Words reveal coach’s idea of athlete

Too often coaches have only a biomechanical conception of the athlete and think they can teleguide them.

It is common to hear phrases like:

• Athletes must be motivated.
• Training must go to improving athletes’ skills
• It’s clear that this one goes down immediately
• Stimulating them makes them mentally engaged
• When I go to have my athlete visualized

They reveal:

• Coach conception as some kind of magician who changes people.
• Passive conception of athletes changing in reaction to stimulus (the coach’s words) and not as they are active agents of their own improvement.
• Conception that one must react and the coach is the trainer of people, who without such guidance cannot improve.