Coachability

What do you think your coach thinks about during practices and games? When he or she is preparing skills trainings for the teams and thinking about you? We asked some coaches how they’re thinking about their players’ “coachability” and this is what they said:

“Is he super inquisitive? Is he a student of the game? I want to know.”

“Will she give me honest feedback when I ask for it?”

“Is he going to work on what I show him, and just keep working on it, or is he not going to even bother?”

“I want to know if she is willing to make changes. If she’s open. If she’s receptive.”

These questions about you are running through your coach’s head all the time.

Can you remember the last time ....

... your coach criticized you, and you immediately
agreed that you fairly deserved the criticism?

... you were being taught a new skill in practice and you
remembered and applied everything the coach taught you?

... you asked your coach to help you identify your
weaknesses and improve them?

... your coach showed new techniques and you
practiced them over and over again?

... a coach told you that you made a mistake and you blamed
yourself, not the coach?

... you saw your coach as someone you could turn to, all
the time, as a person to help you become better?

If it was easy for you to remember these instances, and
they are frequently occurring, than you are probably
coachable. Remember to always ask yourself:

• Am I being open to learning new things?
• Do I keep my emotions in control when criticized?
• Do I work hard to improve what my coach tells me to improve? Do I take the coaching seriously?
• Do I take complete ownership over my own mistakes?

The following are a few pointers on what coaches look for. Tear this cheat sheet off or copy the pointers down onto a piece of paper and tape it to your locker. Make sure it’s there to serve as a constant reminder of what you need to do to be a coachable athlete. If you’re being called into the coach’s office, or were just criticized by your coach, read this cheat sheet to calm down and put things in perspective.

COACHABILITY CHEAT SHEET

Knowledge is power. You are not perfect. You can become better by listening to your coach. That is how you learn and improve.

Respect your coach’s authority.

Coaches are responsible for their teams. You should respect their decisions without questioning.

Trust your coach.

The coach’s top priorities are to win and to develop you as a player. Trust their decisions.

Show that you care.

Bring an intensity and passion to not only your games, but also your practices.

Be open to feedback.

If you’re criticized or asked to improve, just remember: no one is perfect. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s even better if you show your coach that you have the character and drive to fix those mistakes.

Pay attention and learn.

Your coach has valuable knowledge that can be yours. You have to pay attention, learn, and if you do not understand what is being taught, feel comfortable enough to ask your coach for help.

Understand your role on the team.

You should understand what your role is on the team, and that you’re one part of something larger than yourself.

Adapt.

Your coach is responsible for the entire team. You may be asked to take on roles that you are not comfortable with. Embrace those roles and show that you can handle them, and even better, excel at them.

Be aware of your coach’s style.

Pay attention to
how your coach likes to coach. Coaches have their own styles. You may not agree with their style of coaching, but remember: they are the coach and you must respect their decisions.

WHAT’S YOUR COACH’S STYLE?

How does your coach coach you?

It’s important to know what your coach’s style is. That way you can adapt to it. Importantly, there are no hard and fast rules about what the different coaching styles are, nor is there substantial evidence that one coaching style is better than others—in fact, most coaches use many of these styles. Expect throughout your athletic career to work with a variety of coaches who all have distinctive ways of teaching you. And also expect many others to have different opinions on what the different styles of coaching are.