What do you want to write in that review?
Our season plans are often full of outcome goals, development objectives, key dates and technical/tactical concepts.
But are you planning for joy? Are you making plans that will lead to great experiences for you and the people you coach?
As much as coaches may wish to believe that winning is what players want, the research says something different (winning actually ranks 40th). So, are you going to wait for fun to happen or plan for it to happen?
The big question is:
How great can coaching be?
We posed this question to Lynne Beattie, captain of the Great Britain women’s volleyball team at the London Olympics, beach volleyball competitor on the World Tour and coach of Edinburgh Beach Volleyball Club.
From personal experience, I know how memorable my very first experience was in my sport, and that has led to my lifelong participation in volleyball, at various levels and in various disciplines.
My first ever coach set the environment for that meaningful experience; an environment that was fun, engaging, energetic, challenging and person centred. They understood what I wanted from volleyball, and what my needs were. These are a few of the things I aim for in my coaching, because I have first-hand experience of the positive impact that setting this environment can have.
“Admittedly, it’s not always easy to get it right for everyone at each session, but my intention is to help make a difference to every single person involved however small or big that difference is.”
3 Takeaways
Reflection Questions
- What do you love about the team you coach?
- How can you (and the people you coach) have fun at your next session?
- How can you measure the level of joy and fun you and the players are experiencing?
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