Coach and Athlete- Expectations

 When you are a coach, you do the very best you can. You prepare your athlete, you teach them, you get them ready for battle. Then…you turn them loose and hope they hold up their end of the deal.

 I often describe being a coach like being a parent. You care with everything you have, you do everything you think is right to get them ready, but then you just have to sit back and let them go do their thing.

Athletes come to coaches with a long list of expectations. It’s also fair to say, as a coach, I believe the athletes have a responsibility to hold up their end of the deal. What does that mean? Well, it means if an athlete is going to have my name attached to them, I want them to have as much pride and respect for representing me as I do for them. I’m each and every one of my athletes' biggest fans!! I believe in them!! I won’t work with an athlete I don’t believe in, so if I work with you, you know I’m 100% on your team. I’m doing everything I can to make you better each day. 

I expect my athletes to do the program. There might be some changes or adjustments along the way, but I expect them to do that through my program. I don’t expect a robot, but I do expect them to trust me with the program and follow it with confidence and respect. 

I expect the athlete to communicate with me. Like any relationship, I make it clear if an athlete doesn’t tell me what’s going on, I can’t do my job. Communication is huge!!!

 I expect my athletes to toe the line ready to do the very best they can that day. For some, this might result in a medal or award, but for others, this might result in a more personal goal. Whichever it is, I expect them to go out there and fight with everything they can. We all have bad days, or events that just go one way or another for different reasons, but I expect each athlete to turn up and give everything they have that day. 

It’s fair to say that an athlete can be hard on coaches in expectations to get them a result. That’s a good thing! It’s motivating to me as a coach. It’s also fair to say if I’m going to give you everything I’ve got, I’m going to expect you to turn up with the same level of trust and commitment I’m going to invest in you. I can say with confidence that this is why all my athletes and I are so close and get the results we hope for. It’s a mutual respect, it’s a mutual expectation to go out every day and be better than you were yesterday at whatever level that is right now.

I see far too many coaches today treat athletes and coaching like a business. To me, it’s about making people better. Every day I wake up and ask, “How can I make this athlete better?” If you are more concerned about your bottom line dollar than your athlete, then you might be in the wrong profession. Be a team! Go be better every day together as athlete and coach.