Listen to the bench banter and you will learn a lot about a coach.
As a young coach, I tried to control as much as possible and that distracted me from my purpose.
For every moment a coach is lost in frustration he loses a moment of reflection.
I know. I have been that young coach.
Until I wasn’t.
One season I conducted an experiment.
Enter apples.
I would buy apples and sit on the bench to observe my kids in action. Instead of barking from the bench, I would bite. I personally kept the apple industry profitable, and profited myself along the way. While I recognize one season may not be relevant statistically, let me share a bushel of takeaways.
1. My players did not need incessant instructions.
2. My athletes were better prepared as training was my teaching moment.
3. I enjoyed matches much more seeing competition as a celebration.
4. I had more time to observe.
5. My players took on greater leadership roles on the field.
I am not suggested that silence is the answer. I am suggesting that greater learning, joy, and celebration is what youth sport should be about.
To me, that is fruitful coaching.
Reprinted with kind permission from Todd Beane
Founder of TOVO Training and TOVO Academy Barcelona. In TOVO Training, Beane has combined proven pedagogical practices of experts in the field of education with the visionary components of a total football legend into a dynamic and practical training methodology.
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