How I communicate

With another season and academic year starting very soon, I will have new student-athletes coming to campus and I know nothing about them. Whether they are transferring from another school or incoming freshmen, I want to communicate effectively to provide them with the best experience possible. Without proper communication, I throw away an opportunity to help them be successful in my program. 

How I communicate effectively:

• Being straightforward

  • I always set high and clear expectations for what I am asking to be accomplished. If my athletes are hanging out below that line, I will let them know. If I don’t address this immediately, I am doing them a disservice. Being direct and constructive will reduce the development of bad habits.

• Listening

  • I value what I say, so I believe it is important to value what my athlete says. I can pick up important details and cues about each individual. If I don’t pay attention to what the athlete says, then we are not communicating.

• Keeping it simple

  • In coaching, I will always provide cues and feedback throughout a training session. I work to keep words or phrases concise to streamline actions. I don’t care to sound smart because that is not always effective. If they don’t understand what I am trying to explain, then I just wasted time. I do my best to cut out irrelevant information so athletes aren’t distracted.

• Seeking improvement

  • When dealing with a new athlete, I want to make sure I am communicating in a way that is effective for them. Some athletes prefer constant feedback after each rep of an exercise, some athletes prefer feedback following a set of an exercise. Listening to how I can improve will help me coach my athletes effectively to get the most out of that exercise.