When I look back on my 29 years of coaching the women’s lacrosse team at Johns Hopkins University – I can’t help but smile. That smile has less to do with the wins we were fortunate to experience, and more to do with the immense pride I feel in the growth and development of the athletes I had the pleasure of working with. Coaching is a journey that intertwines the development of athletes with the art of leadership and inspiration. Each new season is like a fresh canvas for coaches. Every season is filled with opportunities to mold players into a confident, cohesive unit.
Effective coaching demands tremendous time, effort, energy, and dedication to nurture each player’s talents and strengths. It is not easy – but I feel coaching is an incredibly fulfilling profession that can leave a lasting impression on you.
The Excitement of the New Season
The arrival of a new season is always invigorating. It’s a time to reflect on each player’s potential and identify specific areas for improvement.
Setting Goals
Whether it’s refining footwork, perfecting a split dodge, or experimenting with a new shot, helping your athletes set individual goals serves as a powerful motivator.
This approach reassures players that their coach is invested in their personal development, emphasizing their important role within the team.
Coaches can assist players in documenting these goals and attaching timelines for accountability by encouraging their athletes to keep a “goals journal” and write their goals and timelines down. I would tell my players that “writing things down makes them more real” whether it is in a journal or on a piece of paper they posted in their room – and that definitely applies to the goals we set for ourselves. Help your players craft their goals, inspire them to write them down and help them identify a timeframe to achieve their goals. Regular check-ins and impromptu chats with your athletes about their progress helps them stay accountable.
Create a Partnership Culture
By cultivating individual growth, coaches can foster a culture built on support and collaboration.
John Wooden wisely stated, “Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you.”
This sentiment is crucial for creating an environment where players feel empowered and valued.
Similarly, Paul “Bear” Bryant highlighted that the knowledge of players is what truly counts in coaching success. How well you can teach the game and have those lessons resonate with your players is crucial.
Coaches Must Embrace Challenges as Opportunities
Every sports season comes with its own set of challenges for coaches and their athletes. For passionate coaches, these hurdles can serve as invaluable learning tools. It’s essential to evaluate past performances, set robust goals, and identify necessary adjustments.
Establishing clear objectives—both for oneself as a coach and for the program—creates a roadmap for success.
Remind your athletes and yourself,
“You grow through what you go through.”
Keeping this growth mindset allows you to turn mistakes into teachable moments.
How to Build Confidence Through Belief
As coaches encourage athletes to reach for higher aspirations, it’s crucial to instill a sense of belief in their abilities. When athletes know their coaches have confidence in them, they are more likely to meet challenges head-on and embrace the coaching they receive.
Eddie Robinson, a legendary college football coach, succinctly captured his take on the essence of coaching:
“Coaching is a profession of love. You can’t coach people unless you love them.”
When your players know you love them they will work that much harder for the good of the team, the coaching staff and themselves. That emotional investment in athletes is part of the “secret sauce” that coaches can bring to their teams to inspire them to have the courage to take risks, try harder and play with joy. Building confidence in your athletes is not just giving them positive, constructive feedback – it includes holding them accountable to learn and grow while they are in your care.
Inspire Your Players Through Creativity
Great coaches look to set the bar high for their players and can inspire them in many different ways. Inspiration is a key coaching skill that can be woven into the fabric of any team in many creative ways. One engaging method is the creation of an “Inspiration Jar.”
This jar can be filled with motivational quotes—one for each week of the season. Each week, a player can draw a quote, read it to the team, and facilitate a discussion about its meaning and relevance. This ritual not only fosters reflection, but also builds confidence, camaraderie and uplifts team spirits, making the quote a focal point for the week. The quote can serve as a springboard for the energy the team can bring each day. Having your players read the quote out loud to their teammates gets them comfortable speaking in front of a group and actively listening to each other – important skill sets to develop for practice, on game day and in life.
Learning from Peers
Collaboration with coaching staffs from other programs can be one of the most enriching experiences for a coach. Engaging in discussions about sports, leadership, and the challenges of coaching fosters a culture of continuous learning. Sharing drills, practice plans, and strategies creates a vibrant exchange of ideas and insights. If you are a college coach, inviting club or high school coaching staffs to your practices is a great way to give back and grow the game. It is a way to mentor and guide others in the profession.
These interactions often provide a renewed sense of energy and inspiration, reminding coaches of the larger community they are part of. Diane Geppi-Aikens, a mentor of mine, always emphasized the importance of giving back to the game and maintaining a broader perspective beyond wins and losses. Each interaction with another coaching staff can be a rewarding opportunity for growth—both for the coach and the team they lead. Diane would encourage us to have the confidence to share openly the things we were doing with our team. She felt it would keep us on our toes and committed to ever evolving and growing to ensure we stayed one step ahead of our competition. It is important for the future of the game to uplift, inspire and influence newer coaches. Go ahead and share the things you are doing with your team with other aspiring coaches. If their team gets better at a particular skill or set – that in turn will motivate you to grow, improve and better teach and coach your team.
A Coach’s Journey
The journey of a coach is one of dedication, learning, and growth. Coaching is not just a seasonal endeavor; it is an evergreen commitment to fostering talent, instilling values, inspiring others and building relationships that last a lifetime.
By setting clear goals, fostering belief in player capabilities, and encouraging collaboration with peers, coaches can create an environment where both players and themselves thrive. Embrace each opportunity with passion and purpose, knowing that the impact of coaching extends far beyond the game.
To learn more about the art of coaching, check out the ISNation app where we post new lessons weekly, aimed at helping you become a better coach.
The app also features free mental wellness tips for athletes, coaches and parents.
