The role of a coach

I believe the role of a coach is to create the right conditions for learning to happen and find ways to motivate the athletes. Most athletes are highly motivated and therefore the task is to maintain that motivation and to generate excitement and enthusiasm.

No matter what age group and level, the coach is there to ensure a positive learning environment and to support, teach and provide the best opportunities for each individual to develop their sporting abilities.

Another great way a coach can assist the athlete is by virtually eliminating the guesswork from the training plan, and even if you have a program that you are sure will work for you, that program is likely to need some adjusting and tweaking down the road when things change.

From my own experience, I have had people come to me for coaching after a bad experience of doing things "their" way - usually "their" way worked for a short period of time then injuries occurred, overtraining syndrome set in or they saw no further improvement in their performance.

In all my years of coaching and instructing, I found that even if athletes have chosen to have a coach, they aren't always communicating with their coach. This sometimes makes it difficult for us to understand what's going on in their head as well as their lives. Think of a coach as another set of eyes and know that we can get the best out of you, mentally and physically, but you do need to work in with your coach.

Do you have a coach for your sport? Check out the list below and see if he/she has got all these attributes.

* Advisor - Advising you on the training to be conducted and suitable kit and equipment.

* Assessor - Assessing your performance in training and in competition.

* Counselor - Resolving emotional problems on the basis that sharing anxieties can be both relieving and reassuring.

* Friend - Over the years of working with you, a personal relationship is built up, where as well as providing coaching advice they often become a friend you can share your success with.

* Facilitator - Identify suitable competitions for you to compete in to help you achieve your overall objectives for the year.

* Fact finder - Gathering data from national and international results and to keep abreast of current training techniques.

* Fountain of knowledge - This may be part of the advisor role in that you will often want to ask questions on any sporting event, diet, sports injuries and topics sometimes unrelated to your sport.

* Mentor - When you attend training sessions your coach is responsible, to parents and family, for ensuring that you are safe and secure. He/she has to monitor your health and safety whilst training and support you should you have any problems or sustain any injuries.

* Motivator - Maintain your motivation the whole year round.

What do you think? Does your coach have most of those attributes listed above? Or do you need to move on and find yourself a "real" coach with a strong sense of passion.

"Hiring a coach will not only make you happier, but it will make your happiness last"…Happy and safe training!!!!

About the author of this blog post
Coach Barbara from Endurancecoach.com is a qualified Personal Trainer & Triathlon Coach, having come from a varied background in sport. She discovered triathlon upon her arrival in New Zealand in 1999, since then she hasn't looked back, competing in a mixture of races. So far she has completed Half IM Tauranga 2003, 2005; Whangamata Marathon 2003; Lake Taupo 160km 2003, 2004; Half IM Taupo 2003 and IM New Zealand 2004. At present Barbara is completing a Diploma in Sport Studies with Otago University.

Endurancecoach.com believes that every athlete is different and therefore needs a training program geared specifically to their personal ability, taking into account any weaknesses, time available and circumstances. Endurancecoach.com offers a variety of services ranging from one-on-one coaching to training plans for specific events and races. Visit Endurancecoach.com for more information or if you are looking for world leading coaches to assist you, e-mail Endurancecoach.com at info@endurancecoach.com.

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