There seems to be a belief by some individuals in the hockey community that coaching doesn’t matter.
These individuals believe that the success of a team lies within the talent of the players, not the efforts of the coaching staff. That if you have the talent, the team is going to succeed regardless of who is behind the bench.
Ultimately, that’s simply not true.
A good coach can take the talent that exists on a team, and maximize the potential of said team. They are the person that takes what is given to them, and attempts to take it to the top.
The best coaches of all time have the following traits (from The ACPE Blog), and it’s shown with their consistent winning records.
Leadership – The goal of great coaching is to guide, inspire and empower an athlete or team to achieve their full potential.
Knowledge – A great coach should have in-depth knowledge of the sport they are coaching.
Motivation – Coaches need to be able to convey passion to their players, to inspire them to get the most out of their performance.
Knows the Athlete – A key to successful coaching is being aware of the individual differences in your athletes.
Consistency – If a coach wants to change a player’s attitude, alter a game plan or improve an athlete’s skills, a coach needs to be consistent in the message they are trying to deliver.
Effective communication skills – Needless to say, a great coach will possess exceptional communication skills.
All of these traits put together lead to a coach that has the entire room bought in and working towards a common goal. And that’s very powerful.
Tell us about the best coach you’ve ever had!
