Over the past few months I have heard the phrase about experience used in many of the more popular coaching and sports performance blogs:
"On coaching experience- is it the same thing repeated each year for ten years, or are you creating differenct experiences each year for ten years?"
I am paraphrasing here but I think that you get the idea. Well I am going to take it a step further. Quality coaching experience is even more than simply repeating the same experience over and over each year or even creating different experiences each year.
It is about EVALUATED Experience. In fact, here is the ultimate coaching question for you...
When was the last time that you had another coach evaluate one of your training sessions?
Without having another coach occasionally evaluate you, it is way too easy for you to stay biased in your training methods, no matter how much you continually read or add a new exercise to your workout.
I just recieved the latest newsletter from a Div. I college men's soccer program. The coach is an individual whom I highly respect. Although the team had an unsuccessful season compared to making it to the finals the previous three years, here are the section headers for his own coaching and team evaluation (my comments in italics):
Here are the primary realities following the Fall season (be truthful to yourself and your athletes)
Insights and Learning Points: (reflection/ could have's)
The Path Ahead (future direction/ should be's)
As you can see being truthful to yourself is a MUST if you want to make yourself and your program better. If not, than you and your team will never have a sense of game reality.
He then spends some time reflecting on both the positives and negatives from the season as well as listing some 'could have done...'. This step is important because it let's both you and your players realize that success is a possible reality and allows you to identify those areas that are in your control that you did poorly in.
Last he makes a great transition from concrete changes in the upcoming offseason that will directly effect next years season. But he then spends some time playing the 'what if' game and the 'this team should be...' game. Painting these types of pictures in your athlete's mind is important because it helps to bring the impossible future to the possible present.
Take a few minutes during this holliday and go through your own evaluating experience before getting started into your Winter training sessions. It will be time well spent!
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