When I first got into speed training and strength coaching, I was in my mid to late twenties.  I was still trying to find my coaching style.  One of my first gigs was being the head strength and conditioning coach at Columbus Academy high school, my alma mater.

I thought I was relatively close to these kids age and so my initial coaching style was to treat them like adults.  Young people want to have respect, so that’s what I was going to do.  I would explain what I wanted to happen clearly and precisely and all they had to do was follow the instructions.

That was when I first learned why you have to discipline kids.  Some kids just can’t follow instructions and you have to pound it into their skull what you want to do.  My coaching philosophy very quickly became, you want respect, you have to earn respect, and when I give you a teeny bit of respect, you will have a short leash to keep it.  One screw up and it is gone.

What did you say?

I was training a group of 3 – 5 athletes recently.   I was going over three exercises we were going to strength train.  I made sure they were all staring at me, I demonstrated all three of the exercises, asked if they had any questions, they all stared at me blankly nodding no, and then I said let’s get started.

Within 15 seconds, one of the athletes asked, “What did you say we were doing here?  How do you do this?”

I wanted to throw a dodgeball at the kid.  So basically, the one minute I described and showed you what we were doing, was a waste of a minute I can never get back.

Me: “Didn’t you just see me doing all these exercises?  You were staring right at me?”  Kid shrugging: “I don’t know.”

Parents, does that sound familiar.  I hear that exchange every other evening at my house between my wife and daughter.

Stop screwing around!

I was doing an agility drill with three athletes.  One of them was trying to focus on what I was saying while the other two were joking around and cracking each other up.

“Alright guys pay attention here.”

“Guys listen up.”

“Okay, that’s enough, let’s focus on this drill.”

“HEY!! STOP SCREWING AROUND!!  If you guys don’t stop playing graba$$, I’m going to make you do push-ups until your arms fall off.  Now let’s get to work.”

Parents who have multiple siblings, you ever say something similar?

No manual for coaching and or parenting.

Nowadays, you could read some book on how to be the perfect coach or parent.  But, let’s be honest about this.  The best course is to go with your gut and your experience.  We all do what we think is best and if we realize that one course of action wasn’t particularly smart, then you learn and adapt.

Most of the athletes that we deal with in the private sector are good kids and have already been read the riot act before training with us.

“I’m shelling out this money, you better do what they say.”

We do everything in our power to provide the best coaching environment for these athletes.  I just find it funny being a parent of two, how I could close my eyes while saying some of the things I say and not realize if I’m at home or at the training facility.