Coaches Corner - Anonymous topics of discussion related to the art of Coaching

When in Doubt, BELIEVE – You are a Good Coach

Submitted for consideration for DyeStat Florida

Each year programs lose athletes to other programs and truly do not understand why. 

There are different coaches across high school track and field and no two philosophies the same.  I do not look to have all the answers and I do not in any way feel I am the best out here.

I do know, one thing many coaches share is the hunger for success and having our team be seen as a ‘Winner’.  

But, what does it truly mean to succeed or win.  I believe that is where many become confused and blurred.

Success by definition means – the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

Somehow we mix the reward for success by being number 1 and calling that being a winner.  But nowhere in the definition does it say to be successful means you are number 1 or THE winner.

This confusion and misunderstanding is all around our sport today.  Our young athletes do not understand that in order to be successful and have a chance to be number one it comes with Dedication, Commitment, Sacrifice, Belief and Trust.

Without any of these you will not be able to be successful and you will not have a chance to win.  Many coaches believe you do not need any of these to build a championship team and choose to take from other programs and rise to instant fame off of others "Dedication, Commitment, Sacrifice, Belief and Trust."

This is very unfortunate as we have Coaches that have laid a great foundation for athletes and put a lot of work into an athlete just to have another program come and steal them away. 

But the question becomes, "did they really steal them from you?"

I cannot say that to be true because then it becomes the athlete and/or parent that obviously did not Believe or Trust  in you as Coach or the program to move away from what had been working and was producing results. 

As a coach, when you lose an athlete with who you have worked with tirelessly to show that they have opportunities in this sport, and how much you believe in them and their goals to only have them listen to the outside voices that success can be given overnight if you come their way, you will begin to Doubt and not Believe in your abilities to be Successful and Win.

In these moments you just have to take time away, decompress and look over why you coach and come back with an understanding that "no one person makes/defines a TEAM".

Understand that there are many things as a coach you can control and many things you cannot, but it does not in any way mean change what you are doing.

Find the positive and know that the good will outweigh the bad, especially as you continue to coach the right way:  knowing that winning is not always coming in first place. 

We cannot always make everyone happy and that is ok as we just have to stay the course for those that will give you that Dedication, Commitment, Sacrifice, Belief and Trust.  You are a GOOD Coach, BELIEVE IN YOU!

This is my letter to you GOOD Coaches that seem to lose out for being structured and doing things the right way.

Coaches Corner - Anonymous topics of discussion related to the art of Coaching