Five Years..... Part I

It started off as a question in a coaches gaggle but with thought became more than that. It would have been easy to take bits and pieces but we asked this question of coaches from all over the country, from all different levels. Their responses, which we will post in a few blogs going forward, are honest and an insight into where our game is going and how we can better coach it.

How do you Coach differently today than you did five years ago?

Tom Black- Loyola Marymount University and Assistant Coach of U.S. Women’s National Team

“It’s put a lot of pressure/reflection on how I communicate and how thoughtful I’m being (ie – am I doing this to vent (for myself) or to get the best out of the player in this moment). It’s taught me a lot on how to control my emotions and be in the moment, which is absolutely a work in progress for me.”

Lisa Stuck- Glendale Community College and 2014 NJCAA Div. II National Champion

"I would have to say I have lightened up quite a bit. Today's athlete is a lot different from the athlete of the 80's and 90's. The mental toughness is not as prevalent."

"Today's athlete, generally speaking, needs more one-on -one attention and structure. They are a less independent and require more help with problem solving and critical thinking. I have to spend more time explaining the reasons why we are doing things. They aren't comfortable with failure and having to go through the struggle to improve. They are looking for immediate results and do not like having to wait. Long term goals are hard to explain and I've had to set more immediate goals in order to keep their effort at a high level over the course of a season."

"I have also started recruiting the athlete that possesses the intangibles: work ethic, team-minded, selfless, intelligent, independent etc. My coaching style matches up best with those qualities and I've found myself looking for those types of kids vs. the superstar. I am a very demanding coach when it comes to hard work, and I can't coach kids that do 'just enough' to get by, regardless of how talented they might be. When I'm out watching players I pay close attention to those things, during warm ups and the match."

"I have also been open to learning new ways to teach the game and new innovative strategies. I have a sound philosophy, but also know the game changes all the time and I have to be open minded about trying some new things. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't, but I'm willing to experiment a little more than in the past in order to have the best recipe for success".

Quinton Kraeer- Head Coach U.S.A. Men’s Sitting Team

“Thanks for including me on this email, I greatly appreciate and love trying to help other coaches grow in anyway shape or form. My coaching style has completely changed over the past 5 years. First off 5 years ago I was only a CAP 1 and have since then become CAP 3, so that has definitely broadened my scope of how to approach things. I would say my interaction with parents has also influenced my coaching style, not in the sense that parents tell me what to do and I do it, I mean in the way that it has hardened me in not listening and avoiding parents who think that their kid is the greatest and that I am not treating them fairly."

"I have become a more well rounded coach because of the relationships with the players that i built, I took the kids first philosophy and spent many years more concerned with them than with wins or parents views on how we looked or fared at tournaments. Also a big help has been using the Bompa chart that was given during CAP 3, having that has helped me specialize and hit every topic the team needs and not what I always want to work on or focus on."

"Last I would say that coaching multiple teams every year was a big help in my development. Having different ages to have to work with makes you think differently from a offense defense to even social standpoint. On top of that certain years I was even coaching different gender and that really made me think on a whole other wavelength from the different ages to the different biomechanical brain processes.”

Amanda Lieberman- Phoenix College

"I explain myself more now to my players. I explain why we do what we do, and I give players feedback when I sub them. Then they know why I made the change. I also give positive feedback for things that are basics to their skill set. When I played, we were never given kuddos for doing what we were supposed to be doing. Now, players expect positive feedback for doing what they are supposed to do."

Look for Part II of this blog coming soon....