Ask, Listen, & Emphatize

There are more to coaching than prescribing movements and being technical. It’s also about building relationships with your athletes, inspiring them to do their best, and allowing them to grow. You also have to challenge them to solve problems on their own. Here are three important points remember:

ASK QUESTIONS – It starts with asking athletes open-ended questions to establish receptivity and avoid presumptions. It lets them know that their input matters which creates rapport and trust.

LISTEN INTENTLY – When you are listening, you’re engaged in the discussion to make sure you’re capturing as much data about the person as possible. You are showing facial expression, body language, gestures, etc. This shows a strong sense of interest and engagement.

UNDERSTAND – The ability to comprehend and experience the athlete’s emotion creates interpersonal connection that makes coaching possible. This is an important step to make them more resilient and learn from setbacks. After acknowledging their challenges, they are more likely to respond through motivation to improve performance.
As a coach, you don’t need to have all the answers. However, you do need to be able to connect with athletes and motivate them to do their best.