Welcome back to our Monday Field Hockey blog. Today we will discuss the importance of being a coachable athlete.
Coach-ability
The most talented athlete on the team is not necessarily the most coachable athlete. Coaches love athletes who are ready and eager to learn and soak in every bit of information that the coach has to impart on them. Being coachable doesn’t solely require listening to your coach and being respectful of the game and to those on your team—in order to be coachable you must also ask questions, apply your coach’s advice in game situations and have confidence in yourself and your team.
Every coach enjoys working with an athlete who can listen and absorb what the coach is instructing and to be able to properly apply it to drills at practice or to games. As mentioned before, part of being a well-rounded and coachable athlete means you ask questions when you feel unclear about certain instructions given to you. If you have a question about how to perform a skill or drill do not be afraid to ask. Coaches would rather you ask for clarification instead of you performing the skill or play incorrectly.
Another huge component of being a coachable athlete is trust. Coaches love athletes who they can trust to come to every practice or game ready and excited to play. As a coach sets up for practice, he or she needs to have a few athletes that they can trust to gather the team and begin warm-ups and stretching. Additionally, during difficult moments on the field, it is important for a coach to know they have players they trust to keep morale high on the team and to give their teammates that extra boost they might need.
Lastly, confidence in yourself and in your team is another important aspect of being a coachable athlete. Coaches strive to instruct athletes who are confident in their and their teammates abilities and who respect each other no matter the outcome of the game. If a team can stick together through tough losses, as well as great wins, everyone will become a much stronger unit and have the ability to accomplish many fantastic feats.
