Coaching and Constructive Feedback

The goal of great coaching is to guide, inspire and empower athletes to develop to their fullest potential.  Much of coaching depends on the ability of the coach to communicate criticism in a way that fosters trust and positive outcomes.  Providing constructive feedback can be one of the most challenging skills for coaches to master but when done properly can yield great results. Every athlete and person is different, and as a coach you should determine what approach works best with each individual.

Some tips for coaches to remember:

• approach an athlete in a calm and non-threatening environment, ideally one on one
• feedback needs to be honest, motivating and encouraging
• first tell them what they are doing right and then move to the areas that need to be improved
• emphasize that making the suggested changes will bring them closer to their goals
• be specific and tell them what areas should be focused on and do one thing at a time
• if the athlete continues to fail at the task set out for them, offer positive reinforcement 
• never give up

Allowing people to fail can be very difficult for a coach but without getting past this point, athletes will never know how far they can push themselves for improvement. Giving an athlete permission to fail releases performance pressure, stops them from holding back and allows them to get past whatever they're afraid of.  This generally comes with the knowledge that it wasn't as bad as they had imagined and will help to build their confidence.

If you truly wish to move forward with your coaching skills you must be open to providing feedback constructively, which will allow you and your athlete to not only succeed with your goals but to have a great working relationship as well.

References from the SIRC Collection: 

1. Categorization, Performance Appraisals, and Self-Limiting Behavior: The Impact on Current and Future Performance. Journal Of Sport Management. October 2006;20(4):535-553.
2. COFFEE P, REES T. When the chips are down: Effects of attributional feedback on self-efficacy and task performance following initial and repeated failure. Journal Of Sports Sciences. February 2011;29(3):235-245.
3. Constructive Feedback and Coaching: Tips and Tools for Practice Observation. Interscholastic Athletic Administration. Spring2010 2010;36(3):30-31.
4. FEEDBACK METHODS THAT WORK. Swimming In Australia. September 2011;28(1):58.
5. Latinjak A, Torregrosa M, Renom J. Combining Self Talk and Performance Feedback: Their Effectiveness With Adult Tennis Players. Sport Psychologist. March 2011;25(1):18-31.
6. Mouratidis A, Vansteenkiste M, Lens W, Sideridis G. The Motivating Role of Positive Feedback in Sport and Physical Education: Evidence for a Motivational Model. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology. April 2008;30(2):240-268.

Coaching Young Athletes

As a coach, there is always a chance that you will spot exceptional talent in a young athlete.  When this happens, it can be easy to forget that that talent is wrapped inside the body and mind of a child.  Kids think differently than adults, especially when they are younger.  Abstract thinking doesn't really start developing until adolescence, so it can be quite a challenge as a coach to effectively communicate with your young athletes.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Use plain language - Remember to coach the intelligence not the age; just because a child has an amazing talent doesn't mean they have a superior intellect. Analogies are okay as long as they stay within a topic that the athlete is familiar with. Learn to gauge where the child is mentally and work from there.

Be aware of a child's comfort level - When you are a coach, children will already recognize you as being in a position of authority.  We may not feel that the height and size of a person matters to youngsters but some kids have trouble getting over the intimidation they feel when someone is larger than them.  Fortunately, this is easy to overcome by lowering your height to be on a similar eye level. Once a child gain's a little more confidence, they will focus more on the coaching and not the big intimidating person telling them what to do.

Watch your body language - Body language is the most basic form of communication and our facial expressions can be the most telling.  Obviously a smile is a positive message, but eyes and eyebrows confirm the positive expression.  We all know people who talk with their hands, so we know that it is also a form of expression.  Hands on hips or having your arms crossed sends negative messages to others, whereas the more animated the coach, the more engaged they appear to their team.  Becoming aware of how we present these messages to kids can go a long way to improving a child's coaching experience. 

To be an effective coach for youngsters takes practice, so with some time and patience you should be able to have fun and be a great leader. 

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Faigenbaum A, Meadors L. A Coaches Dozen: 12 FUNdamental Principles for Building Young and Healthy Athletes. Strength & Conditioning Journal (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins). April 2010;32(2):99-101.
2. Gould D, Carson S. Young Athletes Perceptions of the Relationship between Coaching Behaviors and Developmental Experiences.
3. Nyitray M. Comfort is the Key to Coaching Young Athletes. Olympic Coach. Winter2012 2012;23(1):29-32.
4. Shepherd J. Starting Young: Coaching young athletes. Ultra-Fit Magazine. February 2011;21(2):104-107.
5. Smith R, Smoll F, Cumming S. Effects of a Motivational Climate Intervention for Coaches on Young Athletes' Sport Performance Anxiety. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology. February 2007;29(1):39-59.
6. Watson II J, Connole I, Kadushin P. Developing Young Athletes: A Sport Psychology Based Approach to Coaching Youth Sports.