Given that it is “all-sports” season I have had the opportunity to watch practice for a variety of sports at various D-I schools. I have come away with the following question, “Is anyone listening?”

These are teams coached by solid, respected coaching staffs. I would say that no more than 20% of the athletes at any given time get the message being delivered and maybe 40%-50% of those who did immediately and put the coaching into action.

I am not pointing a finger at anyone here. I am saying there must be a more effective way. If I have learned anything over 50+ years of coaching people it is that what we see as a result of our coaching is a mirror image of what the person got from the coaching. Athletes, just like coaches, wake up in the morning wanting to do well. Can we give them a greater opportunity?

If, we as coaches have an intelligent approach to the game and the actions an athlete takes come from what the athlete sees, impacting their performance should be a “piece of cake.” Or, maybe, they get it eventually in spite of the coaching.

The majority of people learn from what they see. So perhaps one of the methods a coach could use is showing them an example of what they are asking for?
In the game of basketball one of the things that some coaches ask for from their team is to “run hard” on the fast break. Simple? Consider each player has a different picture of “hard.” We have everything from “flying” to “styling” to “cruising” to … get the picture (yes, I said picture)?

When the coach gives them a demo of “flying” with all the energy, movement, footwork, intensity, etc. that is required, that picture will stick with them forever. All the coach has to do is mention, “flying.”

Oh, I know. The coach might have to change something. God forbid that we might have to do that.

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