Signs you’re a more competent coach than you think

Being a coach, regardless of sport, has its ups and downs. The people you coach rely on you to get them better and support them through that process. This can be daunting especially as a young coach. This article briefly explores some qualities of a good coach and how they relate to your athlete’s success. 

YOU REGULARLY ADMIT STUFF YOU DONT KNOW 

Nobody likes a know it all. Truly. They are insufferable. I am generally untrustworthy of any coach who also seems to have immediate answers for everything. One of my favorite things to do is say “I don’t know” and then figure out what I do know and fill in the gaps after. It’s important that a good coach readily admits to gaps in their knowledge. Being humble enough to admit you don’t know everything is step one. Being smart enough to then seek out the right information is step two. Connecting your prior and new understandings to improve your coaching is step three.

YOU POSSESS A REGULAR AMOUNT OF SELF DOUBT

Imposter syndrome is real and I think everyone who knows “stuff” should have a regular amount of it. It keeps you on your toes especially since science seems to be ever-evolving (see the history of whether or not we should be eating or avoiding eggs to give yourself dietary recommendation whiplash). The trick here is to not feed into that feeling too much. If you panic too often about what you don’t know, you forget to lean into what you do know. And that can be detrimental to your athletes in a very direct way. Double down on the things that you know work. Trust your gut and current knowledge to then bring new ideas in harmoniously so they align with the plan and then stay the course. 

Another thing. Self doubt is fine, it’s normal, I hope that’s clear now. I truly would recommend faking it ‘til you make it front of your athletes though for the most part. They don’t need to know you’re unsure about something but the moment they do, they will also start to question things. The best advice? Slam a monster, talk with confidence, and turn the volume up. You’ll get better buy in by being a coach who at least looks and sounds like they know it all—even if you don’t. 

YOU CONSIDER SECOND AND THIRD ORDER CONSEQUENCES 

No matter what or who you’re coaching there’s always going to be some sort of life beyond the short term goals. It’s important to consider that when you look at things from a wider lens. Yes, squatting that next PR is important but are you also considering things like heart health, mobility, and just general fitness? These things matter and can be variables in any program. In fact I bet if you improve your cardiovascular system your recovery will also improve which means you’ll be able to do more work and get stronger faster…that’s a separate article though.

And not only health, but let’s consider the next meet or three meets from now. Do your athletes have long term goals? Are you doing your best to set them up for a smooth path forward to those goals? Fireworks are great to look at but they’re over very quick. How do you ensure your lifter isn’t a one and done burnout in the sport? Look ahead. Plan things in steps. If your athlete wants to squat a thousand pounds but currently only squats five hundred how can you get them there? Don’t know? See the previous steps! 

YOU ARE CONFIDENT IN YOUR APPROACH BUT ALWAYS LOOKING TO FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE IT. 

Trust in your own ability is paramount to good programming. Double down on what you know works and be confident in your ability to take in new information and then apply it in a meaningful way that aligns with your approach. 

Once you can get past the imposter syndrome and find some steady confidence you have to trust yourself and stick to what you know while keeping your eyes on the horizon and looking for ways to make your approach stronger. No good coach sticks with the exact same plan throughout their entire career. The plan needs to evolve as we figure out how to make it better but we also have to make what we currently have the best version of itself. That thing I said about faking it earlier? I am not joking. I readily admit I am not sure how certain sessions or workouts will go but I am ready to pivot at the drop of a dime. Which leads us to the last point.

YOU ARE FLEXIBLE BUT REFUSE TO BREAK

Understanding that programming may need to look different for different people is important. This is especially true when it occasionally challenges your biases. Knowing how to use a tool is just as important as knowing when to use it. Your approach must be flexible but it should still align with your knowledge and understanding. Being able to pivot due to injury, major life changes, job stress, etc. is an important part of coaching but these things are typically learned through experience. If you can’t recall your own life events, find someone who can help you!

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