Friday, March 23, 2012

The importance of a Coach

Social Foundations of Coach Student, Maria Skorcz writes...

Many of the coaching principles we have studied this past semester are aimed at youth sports, but they can also be applied at higher levels to keep the athletes focused and continually improving on and off the field.  Good coaching is especially important during March Madness, as the media is constantly making judgments and assumptions about teams.  A team needs good leadership to help the athletes stay focused on the team goals as rumors swirl around the team.  It is very easy to get wrapped up in the hype of the team rankings, game match ups, and potential championships, but it can be disheartening when a good, deserving team is left out or projected to lose in the first round.  If a coach has spent the season preparing his team to face whatever challenges come their way, the team will be prepared to either accept a loss or an underdog position.  The best way for a coach to do this is by helping his players adopt individual and team goals throughout the season and celebrate achieving them.  The team should be taught to measure success by its own goals and standards, rather than falling back on media critiques and criticisms.