High Performance begins with the Coach

 

 

‘Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect’ –Vince Lombardi

 

In the pursuit of sporting excellence at all levels, it is not only the players, but also the coaching staff that must constantly strive for improvement in both performance and results. Just as is the case with players, the hard work is often done long before the spotlight is focussed on game day. Preparation is not solely done in the change room prior to kick off, nor is it done just in the days or even weeks preceding.

Attaining consistent, high quality performance and results requires leadership from an individual who not only possesses the specific football knowledge required to equip players with the necessary technical and tactical proficiency. They must also have the ability to teach those skills in a manner in which knowledge transfer is optimised and the leadership to ensure that a positive and collective culture of excellence is both attained and maintained.

It is critically important that any coach is able to self-reflect on their own strengths, weaknesses and capabilities and seek to fill gaps in their own competencies through either up-skilling or engaging others in the role of assistants to complement their own assets. Ideally, in the search for coaching excellence, it will be a combination of both these options.

The three key attributes of a high performance coach are rarely found in an individual coach and can take many years to develop. This process can be accelerated through critical self-evaluation and constantly striving for ‘perfect’.

 

 

Football Knowledge:

‘There is no right and wrong. The game is always changing. Never stop learning’

 

- Expand your knowledge-base from a wide range of sources and determine if and how it is applicable to your own style and vision.

- Surround yourself with people that will constantly challenge your understanding, beliefs and methods while being confident enough to defend your own philosophy.

- Seek and embrace assistance from those that have greater knowledge in specific areas, then learn from them too.

 

Teaching and Communication:

‘Say what you mean and mean what you say’

 

- View mistakes as stepping stones to achievement and realise your own accountability for the shortcomings of players.

- Employ clear, precise and concise future-oriented instruction utilising question-based learning to ensure knowledge transfer.

-  Promote enjoyment, confidence and individual value in all players regardless of their status in the team or squad.

  

Cultural and Organisational Leadership:

 

‘Ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction’

 

- Achieve player buy-in and accountability through consultation on elements of team development, expectations and player roles and responsibilities.

- Foster intrinsic motivation, both individually and collectively, by encouraging judgement of progress by levels of mastery, improvement and performance rather than focussing purely results.

- Ensure the behaviours of the coaching group reflect the culture you are promoting in the playing group and that everyone in the organisation embraces a collective conscience.