Sporting competitiveness and skill level are ever-increasing, with children as young as 4 years of age starting to train in their preferred sport to compete in the professional space while still a teenager. Today, talent and level of skill are not enough – you need a host of other skills like discipline and commitment to push you to the top level of your game.
In light of the above, the role of a sports coach becomes even more important. Choosing the right one for yourself or your child may seem daunting until you realise you need to hire someone with not just coaching qualifications but someone you or your child can work with, look up to and respect. A good place to start is to find out how well the coach himself performed in the sportwith the skill you or your child is trying to develop and hone. If you are looking for a cricket bowling coach for example you would ask yourself how fast was jeff thomson and how did he get to where he did. What strategies and skills can he teach you or your child?
Coaching reaches beyond just coaching sport skill; a good coach is well-placed to help you or your child reach your full potential not just in the chosen sport but in life. The emotional and mental potential building is as important as physical ability building as often athletes fail to perform not because they lack the skill but because they lack the confidence and mental stamina needed to excel. This makes the role of a sports coach qualified for the job even more important. A qualified sports coach will look into developing you or your child in a multi-faceted way where competence building is as important as confidence and character building.
Confidence is an important element for sporting success and a good coach will pay close attention to building this facet in you or your child. Confidence building or enhancement reaches beyond the sporting arena into other areas of life – work, social environments and academics. Research suggests that individuals who feel competent are better placed to work hard at tasks, stay motivated and achieve excellence. The sense of accomplishment an individual feels when a goal is achieved is a powerful feeling that can help the individual stay focused and motivated to move to the next goal. Accomplishments on the field also serve to motivate the individual in tasks and goals off the field as well – leading to greater overall confidence and a sense of accomplishment, which in turn fuels the will to push forward and succeed in the sport. The coach’s role and level of influence cannot be underestimated in this vital area of development in the athlete’s psyche. A coach will look into developing the player’s confidence along with their competence. A high level of self-worth influences a high level of motivation to push forward and excel. Competence in the sport is linked to confidence in self.