Incompetent coaches are quickly exposed and vilified in high-level sport, the potential outcomes of such a scenario are usually damaging and discouraging for everyone. It is vitally important therefore, that coaches do not take-on assignments that are beyond their capabilities. If you do not feel you have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to coach at a given grade of competitive sport, you should aim instead for a coaching role better suited to your level of competence and/or take proactive steps towards upgrading your coaching capabilities.

Am I getting into coaching for the right reasons?

There are just as many motivations for taking up coaching as there are coaches. Still, while every coach is different, everyone gets involved for a reason. Typically, these reasons are admirable and morally justifiable, but not always. Some common motivations for getting involved in the coaching of youth sport include: the desire to give something back to a particular sport or the sporting community in general, a genuine interest in working with children and helping them achieve their goals and ambitions, a vested interest in preserving, promoting or enhancing the status of a sport, a belief that children should be active and participate in sports and, very often, a family legacy of involvement. Some examples of unacceptable motivations include: desires of personal glory, fame or wealth, revenge, popularity, living vicariously through others and the desire to have power or control over others. When considering coaching, you must question yourself as to the true nature of your motives. If you find these to be wanting, the sport is probably better off without your involvement.

Do I relate well to young people?

Every human being is different. Some of us relate better to our elders, some of us to those that are younger than ourselves. One thing is for certain, if you intend on getting involved in the coaching of youth sport, you’d better be able to deal with their whims and ways. There is no denying that this can be quite difficult for some people, indeed there are individuals whom find it almost impossible to understand what goes in the adolescent mind, let alone how to communicate and interact meaningfully with youth. If you do not enjoy being around young people, or you can’t/won’t communicate with them on their level, it is highly unlikely that you’ll be happy or effective in a youth coaching role.

Is there anyone that will support and/or advise me in my coaching?

Even the best coaches need help. Support networks are vital for all coaches, and particularly so when given the fact that many youth coaches are relatively inexperienced and lacking in formal training. The good news is that there are a variety of organizations, both public and private, that are able to give you advice, assist you with your own training and development as a coach, provide access to resources, and more. This assistance must often be sought-out however, and if you are unwilling to accept help, or lack the capacity to seek out and consult these bodies, your coaching journey may well be fraught with difficulties and disappointments that will inevitably reduce your effectiveness and limit your enjoyment.

If you can honestly answer “YES” to all of the above questions, you’re well on your way to becoming an effective, caring and committed youth coach. Get out there, and get involved!

If you answer “YES” to most of the questions and “NO” to some, you should think again about getting involved in youth coaching. Perhaps you could wait until you find yourself in a position to answer all of the questions in the affirmative.

If your responses are mostly “NO”, it is unrealistic for you to take on a coaching role at this time. But don’t be discouraged, there are a variety of other ways you could contribute to youth sport.