Reader,
Without a doubt, the best coaches have a strong ability to connect and communicate with their players.
I’d also suggest connecting with every individual in a team is possibly one of the hardest parts of being a coach. Whether it’s the ability to tell (and sell) a story for a performance outcome, to bring the group together, or the skill of connecting with kids through child friendly language, communication is key.
In any session, coaches will make mistakes just like players. Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses as a coach is as important as understanding the game.
One of the most common mistakes we can all make is talking too much.
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to visit the Ajax academy. Taking us on a tour of the training ground was PDP contributor, Steve Lawrence who showed us around the (then) new education facility which he had helped design.
The building, named by the players as ‘De School van de Toekomst’ was beautiful and had many incredible features, but one stuck with me more than the rest (you can read more about the development of the building in Steve’s article, Ajax: Building for the Future).
Above the pitches were small observation rooms. We were told that the legendary Johan Cruyff had contributed to the redevelopment of the academy and had suggested that having rooms above the pitch would allow coaches the opportunity to step off the grass and watch the players away from the noise of the game.
This stayed with me because it was a powerful representation of how architecture could reinforce the importance of using our eyes and ears as opposed to our mouths.
As coaches, we often use our voice, and we are seemingly expected to speak at several key moments before, during or after the game.
The idea that our voice, or the information we share will drastically change performance is an interesting one. Without doubt, the coach can make a difference with a key observation, a piece of tactical information or a Ted-Lasso-style halftime speech to encourage players to BELIEVE.
However, there are times where frankly, I feel like I am probably just talking for the sake of it, because that’s what this moment within the tradition of a football game requires of me.
With the team I am currently coaching, I am trying more and more to shift towards an athlete voice, ensuring the players lead before the game, at halftime and actually engage in dialogue. It’s not always easy, but for me, it’s the right thing to help them develop the confidence and skills to step up and show bravery in front of their peers.
Another important consideration here is respecting players who may be in a state of flow. Understanding that if you stop the practice to step in and speak, you are interrupting the players flow. And even a well-intentioned intervention could do more harm than good.
Two things to consider.
- How often do you step back and truly observe the players train when you have set the task?
- How often do you encourage the players to lead the conversation before the game, at half time, or at other important moments?
One thing for you to try this week.
Are you aware of how much you’re speaking during a session? If not, get a friend to film you or wear a microphone attached to your smartphone and record the audio (this can be a very powerful tool for self-reflection). Set yourself a target of only intervening for a limited amount of time in your session. Let the ball roll.
One critical resource on the topic.
Check out this Masterclass with Professor Stephen Rollnick on coach communication and how you can engage in more constructive dialogue with your players.
