Coaching, leadership, Performance psychology, Sports Psychology

Reflective Coaching Practices IV

Each of the reflective coaching practices intertwine and amplify or depress the coaching process. In truth all the practices are connected, so the coaching practice of “Reflecting on Connections” simply validates that everything exists in relationship.  Harvard Business Review offers that people don’t quit their jobs—they quit their boss. To a great extent the same is true for kids who quit sports—or don’t reach their potential. The quality of the connection may not be measured in hard data, but it is felt in a culture and in a relationship. Connections drive learning and motivation in countless ways, providing the conditions for potential to unfold. So…

Reflect on Connections. How was the relationship influenced by today’s experience? The content of what we are teaching may vary somewhat, but the conditions of the environment can vary widely. Relationships that are challenging and supporting in genuine ways grow more and endure more. The whole is not just the sum of its parts and here is where the human element shines. You can get a sample of this by considering what you would do for someone you felt connected to and invested in versus someone who sees you as a replaceable part. Sport is riddled with this condition, evident in underperformance. Chemistry is an intangible that tangibly adds value to the process of improvement. The connection fundamentally grows from a coach listening to a player’s needs through a developmental lens. A ten-year-old and a twenty-year-old may have similar content in a practice session (free throws, hitting drills, footwork, etc.) but they are in different places in their psychosocial development. 


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photo credit: Isaiah Rustad (