What makes an effective coach?

Many of us have had that one coach that stands out to them as the figure that got them hooked on that one sport or got them interested in the world of sport, this coach for me is the very person that kept me interested and motivated in Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit©, which eventually led me to this degree course.

Firstly, a great coach must possess a strong background of education (Trudel 2016), this is generally the first thing that may attract a client or athlete to the said coach. My CrossFit© coach had qualifications in CrossFit© itself backed with a degree in Sports Development and various other qualifications that aid in not only having the information, but also aid in the acquisition and application of information that has not already been learnt. Examples of this can be seen in any coach, when the coach has to make a decision that they have never made before in a circumstance that they have never been in before, if the coach has the ability to do this at a world class level there should never be a situation that cannot be handled.

A great coach must be able to form an exceptional and personal bond with the players that they are coaching, whether it is a team sport, such as football or rugby or in an individual sport such as weightlifting or athletics. They must be able to use the correct coaching behaviours at the right times in order to motivate the athletes to perform at a higher level. Martin, S.B., Jackson, A.W., Ricahrdson, P.A., & Weiller, K.H. (1999) states “Athletes preferred coaches who developed warm interpersonal relations with team members and created a positive group environment.” One particular coach who was famous for doing this well is Sir Alex Fergusson as he would make sure players kept their feet on the ground and acted as a friend to motivate players.

Martin, S.B., Jackson, A.W., Ricahrdson, P.A., & Weiller, K.H. (1999). Coaching preferences of adolescent youths and their parents. Journal of applied sports Psychology, 11, 247-262.

Kyle Paquette, Pierre Trudel, and Tiago Duarte. (2016). Participating in a Learner-Centered Coach Education Program: Composite Vignettes of Coaches’ and Coach Educators’ Experiences