Big Words

Last week I posted on FB about my newest catchball endeavor - offering online coaching programs to players, teams and coaches. Some folks reached out, asking for more info. Some already scheduled a call or meeting with me. Some questions were asked too, all very reasonable. 

One of these questions, that kind of stuck with me, was about my coaching philosophy. And despite already writing about different parts of what one could define as my philosophy in my blog last year, it still got me thinking. 

I like it when people get me thinking, even (or maybe especially) when it's a little uncomfortable. Uncomfortable is good.  

For me, philosophy is a big word. They say that James Madison defined philosophy as "common sense with big words". 

Big words aside, common sense is probably not as common as we'd like to think - that was Voltaire who said it, and either way it's different for everyone.

I also find that as a coach, it's almost impossible to separate your coaching philosophy from your personal one. There's probably no good reason to try anyway. If coaching plays a major part in your life, you should absolutely bring yourself to the gym/field/court. Or at least major parts of who you are. 

The truth is that the way I see my job, my role, the people I work with and what they need from me - definitely evolved over time.

Every person I work with teaches me something as well. Every team I coach shows me different sides of myself, as well as the game that we share a passion for. 

If I absolutely had to summarize my philosophy as a coach, the part that hasn't changed that much over the years, that is, in a few words or sentences, it would probably be that I don't have a single one that I'll use with everyone. 

I have clients who need me mostly to make sure they show up and put in the work. Others are very self-sufficient and need me more for the programming, insight and some outside supervision, but not a lot.

I've had teams who needed me to provide the "fire" as well as the knowledge and experience, while others needed me to be the human extinguisher when things got a little too hot for them to handle... and so on.

I think that my philosophy was always to try and provide everyone with what they needed from me, to the best of my abilities. 

If a player needs me to communicate with her mostly one-on-one, and less in front of her teammates, then that's what I'll try to give her. 

If my team needs me to be very quiet and focused on the sidelines, and help them reduce any unnecessary outside noise, then that will be my goal. 

And if my preferred formation just isn't working well for my players, then I'll definitely be open to changing it and exploring other options, rather than forcing my own views on a group of adults who already have theirs. It doesn't mean that I don't have my own way of doing things, or that I don't have pretty strong views on certain aspects of the game and my work, but it does mean that I believe that progress is made when everyone is sharing a common vision, and working together to achieve their goals. 

And that's hard to do when one side can't or won't really see, accept and appreciate the other side, and stay open to their views, ideas and feelings. 

Common sense? Maybe... depends who you ask I guess :)