It is so easy to lose sight of the people who guided and nurtured the athletes to this pinnacle of performance. Australian Olympic swim coach Leigh Nugent summed it up: “The biggest factor at this stage isn’t so much the technology, it’s the coach and the athlete,” Nugent said, “and that hasn’t changed for probably a century or more. If you get that combination and that relationship right, then the athlete is well prepared and you’re going to get the best result.” As you watch the great performances of these games remember those who prepared them – the coaches. They, more often than not made equal to or greater sacrifices than the athletes. The education and mentoring of coaches is the key to future sport greatness and this is a tremendous opportunity to be part of the process. We need to get it right. We need to pass the wisdom to the younger generation of coaches. I consider myself very fortunate to be a coach. I also consider myself lucky to be here at the Global Coaching House interacting with coaches from all over the world in a variety of sports all interested in learning and sharing. That is the essence of sport.
