I want to coach some people.
I took over coaching of my friend and within 3 weeks I got him down from 2.00.50 in the 800m to 1.57.7. ( he had struggled for 10 years to get under 2.00)
The solution was doing very spesific 800m sessions with good recovery in the days beetwen quality session.
Then a long distance girl heard that I had been doing 800m and she wanted something new and asked me if I could write a program for her.
They are both very dedicated and proffesional and Its a challenging task.
I dont have any formal coaching experience/education but I see around me many talents that do poor/strange training because of a coach that does not have any idea.
Well, so question is how can I become a coach with more athletes? How do I actually get a job as a coach? Or how can I reqruit new people to my regime?
I would suggest that you also attend some coaching certification courses for your local track governing body (i.e. NCCP in Canada, USATF in US, etc). Not necessarily to learn something new, but to jump through the bureaucratic hoops that may be restrictive as you start producing athletes. I’m not a certification apologist, but the reality is that it may hinder you not to have it and may leave you open to criticism from other jealous coaches.
Do some courses. It helps you develop skills tohelp with research, thinking and ultimtely developing protocols, programmes and ideas on coaching. Coaching will the protocols, programmes and ideas into what is right and works. Well that is my aim
Maybe a stupid question, but how do I convince people to follow my training program/regime? I am quite young and dont have the autority as older coaches.
I do have a education in sports with good knowledge about how body reacts to training (sports biology) but of course not an expert.
Training is also in many ways an art, and must be adjusted to the individual to maximise THEIR results. Just knowing the theory is not going to produce a good athlete. U should have done training yourself, made mistakes yourself, learned from it. U need to carefully monitor the legs of the athlete and be sure they dont push themselfs too hard. Ok, this was just some of my experience as a coach with only 4 weeks of coaching
I am also not interested in coaching some medium motivated people who is not willing to put in the work. I feel that is just wasting my time and effort.
I am not from US-CAN so maybe the system is somewhat different where I live.
I agree with everyone. Not only start taking courses but also start developing your library. Start reaching out to prominent coaches via email, phone, etc
Nobody starts at the top, you’re going to have to put in your time and produce results. Why would a top level athlete take a risk on an unproven coach? The only way to work with top level athletes right away is to volunteer with a top level club/school or mentor under a top level coach, either way you won’t have much responsibility or be making the big decisions. The second fastest way to the top is find an athlete with elite potential and work with them when they’re younger and stay with them as they rise through the ranks.
I am not from US-CAN so maybe the system is somewhat different where I live.
Then contact the best coaches you can find in your country. Find out how they did it, maybe see if one will mentor you.
Well it seems your coaching career has begun. To throw my two cents in…you will need to remain patient. its seems you have a passion. You need to work with these two athletes and build upon your coaching results. At the moment you have 4 weeks experience and so far it seems positive. There is however a difference between 4 weeks, 4 months and 4 years.
As you have already the bases of your own squad I would continue with this while also chasing experience with other coaches who have been there and done it. They will provide you with information about the rhythms of an annual season. You will need to spend time experiencing and understanding the periods of performance progression, performance plateau’s and even back ward steps. The journey is never smooth and coaches with experience will be able to guide our development and provide a sounding board for issues that will arise over the course of a season. Remember coaching development takes time and even at the elite level coaches of individuals in an Olympic final encounter different challenges as their is a difference between preparing someone who is happy to make a final verses someone whom is expected to medal and again different to the coach of the individual whom is expected to win.
Don’t be to quick to dismiss athletes who may not have the same level of passion and or drive as you do. Some of the best athletes take time to find their calling. Further you can learn just as much from the ones who appear not as dedicated as the ones who are highly driven.
Its also important that you don’t dismiss the work of others if it appear it makes no sense the individual you have just helped improve quite possibly was ready to make a performance surge as a result of a change in stimulus had it been you or someone else.
So be patient, build on results and people will come. Above all stick to your principles and develop your coaching methodology overtime. Good luck its great to see young passionate people wanting to put their hand up. Now enjoy the ride!!
NOT a stupid question at all.
Have them play YOUR game at all times,and at no time play THEIR game ever.
Do always your best to have in your background whatever you need to make this happen.
If you are already coaching,then you are already a coach. Start listening to your athletes now.
All great pointers but the most important thing is “networking”… You can be a great coach and won’t find work if you are lacking in the networking department - the most important pointer is stay humble and remember your shit does stink…
