Here at ICP, we believe in the three C's - Competent, Care, Constant. These principles might appear simple, but they carry profound depth that takes effort to perfect. Our commitment is to support coaches in crafting strategies that adhere to these three tenets effectively.
The 21st-century athlete requires a coach who is competent, caring, and consistent. These traits are critical, and more importantly, they require conscientious awareness and mastery.
Why Competence is a Non-Negotiable in Coaching
Today, we'll be discussing 'competent' as it relates to our coaching philosophy.
Tim Elmore pursues the notion that modern leadership, particularly as it pertains to students, demands authenticity and competency. Fundamental knowledge forms the base of the 3D Coaching Pyramid. That's the starting point. Without a good understanding of what you're teaching, you're unlikely to be successful as a coach. This might appear simple, yet we believe it is far more challenging than it seems.
Competence in coaching is considered crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it establishes credibility and trust between the coach and the athlete. Athletes are more likely to respect and follow the guidance of a coach who demonstrates a thorough understanding of the sport, its techniques, strategies, and rules. This trust forms the foundation of a productive coach-athlete relationship.
In the current era, obtaining information is as easy to access. There's a wealth of free information you can tap into and learn from. Despite this, we often encounter coaches who don't embrace the learning process. Instead, they stick to the coaching style they were taught. Two common reasons we've identified for this are:
Laziness: Some coaches lack the motivation to evolve. They're content with repeating the coaching methods they were taught. Over 70% of coaches admit to coaching in the same style they were coached. Some coaches may be resistant to change or new ideas, preferring to stick to tried and tested methods. This can hinder their ability to gain competence and adapt to the changing demands of modern sports.
Lack of Wisdom: Given the vast amount of information available, it can lead to 'analysis paralysis'. Nearly 50% of coaches feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available online. While there are numerous knowledgeable individuals sharing insightful content, it's also filled with people who are less qualified but are skilled at marketing themselves as experts.
Next Steps
Our advice? Seek out a mentor and leverage the resources of sports coaching
associations. A mentor can be essential to gaining knowledge and wisdom of finding good information, digesting it, and putting it into practice. By engaging with a sports coaching association, you can connect with potential mentors. If you're engaged and locked in, it will likely only take one coaching convention to find the best information and who to talk to to learn more. Feel free to contact us if you need help finding a mentor or connecting with a coaches association.
Keep in mind that competence is a small part of successfully coaching and impacting lives. At ICP, we believe if coaching is just about the sport and nothing else, then it is a pretty big waste of time. However, without being competent and passionate about the sport, you will have no chance of impacting the lives of your athletes.