Who Can You Trust With Your Athlete

Trust is a primary issue in the world of sports, especially during the early years of an athlete’s development. From the moment a parent gives a green light for the child to enroll in a particular program, to the kid’s first day at practice or training camp, there is an element of trust in the program, and most especially the coach.

Being entrusted with an athlete is not just about sports, it is a life choice that places the future of the young athlete in the hands of a coach, that requires trust and comes with serious responsibility.

The question is, are you trusting the right coach?

Being the person drawing the plays, calling the shots, blowing the whistle, the coach, doesn’t make a person an automatic fit for a young athlete. Every individual has particular and specific needs, areas of attention, demands, that need tailored approaches, if they are ever to reach their full potential as athletes at the highest level of their chosen sport. The right coach is not just a master at X and Os, he/she is a disciplined and principled coach first because man management is an important part of the job. Connecting with a young athlete as a teen or adolescent and not just a prodigy, being a figure he/she looks up to, makes the job of coaching so much easier and development much smoother. You want to entrust your child to someone who instills the right principles in them as a professional and more importantly as a person.

An honest coach will not be too concerned about the fee or quote, because his/her work will validate and justify that for him/her. He/she will tell your child and you, exactly what the child needs in order to be successful, discussing skillset, ability, potential, letting you know what course of action will be best for the budding athlete and his/her development. An honest coach knows how to communicate, ensure that the young athletes build chemistry and a team spirit. Healthy communication and commitment underline the honesty of a coach.

A coach worth trusting is a coach who listens, has patience and shows respect for his/her athletes. A coach is the captain of the ship, he/she spots ability and potential, but also gives the nascent athletes a chance to prove themselves. An athlete may have the confidence and belief that he/she can excel in a certain role or position, it is up to the coach to feed that confidence and give that athlete a try. At the early stages of development, most of what the athletes have is talent and potential and potential can be directed, channelled to a particular direction and that is part of the job of a good coach.

Finding a trustworthy coach is not an easy task and requires patience and an open mind, but in the end, it will be worth it because a trustworthy coach doesn’t just develop a professional athlete, he/she develops the human being as well.