Track and Field Toolbox

Mastering the Coach-Athlete Communication Process

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This article was provided by Coaches Network

Coaches are only going to be successful if they master how they communicate with their athletes—to be on the same page with respect to the fundamentals of the sport, the mental side of athletic competition, and the preparation that needs to take place off the playing field. And being an excellent communicator with athletes means understanding that it’s a process involving not just speaking, but listening and having perspective.

In an article on medium.com, Brett Bartholomew, MS.Ed., CSCS*D, RSCC*D, a performance coach & consultant, best-selling author, and founder of the performance coaching and consulting company, The Bridge Human Performance®, provides five tips on improving coach-athlete communication. His article is from the perspective of a strength coach who works with athletes outside the playing field, but the advice he provides is valuable to coaches of all sports and at all levels.

1. Listen

Listening is such a key element to the coach-athlete communication process, which places huge emphasis on being flexible during the communication progress.  Bartholomew suggests that coaches treat this area of communication in within the data framework that use for so many other phases of coaching. “Ask strong, open-ended questions, listen to the answers and write them down or record them just like you would data in a performance profile,” he writes.

2. Speak Their Language

“Great coaching is about figuring out an athlete’s purpose and matching it with an evidence-based process. To do this, build off of what your athletes tell you and relate everything you do back to their goals and specific drives,” Bartholomew writes. “Ask yourself: what do they say they care about most? Why does that  an understanding of what matters most to them.”

3. Relate the Communication to the Sport

“Every sport has its own unique cultural aspects that can affect player personality as well as their perception of what constitutes success,” Bartholomew writes. This is where a better understanding of human nature becomes even more critical.” He also believes that the upbringing of the athlete will also influence how they behave in a team or group setting,

4. Be Transparent and a Bit Vulnerable

Bartholomew emphasizes that building trust is a two-way street. “You cannot expect to be able to bombard your athletes with both questions and information and expect them to never ask you questions in return, or for you to have to volunteer some information about yourself as well. Not doing so leads to a parasocial relationship, which is the antithesis of what you want when aiming to become a more effective coach. A true professional always welcomes mutual inquiry.”

5. Alter Your Perspective

An athlete may think that the coach “doesn’t get it.” That athlete may be trying to quickly get through the instruction in order to play the sport they love in a game-like setting. “You don’t have to agree with this point of view, but you need to be cognizant of it if you are going to have any hope of reaching your athletes on a truly meaningful and influential level,” Bartholomew writes.

Click here to read the full article.


Reacting to Signs of Overtraining

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This article was provided by Training-Conditioning

By Terry Favero

Terry Favero PhD, is Professor of Biology and Conditioning Coordinator for the women’s soccer team at the University of Portland. He has also worked with the U.S. Olympic Development Program

Athletes—and Strength/Conditioning Coaches and Sport Coaches—are taught one guiding principle that extends well beyond athletics: The harder you work, the more success you’ll achieve. It’s a principle that is generally very accurate.

However, there’s another phrase that also holds true for all facets of life…including athletics: Taking something to the extreme is bad for you.

Given our culture, it’s not surprising that overtraining can occur with competitive athletes who strive to excel in competition. That’s why Strength & Conditioning Coaches need to have procedures in place to prevent “Overtraining Syndrome.”

In an article on the Training & Conditioning website, “Too Far, Too Fast,” Dr. Terry Favero writes that Overtraining is defined as “the result of an imbalance in the training-to-recovery ratio–too much training and competing and too little recovery and regeneration. The difficulty is deciding just what constitutes ‘too much’ and ‘too little.’

“Athletes enhance performance by overloading the body and then allowing it to recover,” Favero writes. This stimulus-recovery process is called adaptation, and it’s a characteristic shared by all living organisms. In developing athletes, small to moderate training loads can lead to large improvements in performance if they’re implemented properly.

But while a little is good, more is not necessarily better. The adaptation process has built-in limits that govern both how quickly an athlete can adapt and their maximum capacity to endure intense training. These limitations function as safety mechanisms to protect the body from irreversible damage.”

Naturally, most coaches and athletes notice performance-related symptoms first, and may overlook the psychological clues–reduced concentration, anxiety, apathy toward training, irritability–that often precede performance deficits. But if the non-physical signs of overtraining syndrome are caught and intervention begins early, athletes can avoid the long-term effects and put themselves back on track for healthy training and adaptation.

Overtraining Prevention

As Favero write in his article, “The best-case scenario isn’t to catch overtraining syndrome in its early stages, but to avoid it in the first place. Most instances of overtraining result from poorly conceived programs that can be corrected with forethought and attention to recovery needs.”

As an example, Favero points out that, “if a preseason program does not gradually increase intensity and performance demands, athletes won’t develop a sound training base before the start of their competitive season. They may ‘play their way’ into game shape by mid-season, but the physical and mental stresses of pursuing optimal performance from an inadequate foundation will take their toll over time, increasing the risk for overtraining and most likely creating disappointing results late in the season.”

Overtraining can certainly occur for athletes who play on more than one sport at their school. Favero recommends the strength coach create “a hybrid strength and conditioning program that meets the training needs of both sports without creating overstress.” If a school doesn’t have a strength coach, then it’s important for the coaches of the two teams for which the athlete participates to communicate with each other and develop a program that works for both sports.

Symptoms

An article on VeryWellFit.com, written by fitnes consultant Elizabeth Quinn, lists the following warning signs of Overtraining Syndrome:

  • Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
  • Mild leg soreness, general aches, and pains
  • Pain in muscles and joints
  • Sudden drop in performance
  • Insomnia
  • Headaches
  • Decreased Immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
  • Decrease in training capacity/intensity
  • Moodiness and irritability
  • Depression
  • Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
  • Decreased appetite
  • Increased incidence of injuries
  • A compulsive need to exercise

Treatment

Quinn suggests the following first steps toward treating Overtraining Syndrome.

  • Rest and recover. Reduce or stop the exercise and allow yourself a few days of rest.
  • Hydrate, Drink plenty of fluids and alter your diet if necessary.
  • Get a sports massage. This may help relax you mentally and physically.
  • Begin Cross Training. This often helps athletes who are overworking certain muscles or suffering from mental fatigue.

Quinn mentions out one thing: “New evidence suggests that low levels of exercise during the rest period, which is labeled ‘active recovery,’ speeds recovery, and moderate exercise increases immunity.”

Favero points out in his article: “The good news is that access to advanced monitoring techniques, solid research, and time-tested workout strategies provides athletes and coaches today with more information about optimal training levels than ever before.”


9 Requirements of Success

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By Dawn Redd-Kelly

This article and other helpful coaching tools can be found at Coach Dawn Writes

Sometimes social media gets a bad rap for being a time sucker, which it can be. But most times, I find good stuff there.  Whether it be a good leadership article, a timely motivational quote, or (like this time) a great tweet from team building expert Jeff Janssen.

How can we be successful coaches?  Or maybe a better way to put it is how can we measure, at the end of the season or school year, that we’ve been successful?  Janssen has some ideas.

9 requirements of success:

  1. Purpose: Why do you coach? As I mentioned in my another post, loving the sport isn’t your purpose (it’s your passion)…why do you coach? Why do you have player meetings?  And stress about your practice plans? Why do you watch so much film? What is my why?  I believe that athletics creates better humans (I’m biased, I know) and I believe us coaches equip our athletes with the tools they’ll need to make the world a better place and I’m honored to have a part in it.
  2. Passion: Do you love your sport? Is there a fire in your bones for it?  Then that will translate over to your players and they’ll be infected by your zeal.
  3. Perspiration: I feel like this is obvious, but you should be working hard, Coach. Like, really hard.  You’ve got to work hard to create relationships with your players.  You’ve got to work hard to know the different personalities on your team and how to motivate them.  You’ve got to work hard to keep your team chemistry balanced.
  4. Plan: How will you handle the inevitable quarrels between teammates? How will you handle having to bench a starter?  How will you prepare your team to be clutch at the end of a competition?  How will you make sure they’re ready for post-season?
  5. Patience: Can you wait for your “potential player” to bloom? Can you try different ways of teaching your leaders how to lead? Can you trust the process?
  6. Persistence: I think it’s a great idea to write down your coaching goals. That way, when you hit the inevitable speed bump, you won’t be moved.
  7. People: Coaches don’t succeed alone. We need mentors and assistants.  We need recruits to buy into what we’re saying.  We need families who support the coaching staff in the background.  We need an administration who’ll advocate for us.
  8. Principles: Do you want to be a win-at-all-costs coach? Do you want to sacrifice your values in order to win more games?  I think a coach’s goal should be to win with honor.
  9. Perspective: My guess is our definition of success will change as we grow as coaches, as we gain a bit more life experience, and as we’re humbled by our profession.

It’s hard to feel successful.  It requires a lot of work.  Let’s get ready to put the effort in so that we can be whatever our version of success looks like!

Are you tired of walking into practice and seeing lackluster effort from your players?  Have you had it with trying to get your female athletes to care about the team as much as you do??

Click here to find out more about Coach Dawn’s eBook: Motivating Female Athletes

Comes with a FREE PowerPoint presentation called Guarantee Your Success: Using John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success To Increase Your Team’s Cohesion.

 


How to Improve Coaching Longevity

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Pursuing practical and effective methods to enhance coaching longevity would serve the best interests of athletes, athletic programs, and coaches. Here are recommended strategies to reduce stress and burnout in the coaching profession.

This  article was provided by the Coaches Network

By Michelle Moosbrugger, Ph.D.

As a coach, do you strive to facilitate positive development in your athletes?  Do you form strong relationships and pride yourself on your team’s improvements on and off the field while displaying professionalism?  If so, you certainly appear to be a coach that an administrator would like to retain for years to come.   However, many perceive coaching to be demanding and stressful, which may lead to withdrawal from the profession (Frey, 2007).   Pursuing practical and effective methods to enhance coaching longevity would serve the best interests of athletes, athletic programs and administrators, and coaches.  Coaches and administrators can play a role in supporting retention.

Coaches can apply strategies to reduce stress and burnout, and position themselves for longevity.  Recommended strategies for coaches include:

  • Recognize enjoyment.  If you love what you are doing, a long career is more probable and palatable!  Try making a “Love of Coaching” list.  Identify aspects of your job, your athletes, and your sport that you truly enjoy.  Keep the list in a place where it can be accessed during challenging times.
  • Be competent.  Maintaining a current level of knowledge by attending professional development events, reading, and networking will enhance your coaching competence, as well as your confidence!  By exposing yourself to new ideas, you may ignite your thirst for continual learning.
  • Evaluate the match.  By choosing to coach at a college/university/school/club with a philosophy that matches your own, and provides the financial support and facilities you need, you are reducing potential sources of stress.  Likewise, carefully evaluate prospective staff members, like assistant coaches, to ensure they are competent and a good fit for your coaching philosophy.
  • Create a support network.  Based on a study by Judge et al. (2015), social support aided in reducing stress related to daily tasks of track and field coaches.  Social support can be attained by building trusting professional and personal relationships.
  • Employ coping strategies.  Coping with coaching-related stress should emphasize proactive rather than reactive strategies, and a combination of perceptual and behavioral strategies.  Organization and management, including prioritizing, using technology, and delegating would proactively reduce the potential for stress.  Self-awareness and maintaining a positive outlook exemplify perceptual strategies while exercising and settling on a routine method of planning practices represent behavioral strategies.
  • Balance.  Work-life balance is critical to longevity.  Scheduling “me time” and focusing on your family on specific days or certain parts of each day – or involving your family at team events – will help to support balance.

Given the expenses of seeking and hiring new coaches, retention of effective coaches clearly benefits administrators.  Strategies for administrators include:

  • Evaluate the match.  Ensure the prospective coach is a good fit for the college/university/ school/club to reduce the likelihood of future problems.  Be honest about financial support and other resources so prospective coaches can make a decision about the position with relevant information.
  • Encourage professional development.  Providing opportunities for coaches to attend workshops and conferences will enable them to continue learning and enhancing their competence and confidence.  Offering time and financial support are imperative to enable professional development.
  • Provide feedback.  Celebrate coaches’ successes on a regular basis!  Coaches do not often receive the feedback or verbal persuasion that would ultimately enhance their self-efficacy (perception of ability to complete a task successfully).  With increased self-efficacy, coaches are more likely persist in times of difficulty.
  • Consider the scheduling.  How can you best support work-life balance in relation to the scheduling of facilities and coaching obligations?  Does the scheduling allow for coaches to spend quality time with their families and take a break as needed?
  • Employ mentoring.  Veteran coaches may revel in the opportunity to serve as mentors for novice coaches.  This is a win-win situation, as veteran coaches will feel empowered and valued, while new coaches have the chance to learn, grow, and receive feedback.

 

Frey, M. (2007). College coaches’ experiences with stress – “Problem solvers” have problems, too. The Sport Psychologist, 21, 38-57.

Judge, L. W., Kirkpatrick, K., Bolin, J., Blom, L. C., Dieringer, S., & Bellar, D. (2015). Understanding the occupational stress of collegiate track and field coaches during the championship season. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 10(5), 769-782.

 

Michelle Moosbrugger, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Physical Education and the Graduate Coordinator for the PEHE Department at Springfield College. The Springfield College Physical Education and Health Education Department offers master’s degree programs in Advanced-Level Coaching, Athletic Administration, Physical Education Initial Licensure, Adapted Physical Education, and Advanced Pedagogy.  Post-master’s programs include a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Physical Education and a Ph.D. in Physical Education: Teaching and Administration.  With the Springfield College teacher-coach model, students in the Advanced Level Coaching program interact with experienced, highly successful coaches in the classroom and on the playing field.  The curriculum and embedded fieldwork aid coaches in developing leadership and administrative skills while improving athletic performance.  Recent graduates of the Advanced Level Coaching program are employed as head and assistant coaches in NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions.  For more information on any of the graduate programs, please contact Michelle Moosbrugger at [email protected]


My Top 10 Coaching Principles

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By Michael Smith

Michael Smith is the Head Cross Country / Track and Field Coach at  Mascenic Regional High School in New Hampshire. You can find more of his thoughts at New Hampshire Track and Field and New Hampshire Cross Country

Having coached now for fifteen years and having had some of my athletes and team perform at the highest level in this sport, I from time to time, get asked the question, what is the secret to success.  Anyone can coach that talented athlete to strong performances but how do you replicate that success when the truly gifted are hard to find? The bigger your team is the better your chances are to get another talent, but here in Division 3, those talents come around only so often.  So what do you do? You focus on making every athlete you coach a better athlete. And what if you are new to coaching cross country in NH regardless of how good you were at the sport in your day.

I have a couple of ideas that I’ve glean over the years and definitely have led me to more success than the knowledge I brought to the sport 15 years ago as a coach.  I know I certainly know I wanted to prove myself worthy and was reluctant to ask questions in those first few years. After a lot of reading and asking those coaches I saw as the best in the business I developed a program that I operate off of today, always adaptable, but focused on a few “truths” and those particular workouts and philosophies I know work for me.  Here are some guidelines for those new to coaching along with supporting information for those of us that have already been at it for a while.

  1. Make sure you believe in your program.  If you don’t know why you’re having the kids do a workout, either find out why or don’t do it.
  2. Teach the kids to understand why they are doing what they do.  Some kids will improve by simply telling them to do the workout, however all of them will improve if they understand what the workout is for and why they should do it.
  3. Learn each of your kids.  If you wish for them to truly improve to perform their best, it’s going to be a collaboration between athlete and coach.
  4. Don’t become so entrenched in a principle that you are unwilling to try something new.  Try it and if it doesn’t work, throw it out.
  5. The best workouts have already been done before, by someone else.  Get over yourself and steal their ideas. However make sure you know why you want to use it, it needs to have a purpose in your program.
  6. The best coaches do the same things, but differently.  Different style, different approach but the human system is mostly the same, adapts mostly the same, and improves mostly the same.
  7. Don’t be afraid to ask someone who has good teams what they do.  You’ll be surprised, many of them will tell you in pretty good detail.  If they don’t, what have you lost? Learn from someone else, then go out and beat them.
  8. Lose the clipboard.  You miss too much of what the kids are actually doing by worrying about splits.  If you can’t, give it to an assistant, have them take the splits, and watch what’s happening in the race.
  9. Athletes know when things are going really well.  Tell them anyways. They also notice when things don’t go great.  Remind them it’s a process. There are good days and bad days. But each day moves us further.
  10. Every true effort is good.  Find the part of it that is good and make sure to tell them that.  Don’t bullshit them but find the silver lining. If they just torpedo, say so, they know it, but find out what they’ve learned, ask them why.  Then move on.

Maybe I could call these my top ten coaching principles, but that would insinuate that I actually am that principled to follow a dictum, which I am not.  Everyone has their own way, just like every runner is different. Maybe some of these will strike a cord and you will use it in your coaching arsenal. Maybe they are all hogwash, who knows.  But I’ve learned, over time, that the most ingredient in coaching is you and the relationship you have with your athletes, not the top secret training plan.
Good luck in your season.