COACHES
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Teaching and Learning
One of the primary goals of coaching is to help participants improve their abilities in their sport. Successful coaches are able to communicate and to manage groups and individuals effectively, and can accomplish both in a way that builds the self esteem of the participants.
Effective Communication Habits for Coaches
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL
- Know yourself as a coach and as a person.
- Know your predominant communication style and adapt your style to your audience.
- Be aware of the importance of nonverbal communication, as others watch you when you are coaching. The participants will observe even your smallest actions. Nonverbal messages represent approximately 80% of all communication. Verbal and nonverbal messages should not conflict (e.g. saying “Let’s take time to get this right” while constantly looking at your watch may send conflicting messages).
- Know your typical reactions to situations that commonly occur in flag football (e.g. Do you get agitated or stressed at competitions?)
- Seek opportunities to listen and communicate with others.
- Pay attention to and show a genuine interest in those communicating with you.
- Accept that over the course of a season you may have to repeat your messages often. It may be necessary to give the same message several times using different words until your point is understood.
- Listen actively by ensuring that you fully understand what others may be trying to communicate. Listen actively means that you ask for clarification when needed, and you occasionally restate what you heard to be sure that you have correctly understood the other person (e.g. “When you said ________, did you mean _______, or _______?,” “If I understand you correctly, you are now going to try _______.”)
ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL LEVEL
- Create an environment that is based on trust, patience, tolerance, and empathy.
- Choose an environment that is conducive to communication (i.e. quiet, free from distraction, discreet). When circumstances are not favourable for a private conversation, arrange a more appropriate time and location to talk (e.g. after the practice).
ON AN INTERPERSONAL LEVEL
- Respect individual differences and characteristics.
- Clearly identify your expectations of participants.
- Identify how these expectations can be met.
- Identify desired attitudes and behaviours (code of ethics, fair play code).
- Communicate clear and pertinent messages using words that others can easily understand.
- Communicate directly to the intended recipient of your message; do not gossip about a participant. If you have an issue with someone, deal directly with him/her; do not generalize a problem, addressing the entire group when the matter concerns only one or two individuals.
- Avoid long speeches to the team or to the individuals before or after a competition; aim for brief and specific messages.
Overcoming Athlete Entitlement Issues for Coaches in Athletics (pdf)
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