Coaches, Just Get to the Point!

Allistair McCaw

One of the most important things about being a good coach is communicating well. I’ve always believed that the best coaches and leaders are able to get their message across in the simplest and shortest time.

In my line of work, I get to visit sports federations, clubs and academies and I find it amazing how many coaches and trainers I come across that lose their athletes in information overload. In other words, they talk too much.

An athlete doesn’t need to know everything. They simply need to know the what, how, why and when. Let me explain: When explaining a new exercise, drill or play to an athlete, all that athlete needs to know is what it’s for (a certain tactical play or movement), how it’s done (a demonstration), why they would use it (advantages) and when (what moments or situations).

When explaining, try to keep it simple. Use understandable terminology. As coaches, we sometimes like to impress our athletes with fancy words and even like to dig into the biomechanics of the movement or exercise.

One thing legendary coach Wooden was known for, was getting his message across in the quickest and best-understood way.

Just yesterday, I was working in a gym with an athlete. Next to us was a trainer who warmed his athlete up, then proceeded to talk for about 15 minutes about the exercise he wanted his client to perform. After the ‘lecture’, the athlete had forgotten what he had needed to do! It was a total information overload. In fact, out of the one-hour session, about 20 minutes of actual work was done.

Keeping the message simple and clear will give the athlete a better picture and ability to carry out what has been asked of them. One of my favorite sayings goes like this: “Simplicity allows the obvious to be obvious. Simple is not simplistic, far from it. Simple is not stupid, in fact it is brilliant.”

Remember that the end goal is that your client or athlete knows what they need to do in the easiest and simplest way.

Just get to the point!

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