Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ELITETRACK
    • Home
    • Articles
      • Endurance
      • Flexibility
      • Hurdles
      • Jumps
        • High Jump
        • Long Jump
        • Pole Vault
        • Triple Jump
      • Multi-Events
      • Periodization
      • Relays
      • Sports Science
        • Biomechanics
        • Coaching Science
        • Exercise Physiology
        • Muscle Dynamics
        • Nutrition
        • Restoration
        • Sport Psychology
      • Sprints
      • Strength Training
      • Throws
        • Discus
        • Hammer
        • Javelin
        • Shot Put
    • Blog
      • Mike Young’s Blog
      • Carl Valle’s Blog
      • John Evan’s Blog
      • Antonio Squillante’s Blog
      • Vern Gambetta’s Blog
      • John Grace’s Blog
      • Ryan Banta’s Blog
      • Guest Blog
    • Forums
    • Store
    • Log in
    ELITETRACK
    You are at:Home»Vern Gambetta's Blog»Letter to a Coach Starting Out
    Do you write letters anymore? A few determined people are doing their best to keep them arriving in U.S. mailboxes.

    Letter to a Coach Starting Out

    0
    By Vern Gambetta on October 16, 2020 Vern Gambetta's Blog

    This is an updated version of a post that wrote 6 years ago. I think it particularly timely today based on some conversions I have had recently.

    Dear Coach:

    Congratulations on beginning an exciting journey of discovery. You have checked all the boxes in terms of your preparation, you have interned with three pro teams, you are certified, and you have your degree in sports science. Those are the keys that unlock the door. Now the fun starts, the real work begins, you get to apply what you have learned. Be prepared to pay your dues, 90% of coaching is grunt work. Not much science, just a whole lot of detail work that no one ever teaches you in school. Now you have to practice and learn the art of coaching, to become skilled at your craft. You will learn by doing, by making mistakes and correcting them and moving forward.

    Find a real live in person mentor as soon as you can. Preferably it should be someone who has been there before, someone with gray hair or no hair who has had successes and failures and is willing to share both. Honor and respect those who have blazed the path for you. Know your sports history and study the great coaches who have gone before you.

    Practice self-refection. Keep learning! Don?t follow fads. Be an informed skeptic. Beware of Internet training porn and slick marketing. Define yourself by developing a clear philosophy. Your philosophy is your guiding light. Maintain your principles and ethics. Winning is not everything. There are no gray areas ? there are very strict moral guideline in regard to PED?s and personal behavior.

    Remember you coach people, not the sport. It is not the technique, training methods, the offense or defense that matters most, it is how you relate to and communicate with athletes you coach as people. Be sure to have a life. Take time for yourself and your family. Be an example to those you coach.

    There will be tremendous highs full of elation and celebration where you think you have it all figured out. There will also be tremendous disappointments where you will wonder why you chose this path. Maintain an even keel, a level steady approach that doesn?t allow the highs to be too high and lows too low. If you are steady and consistent this will be reflected in your athletes.

    Sharpen your communication skills. Remember it is not what you say it what they hear that matters most. Talk less and say more. Listen carefully and observe. You can see a lot by watching. Be willing to say you were wrong. Be honest with yourself and your athletes. Lead by example. Empower your athletes ? you don?t have be in control all the time. Be yourself. Develop your own coaching style that reflects who you are.

    Stress fundamentals and you will grow adaptable athletes. Don?t stray far from fundamentals. Good fundamentals are robust and will serve your athletes well under the pressure of competition. Never lose sight of the ultimate goal ? Competition. Develop adaptable athletes who are not dependent on your coaching. Give the athlete control of the game. The competition is your final exam that is when you find out if you have done your job.

    Recognize that change is constant. Learn to manage and lead change. Be proactive. Be a generalist, don?t become so specialized that you lose sight of the big picture of preparing the complete athlete.

    Coaching is a special calling. Be thankful for that calling and treat it as a special opportunity every day. I will close with an email I received from one of my former athletes after a visit with him after not seeing him for thirty years. Words like this are better than any championship! ?I was thinking about what you said about the bunch of athletes from SBHS that you felt were a great part of your career. As I look back, I believe a coach can have a significant influence on a young person?s life in terms of lessons to take forward. Although none of us at SBHS achieved Olympic or world-class athletic status, I think that many of us have been very successful in other aspects of our lives. I believe that your influence on us included such attributes as the understanding of perseverance, importance of character, the development of self-confidence, maintaining a life balance and the love of physical conditioning. I know that the life lessons you taught me led to my work in physical therapy, the perseverance to obtain a PhD, and the love of a life filled with running, cycling and swimming. Thank you for enriching my life Vern. I would not be where I am today without your early guidance.?

    Yours in coaching

    Vern Gambetta

    Athletic Development - Defining the Field Coach Education coaching communication GAIN GAIN Professional Development Network General Training Great People Innovation & Change leadership Life Personal Development Shoulders of Giants Sport and Society sports Systematic Sport Development
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Focus on Function

    My Vision

    Doing It Better

    Comments are closed.

    Like Us On Facebook
    - Facebook Members WordPress Plugin
    Highest Rated Posts
    • A Review of 400m Training Methods 79 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 5 (4.92 out of 5)
    • 2008 Olympics: Usain’s Insane 100m 67 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 5 (4.96 out of 5)
    • Top 10 Myths of Sprinting Mechanics 66 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 5 (4.74 out of 5)
    • 14 reasons why Jamaica is the Sprint Capitol of the World 59 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 5 (4.85 out of 5)
    • 12 Reasons to Squat Year Round 58 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5 (4.86 out of 5)
    • 6 Reasons Why All Athletes Should Sprint 63 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 5 (4.32 out of 5)
    • 4 Tips for Keeping up with Sport Science Research 65 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 5 (4.03 out of 5)
    • Loren Seagrave’s thoughts on Absolute Strength 54 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5 (4.80 out of 5)
    • 6 Reasons Why Jamaicans Dominate the Sprints 50 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5 (4.78 out of 5)
    • Developing Endurance in Speed-Power Athletes 58 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 5 (4.09 out of 5)
    Recent Topics
    • ?Where I can start in multievents trainig?
    • Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • Which fitness equipment do you use to exercise?
    About

    ELITETRACK is one of the longest standing sport training & conditioning sites on the web. We feature over 250 articles and 1000s of blog posts from some of the most knowledgeable and experienced track & field coaches on the web.

    Recent Posts
    • Focus on Function
    • My Vision
    • Doing It Better
    • Get Beyond the Numbers
    • 3 Basic Running Principles
    Forum Activity
    • AvatarPablo25 on How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • AvatarJosh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • AvatarJosh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • AvatarJosh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • AvatarJosh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    ELITETRACK by Human Performance Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2021.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.