We are all working together to get all our athletes to improve and move forward in their sport. The role of the coach is to motivate, evaluate and make knowledgeable suggestions. There will be times when we have to make the statement "that isn't correct." Our athletes might also hear from us "you can do better." Or "you don't seem to be paying attention right now." These statements are not demeaning. These statements are not meant to hurt. These statements are made to help the athlete understand that things need to change if they want to get better.
If the parents want us to stand by, watch a routine and not make comments, either positive or corrective, your athlete will not improve. Yes, yes, yes, we know there are proper ways to make corrections and the vast majority of the coaches do a fantastic job at that. There are times when we might blurt out a "no, that effort was not what we want." That is not a horrible thing to say.
A key is to have a good coach/athlete relationship where the athlete knows that the coach is in her/his corner, and they are working together for the benefit of the child. Every coach should be able to say "that isn't good enough" without getting a phone call requesting a consultation.
Children raised to seek out suggestions for improvement in their lives will learn more and go farther. Children who are raised to be overly sensitive to evaluations of their performance will miss out on a lot of knowledge that others have that can benefit them.
Children are children, they don't always do the right things. They don't always work hard. They don't always "self-evaluate" correctly. They need knowledgeable adults in their lives helping them grow. Guiding them with the occasional "start working harder if you want to be ready for the meet in 2 weeks."
Every athlete, and parent, should love it when the coach evaluates and offers suggestions for improvement. The alternative is that the child is on her/his own.
Tom Burgdorf – Author
Email: Tom@gymnetsports.com Web Site: www.Gymnetsports.net Face Book: Tom Burgdorf