I was coach as a child without even knowing it, when i look back, at the time karate was my main sport, but i was constantly outsideplaying soccer, basketball,running, racing with my friend etc…I was very competitive and wanted to beat everybody at everythingit was very important to me. My friends looked up to me from advice on strategy, doing proper push ups to running form, i was 9 years old: A coach was born! I mostly learned everything by watching, my brother who was a national champion in sprinting and an excellent soccer player. I read every track and field magazineand soccer magazine he brought home, watched every world cup and olympics with him and my father, and the very next day i was practicing in the backyard, and emulating my sports heroes. All of this to say that coaching came naturally for me, because i put in the work the others didn’t, and they came to me for guidance and that’s when the interaction and communication skills started.
Relationships and communication:
The HPCTL program and the leadership modules i had when i was doing the advanced coaching diploma have brought me to reflect on my coaching and interacting methods. I used the Kouzes and Posner[1] literature suggested in the program as my reference, my coaching “bible”.
The relationship you build with your athlete and co-workers is key to any kind of success in my book. We are human beings first, and everything is build on relationships and interactions, i always try not to forget that fact in my daily practice as a coach. So building trusting relationships is very important to me and my success as a coach because everything else depends on it! I will always to try to create a positive culture and environment, by taking steps to building that trust with everyone i’m in contact with. I don’t force anything, i’m genuine . authentic and share my passion with enthusiasm and vision. I lead by exemple, by practicing what i preach. I will put in the work to find out what makes them “tic” by having them fill personality forms, observing them, sitting down with them just to talk. By just asking them how they are before every practice you can have so much information on what is going on with their lives.
By being always aware that every person i deal with is different, i will always try to adapt to get the most out of them. I have learned by experience that some athletes need to be challenged constantly to perform and others need to be calmed down all the time. This is what i love about coaching! It is all about knowing your athlete ( and staff). Before knowing your athlete you must know yourself first, and establishing my coaching philosophy in both the advanced coaching Diploma and the HPCTL has brought me to realize that i’m an athlete centered coach, “the servent ” leader ! “Only leaders who serve earn commitment” Kouzes and Posner[6]
The more you show you ability of solving problems and meeting their needs, the more credibility you are going to have with the athletes, but you have to make sure also that they don’t take you for granted, it’ a knife with two edges.
The athlete Centred Coaching philosophy is one a set of values and coaching attitudes, where the primary goal of the coach is to help their athletes take responsibility for their athletic behaviors that will eventually help create their results, as described by Rainer Martins 2012[2] . I also want to have that relationship and trust that will help me coach the athlete in a way that will appeal to him so that he or she will thrive!
Athlete Centered Coaching is a coaching philosophy underpinned by a set of values and coaching behaviors, where the primary goal of the coach is to help their athletes take responsibility of their sporting behaviors that create their results. It not only important for me to help them take greater responsibility and have ownership of their results but it is also important for me to help build better men and women that will thrive in society ! Having that martial art background also influenced me to be that way as illustrated in the following picture Dojo Kun [5] I seen theses principles on every dojo i have been to since the age of 9, they are profoundly rooted in me and influenced my coaching style today.
The importance of regular feedback :
“Learning requires feedback” Kouzes and Posner[6]
I used to be always scared of feedback from my athletes or colleagues, because i’m a very sencitive person. The leadership practices inventory 360 helped me deal with that fear, it helped me make sens of the feedback of my peers and athletesby enhancing certain areas and closing the gap on others like “challenging the system” never settling for the status quo. I came to theconclusion that the “cancer” of coaching is the status quo. It is by nature an always evolving field and the nature of our job is to push the boundaries.Stepping out of that comfort zone to grow. After this experience, i’m looking for feedback now: How m i doing? by asking that question i get more information on how i influence and affect the performances of others around me.On the other hand, giving feedback to the athlete is a very delicate operation, but necessary. There is no power to exercise in this relationship. Rather than giving feedback, the coach offers feedback to his coachee so that he can use it and self-regulate in adjusting his performances and that will condition the acceptance, assimilation and use of feedback by the coachee. The quality of the relationship is the most important in my point of view.
Without any confidence, without empathy, without respect and “unconditional acceptance” of what the coach wants to reveal from his message and vision, feedbacks become weapons against which defense mechanisms will be deployed so that nothing changes and does more Of the same or things could even go worst.
i came to understand in this program that the coach is the one who promotes the emergence of a personality, its intrinsic values and specific talent. He lays the grounds for the athlete to allow himself to be his true self. I used to have an athlete who was “uncoachable”, we used to butt heads all the time, i didn’t know how to approach him. I couldn’t give him any constructive feedback, until i realized that his former coach used to be rough on him, and the only feedback he was used to was negative. I told him that the athlete he used to be should give up his life, so he could go on to realize his full potentiel. And that opened the floodgates of bottle up emotions and our relationship grew from there for the better. His performances started to griadually improve also. He is totally different person today. I’ve learned since than to listen more, and i decided to pay more attention on my communications skills.
I’m also a strength and conditioning coach and i mostly have karate athletes as clients, some of them come to me on their own and the communications with their sport specific coaches is sometimes non existant. I figured that i coach the same sport, so i know exactly what to do! But after reflecting on my coaching practices in this program i realized that it is essential for me to communicate with the specific coaches to better help the athlete, because for instance if the specific coach is working one specific aspect, and i’m working blindly on something else it’s a recipe for disaster. I always question the athlete on what he is doing with his coach and i also ask them if they have a Yearly training plan wich most of the time they don’t. But that is not enough, so i started to build better relationships with the specific coaches, which was not an easy task in some situations because some karate coaches have huge egos and want to control everything even if there are not strength and conditioning experts. i try to make them understand that it is the interest of the athlete if our communication and trust is solid by giving them specific exemple what could happened if we both worked blindly, and it usually works.
Coaches looking in the same direction
Professional Coaching! A missunderstood profession!
INTERACT with the rest of society
In my first blog about the NCCP core competency interacting i refflected more on the relationships you build with your athlete, administrators and co-workers wich is key to any kind of success in my book. We are human beings first, and everything is build on relationships and interactions.
I came to realize also that Coaching is one of the most misunderstood occupations in our society, with the workload, stress and the traveling, the job of a professional coach is highly demanding. There is always also the possibility to be fired at any time or not having your contract renewed for various reasons. It is highly recommended to constantly study and be updated on all latest research and training methods to optimize the performance of athletes at the highest level. A certain psychology, patience and listening ability are essential to being an effective coach, we must manage individualities, a collective, egos, etc.. A good resistance to stress is also necessary. There is also an ungrateful side, one has to be organized, meticulous, work crazy hours , and when the athletes perform well all is great, but when they under-perform or get inconsistant or Bad results, often, all eyes turn towards the coach or coaching staff.
I’m reminded every time i travel that our profession is misunderstood and even underestimated
Typical conversation on the plane or in the airports:
X: “What are you going to do in this or that city ???”
Me: “I will participate in a karate competition as a coach.”
X: “Super, I used to practice a long time ago, it was my favorite pastime
Otherwise WHAT IS YOUR REAL JOB ??? (COLD SHOWER)
In general, already at this level of conversation, I begin to look at my watch.”
ME (grrrrrrrrr inside):” but … calmly I answer, I am a strength and conditioning coach for high level athletes and i have been a karate coach for several years
For the past 20 years, i have been getting certifications, coaching diplomas and going for university degrees just to enhance my craft, this is my full time is my job and the career i chose to do!”
X: “Oh wow ok I understand, we tend to associate coaches with the leisure activities like dads who are coaching volunteers for the soccer team of their sons or daughters. I understand that elite competition is something else, i’m sorry!”
Me:. “Don’t worry this is not the first time, when I travel for the competition, I barely have time to breathe, my time is separated between the hotel and the competition venue. Not to mention the stress of foreseeing the unexpected, to put the athletes under our responsibility in the best possible conditions to perform. We must not forget the endless hours spent on PLANNING the training beforehand, and all the hours of training with the athletes before going to competition, without forgeting the time away from our families etc … It is really Intense at all levels, I have hardly any time to go sightseeing, even if I travel a lot, but this is the job that I have chosen and I am very passionate about it!”
I always make sure my profession is understood and respected! Sometimes I even have this kind of conversation with longtime friends … When I come back from competition, they often swing me: “how was your vacation?” ( Me: GRRRR)
Here is a summary of a Typical Competition Week:
MONDAY:
-Arrival: making sure everyone has arrived (follow the schedules of each person) and
Check-in at the hotel
-Small training
– Rest and recovery
Briefing with the whole team
Logistics of the coming week
TUESDAY;
Training in the morning
Visit of the competition venues – Visualization session
Accreditation and registration for referees and coaches
Sometimes, coaches Written exam
Meeting of coaches with the event manager
Briefing with athletes –
WEDNESDAY
Proclamation of the results of the examinations of coaches or referees
Briefing of referees and coaches
Training with athletes and video analysis session
Supervision of athletes who are at the limit of the weight of their category
THURSDAY:
STRESS RISES AND THE RACE STARTS
Registration, Draw sheets
coach meeting
Meeting with the athletes
FRIDAY:
Qualifiers & Individual kata M and F
Opening ceremony
Finals kata IND M and F Presentation of medals
SATURDAY
The race continues
IND M & F Preliminary & Draft
Lunch if possible / Finals and awards
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
SUNDAY:
Kumite & Kata Team Preliminary events M & F Lunch
Finals and medal ceremonies closing ceremony
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
MONDAY:
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
Airport and headed back to home ( working on coaches final report in the plane or airports)
I work really hard at perfecting my craft and I want to make sure people understand and respect the profession that I love so much and that i take very seriously.
Thank you
Gabriel Sylla Charted Professional Coach
Reminder : the Coaching Association of Canada sees coaching as a respected and viable career choice for those who decide to make it their life’s work. We see a sports system centered on the athlete, but directed by the coach. The top professional coach has the highest level of education, experience, competence and ethics in the field of coaching.
Professional Coaching! A missunderstood profession!
INTERACT with the rest of society
In my first blog about the NCCP core competency interacting, i refflected more on the relationships you build with your athlete, administrators and co-workers wich is key to any kind of success in my book. We are human beings first, and everything is build on relationships and interactions.
I decided this time to put my focus this time on this interacting sub category:
- Is aware of how he/she is being received by others
I think that examening external forces and how we are percived as coaches in society is very important for self-estime and over all confidence. we must be aware about who we are and what we do and reflect on our place in society.
As i reflected on this, I came to realize that Coaching is one of the most misunderstood occupations in our society, with the workload, stress and the traveling, the job of a professional coach is highly demanding. There is always also the possibility to be fired at any time or not having your contract renewed for various reasons. It is highly recommended to constantly study and be updated on all latest research and training methods to optimize the performance of athletes at the highest level. A certain psychology, patience and listening ability are essential to being an effective coach, we must manage individualities, a collective, egos, etc.. A good resistance to stress is also necessary. There is also an ungrateful side, one has to be organized, meticulous, work crazy hours , and when the athletes perform well all is great, but when they under-perform or get inconsistant or Bad results, often, all eyes turn towards the coach or coaching staff.
I’m reminded every time i travel that our profession is misunderstood and even underestimated
Typical conversation on the plane or in the airports:
X: “What are you going to do in this or that city ???”
Me: “I will participate in a karate competition as a coach.”
X: “Super, I used to practice a long time ago, it was my favorite pastime
Otherwise WHAT IS YOUR REAL JOB ??? (COLD SHOWER)
In general, already at this level of conversation, I begin to look at my watch.”
ME (grrrrrrrrr inside):” but … calmly I answer, I am a strength and conditioning coach for high level athletes and i have been a karate coach for several years
For the past 20 years, i have been getting certifications, coaching diplomas and going for university degrees just to enhance my craft, this is my full time is my job and the career i chose to do!”
X: “Oh wow ok I understand, we tend to associate coaches with the leisure activities like dads who are coaching volunteers for the soccer team of their sons or daughters. I understand that elite competition is something else, i’m sorry!”
Me:. “Don’t worry this is not the first time, when I travel for the competition, I barely have time to breathe, my time is separated between the hotel and the competition venue. Not to mention the stress of foreseeing the unexpected, to put the athletes under our responsibility in the best possible conditions to perform. We must not forget the endless hours spent on PLANNING the training beforehand, and all the hours of training with the athletes before going to competition, without forgeting the time away from our families etc … It is really Intense at all levels, I have hardly any time to go sightseeing, even if I travel a lot, but this is the job that I have chosen and I am very passionate about it!”
I always make sure my profession is understood and respected! Sometimes I even have this kind of conversation with longtime friends … When I come back from competition, they often swing me: “how was your vacation?” ( Me: GRRRR)
Here is a summary of a Typical Competition Week:
MONDAY:
-Arrival: making sure everyone has arrived (follow the schedules of each person) and
Check-in at the hotel
-Small training
– Rest and recovery
Briefing with the whole team
Logistics of the coming week
TUESDAY;
Training in the morning
Visit of the competition venues – Visualization session
Accreditation and registration for referees and coaches
Sometimes, coaches Written exam
Meeting of coaches with the event manager
Briefing with athletes –
WEDNESDAY
Proclamation of the results of the examinations of coaches or referees
Briefing of referees and coaches
Training with athletes and video analysis session
Supervision of athletes who are at the limit of the weight of their category
THURSDAY:
STRESS RISES AND THE RACE STARTS
Registration, Draw sheets
coach meeting
Meeting with the athletes
FRIDAY:
Qualifiers & Individual kata M and F
Opening ceremony
Finals kata IND M and F Presentation of medals
SATURDAY
The race continues
IND M & F Preliminary & Draft
Lunch if possible / Finals and awards
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
SUNDAY:
Kumite & Kata Team Preliminary events M & F Lunch
Finals and medal ceremonies closing ceremony
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
MONDAY:
Coaches meeting
Team meeting
Airport and headed back to home ( working on coaches final report in the plane or airports)
I work really hard at perfecting my craft and I want to make sure people understand and respect the profession that I love so much and that i take very seriously.
Thank you
Reminder : the Coaching Association of Canada sees coaching as a respected and viable career choice for those who decide to make it their life’s work. We see a sports system centered on the athlete, but directed by the coach. The top professional coach has the highest level of education, experience, competence and ethics in the field of coaching.