Professional Athletic Coach

Evolution of an Athlete

2011-04-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Eventually all athletes evolve to the same place. The growth process is not always direct.

Stage 1. Youth Athlete- Limit competition, practice free play more than controlled organized play. Learn to move, move to learn.

Stage 2. JR Athlete- Narrow the sport focus. Special Movement

Stage. 3 Amateur Athlete- Has the best chance to excel to the next stage. Specific Movement

Stage. 4 Professional Athlete- Winning is not everything it's the only thing. High levels of Competitive Movements.

Stage. 5 Active Athlete- This relates to former high levels competitive athletes adjusting to sports without high- levels of competition.

Rules to coach by

2011-04-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

there are two types of coaches 1) Those who are teaching and want you to know what they know; 2) Those who stand up and want you to be impressed by what they know* caution, beware of both. We should listen to the experts but always trust our own instincts as a coach an athlete and parent. The litmus test is to understand which coaches truly believe in what they are saying and which ones are trying to sell a program, or system . We need to be critical coaches regarding everything Human Performance and we should focus on the differences not the one size fits all model.

It is a fact that every athlete is the sum total of what has and has not happened to him or her in their life, we are the sum total of what we have done and have not done in our life, with that in mind when a team of 21 hockey players or a team of 40 rowers come together to achieve a common goal, coaches need to focus on how each athlete will express and respond to the world and their current environment in different ways (climate, food, rest, stress, nature, medications, training or lack of training etc)

Physical Viability “we become the athlete we train to be” This is the ability to survive and thrive or crash and burn the ability to be adaptable or become adapted in routine. Teach athletes to become adaptable rather than adapted could be the difference between being injured or surviving to play another day.

Athlete Appropriate before “Sports-Specific”. This rule focuses on age, training and derivatives. As parents and coaches we should focus on taking care of the person in front of us rather than trying to match the athlete to the sport. We need to watch out for the marketing science and buzz words “Train like the Pros” or gravitate towards programs that list off professional athletes as members. Fact, “don’t worry about training like the pros until you are one”, basically what kids are doing is making sense of the world in which we give them. It is important that kids are exposed to many different activities, music, dance sports, art…. Training Derivatives focus on Competition (absolute specificity, playing the sport) Specific Training (close to the sport(s) as possible) Special (one sport focus *not for the youth) and General Movement Training (run, jump, throw, balance…) Our job as teaches, coaches and parents is about guiding the athlete in training and learning. Some parts of learning are not always easy or fun for kids but are essential in the learning process. As we progress and look at the professional athlete as a model we must understand it’s all about entertainment, money and winning and for the individual professional athlete it’s about survival. The pro athlete can be replaced at anytime and when that happens they are out of a job. Rule. Athletic Balance, focuses on gravity and movement, force production, balance and force reduction and how most injuries happen when we are reducing force. The pearl with rule #4 is what athletic balance should look like. Athletic Balance is dynamic, reactive, responsive, explosive, athletic balance is cooperative, adaptive, trainable and rarely if ever about rooting to a single static spot. References Bruce Lee “One should seek good balance in movement and not stillness”

Rule 5 More movement training and less isolated muscle training. As athletes we should spend most of our time training movements not muscles with the respect to improving performance. If the baseball pitcher wants to be a better thrower then he should throw, hockey players that are weak skaters should ice skate. Training movements not muscles gives the athlete the ability to improve the mechanics of their respected sport(s) train movements not muscles for consistence athletic performance.

Reps and Practice

2010-01-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

Effective training practice are those sessions that meet the need of the athlete and team to carry out the objective during the competition. Keys are planning and sound instruction both are under control of the head coach. Each training practice should list objectives and key points that will be the focus of instruction for that training practice day, identify the activities, drills and exercises, include an evaluation of injuries, strengths and weaknesses for the athletes position team and sport.

Measuring and Testing Results

2010-01-15T09:36:00.001-08:00

Does the coach understand the technical, tactical and interpersonal skill sets for the sport? is the coaching staff fully on board, can they link the training program with the sport demands? The objective for measuring or testing is not to get the athlete ready for a fitness test but to get them fit to play the sport "Game Fit" or "Train for the Game". Are they healthy with the ability to prepare and train daily and compete optimally? are they improving? The goal is to coach the athlete for their respective sport train the athlete, not drain the athlete with more drills or how to lift heavier weight.

Questions and Quotes

2009-12-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

What is the goal?

How long will it take to achieve?

What is needed?

"The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious" -Visionaries

"True success in life isn't rare because people are weak, lazy or lack willpower. True success in life is rare because too often people use flawed strategies for success"

Sport Demand Analysis

2009-12-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Coaching Fundamentals in Athletic Development

identify the functional demands of the sport
identify positional core characteristics of the athlete
identify the physiological demands for the sport(s)
identify and apply age appropriate training
assess the nutritional needs
assess the common injuries that occur in the sport(s)
assess the movement patterns of the athlete
apply the principles that guide in the application of team tactics, systems and strategies for conditioning
apply time sensitive concepts for performance and injury prevention
create an optimal environment that focuses on mastery of sport movements
apply long term athletic development and health education

Each sport has different demands and each athlete has different characteristics. Understanding the importance of the SDA will provide the athletic coach with direction in how, why and when to design and apply age appropriate (on and off-field/ice/court)conditioning.

The Value of PAC Development

2009-12-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

Professional Athletic Coaching Develompnet can be a great =teacher in overall sport skills that contribute to overall development when structured properly. The values learned are simple, character, discipline, team work, perseverance, health, with the responsible to help each other. The foundation is in the culture of one individual within one team. Doing the simple things really well everyone will get better. There is more work then one coach can handle.

The Motivational Speaker

2009-11-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

The most critical category that underpins everything a coach does is his ability to communicate with his student athletes and coaching staff. Research shows"Coaching is a skill that can be developed and enhanced" but there are many skills and sets of skills the coach must develop, maintain and organize with a systematic approach to preparation, time management and programming, the motivational speaker is only one part of the coaches skill set. Think of Herb Brooks addressing his team before the 1980 game vs the Soviets, or Knute Rockne, "one man practicing sportsmanship is far better that fifty preaching it" These are the moments coaches strive and prepare for their whole coaching life.

Causal Knowledge

2009-11-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

True or False

if we don't anchor ourselves down and build on fundamental principles we lose sight of the forest through the trees?

What is casual knowledge? Gravity, Ground Reaction, Mass and Momentum and how it applies to the Fundamental Movement Skills, Energy Systems and Injury Patterns. The need is to understand that causal knowledge is the foundation for The Sport Demand Analysis. As well as understanding the individual athlete and position.

With this Causal Knowledge we have Current Knowledge and in fact knowledge is actually what gives imagination it's power, the ability to connect the links between all sports, athlete's and coaches. Strength and Conditioning Coaches by their very nature say a lot of stuff that is based on their opinion in the gym environment while trying to sell or argue that opinion, which may or may not be true. If we go to the Causal Knowledge of the sport and athlete we will find lots of truth and eliminate the shifting common desires, perception and emotion driven by a single sport, coach or athlete.

Why Athletes go broke

2009-10-22T07:14:00.002-07:00

Some stats on how athletes go broke. A recent article in SI shows the reason for the importance of developing the complete student/athlete.

78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce 2 yrs after retirement.
an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke within five yrs of retirement.

Not the Lifestyle kids dreams of on the streets, courts, sandlots and parks.

The do as I do program

2009-10-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

Learning specific movements or applying pre-made programs for another coach or book with limited ability to assess, coach, train and teach, basically a cookie cutter method, the only way this method would work is if we were in the exact same state as the coach doing. Teaching expectations requires the coach to react in the situation, teaching the expectations over the rules while practicing what you expect of others in many different environments.

Basic Training or Boot Camp

2009-10-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

We found a sports performance site that was promoting "basic training" makes sense.

The introduction of sport to school was to prepare boys to be men for the military way back when the country was drafting men into the armed forces, those days are over.

Today the main focus of youth, high school and college sports is to prepare boys and girls to become men and women of the future to be leaders, family memebers and overall good citizens of society.

Coaching Development

2009-10-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

"The leader, the teacher, the project manager, the artist. You can have all the exercises to do in a gym or all the technical and tactical layouts to apply onto a playing and practice field or classroom setting in a well packaged model but if you don't know how, when and why, it won't work. Like a great painter knows how to apply the color. Or as we see in todays pop culture, anyone can be a celebrity, not just anyone can be a true actor.

There is science in what we do, also art, habit, intuition and sometime plan old' guessing. The gap between what we know and what we aim for persists today. It's that gap that complicates everything we do.

Experiences

2009-10-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

goal

common good

empower the athlete

we all learn something-having fun

We are better at the end of the practice/workout than the beginning

Each individual works together ina team system to achieve a common goal

Every sport requires individuals to play a team system. Even individual sports i.e. golf, tennis, runners, tri's, etc.. require a coach, caddy, sports trainer to work together with the athlete. Of course the big team sports require multiple individual athletes/coaches and positions to work together for a common good which can be very, very challenging.

Supplying High Quality Fuel For Athlete's

2009-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Athlete's need to supplement their eating habit's with the following foods.

Simple weekly shopping list or (eating out menu selection for those that don't know how to cook) ;

Protein - whole eggs, lean meats, wild game, poultry and fish

Carbohydrates - fresh or frozen fruits, beans
starchy vegetables, such as sweet potato, yams, potato, carrots,
beets turnips etc... and above ground starchy vegetables

Fats- saturated fat from lean meats and poultry,
cheese, raw butter, nuts, coconut oil, avocados, avocado oil, olives, olive oil.

Liquids- clean water, fresh or frozen 100% fruit juice, coffee + green tea decaffeinated and caffeinated, sports shake, drink.

time, type, sport, athlete are all factors to take into consideration.

High school and college student athlete's want to be-aware of their eating habit's especially during the school/game season.

Harmony

2009-10-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

Movements working in harmony.

Muscles in the gym should sing

not scream.

Coaching Labels

2009-10-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

What's in a label?

Assessment coach

Flexibility coach

Movement coach

Speed coach

Strength coach

Core coach

Performance coach

Power coach

Nutrition Coach

What is the common thread?

What are the fundamental principles for coaching sports and athletes?

Fundamental principles are generally accepted truths.

Listen to the expert coaches but always trust your own judgement.

Question the Coach

2009-10-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

Do athletes learn a sport with a piece of equipment?

Do athletes increase performance with apparatus/fitness tools used in the weight room?

Do athletes decrease the chance of injury with an assessment grid?

Do athletes enhance endurance on a bike, treadmill?

Or do athletes learn, decrease risk of injury and optimize skill/ performance through play, continuous practice and great athletic coaching?

Physical Language And Your Sport {PLAYS}

2009-09-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

The fundamental development process of coaching movement skills and sport skills, being aware with the components in your sports environment and the tools.

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of man made rules, customs and fundamental laws, often engaged in competitively. Object to establish and maintain a competitive positive safe environment that allows the athlete to maximize their growth. To that we recognize that all members of the athletic community are to be treated with respect.

Environment

On ground

In water

On snow

On ice

Standing

Sitting

In the air

Tools/Equipment

Balls

Sticks

Bat

Protective gear (knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand, head)

Gloves

Gun

Bow

Reel

Car's

Horses

Skates

Shoes/Spikes

Boot
ViPR

Sneakers

Boards

Bikes

Hurdles

Discus

Poll

Weights

Components

Gravity

Mass

Time

Space

Momentum

Position

Speed

Awareness

Spatial

Body

Directional

Natural skills learned

Roll, Crawl, Balance, Pull, Push, Squat, Stand, Walk, Run, Jump, Skip, Jerk,Shuffle, Step, Hit, Check, Shoot, Pass, Skate, Ski, Swim, Surf, Slide,Paddle, Row, Cycle, Throw, Strike, Catch, Dive, Ride, Drive, Climb, Kick, Punch, Swing, Lift

Leadership

2009-09-28T05:40:00.000-07:00

"Quality leadership means knowing when it's time to guide your athletes and when it's time to allow your athletes to guide you"

Coaching and Performance Indicators

2009-09-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Basic guidelines to achieve the goal.

Skill Sets

Recognize the unique physiological demands of your sport(s)
Recognize the individual athlete and position
Understand the 24 hour rule
Identify key growth and development markers during adolescence
Develop a season long training program
Understand the importance of pre and post game warm up's and cool down
Identify the critical training factors related to injury prevention
Provide a safe environment
Minimize the chance of injury
Optimize physical development
Understand the fundamental concepts of your sport movement
Apply training method
How and when to replenish energy systems

Coaches sometimes tend to be one sided in terms of knowing sport skill and performance science.

We either excel at the technical and tactical demands but lack the basic understanding for sports science. The other side of the coin is the conditioning coach is so well versed in gym science they fail to understand the coaching demands for the athlete in their respective sport.

As we can see coaching demands a wide variety of skill sets, it also demands that coaches get out of the comfort zone and learn to converse with each other. It also demands trust and respect of each others craft, checking the ego, with the main focus to be on long term athletic development in sports and building relationships.

Water Breaks

2009-09-22T05:05:00.000-07:00

Signs of dehydration

Headaches
Weakness
Premature Fatigue
Nausea
Thirst
Irritability
Cramping
Goose bumps

Some coaches still use water breaks as a way to punish or reward their athletes

The coach should have the basic education on the amount, time and type of fluid needed and lost during their respective sport.

Hydration should take place two hrs before competition or a workout. Fluid is lost primarily thought sweat and breathing.

The athlete should drink 20 to 24 ounces of fluid for each pound lost.

The coach should be educated and educate the athlete on these basic hydration guidelines.

Principles of coaching athletes' in team settings

2009-09-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

#1 Environment- what type of environment are you creating to help the athlete focus on the task while increasing effective and efficient performance?

#2 Consequences- are you strengthening or weakening the athletes physical and mental ability to maintain a high rate of performance and self confidence with positive feed back and smart training, or are you guessing and making them afraid to make a mistake in the result of negative feed back and lost performance?

#3 Responds- do you think the athlete will respond to positive or negative consequences?

#4 Reinforce- are your actions physical punishment i.e. push ups, running, wall sits etc... or reinforcement? are the same athletes making the same mistakes? "no matter how many times I tell him, he keeps making the same mistake"... this is only known by the course of that action.

Human Motion

2009-08-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

Coaches that have a strong understanding of human motion specific to their respective sport(s) have a better understanding on how to bring out favorable adaptations, improve short and long term performance and prevent injury. Coaches without a solid understanding of human motion need to find someone that does and add them to their coaching staff if he/she is unwilling then his/her athlete's will remain unchallenged with the strong possibility for injury and decreased in performance. Kinesiology is the study of human motion with the purpose to provide the coaches with a professional understanding of how an athletic body moves, when to apply the appropriate drills and exercises to improve performance and prevent injury.

Technique

2009-08-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

Which technique is correct? Obviously the hockey goalie on the right is out of position but still makes the save, is his technique incorrect should we correct it? If you observe 16 professional baseball players at bat you will see 16 different technique's. Professional athletes have the ability to over come stressors greater than the average person, the great ones let things happen, effortless, egoless, free of blocks {quite mind} free of fears, inhibitions, doubts and self-criticisms. They are focused on the "here and now" allowing for creativity...non-wishing, non-judging, making it look easy. What the casual observer or fan.at.ic does not see is the years of practice repeating skills perfectly as perfect can get over and over on and off the field day in day out.