What is a Coach?
My high school coach was a mentor, guide and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I needed that. He was someone who cared for me beyond the performances and stats and truly wanted the best for me (though granted we both are competitive, like winning and wanted that big performance). Even today we stay in contact and share stories. He is why I coach today.
A good coach is a guide… a rudder of the ship… someone who not only knows the science but the art. Training is more than a formula, it is knowing when the athlete can handle one more rep or they need to call it a day. It is knowing the calendar is flexible, that everyone is different and even when things go perfectly it doesn’t always work out. A good coach gives all credit to the athlete when things go right and takes all the blame when it doesn’t.
There are a lot of good coaches out there. Unfortunately there’s a lot of bad ones too. And as mentioned sometimes a great coach is not always a great fit.