With school back in session and fall training starting up, it is the perfect time for Nick and I to take a look at the past year and see what we did wrong and what we need to differently going forward. Self-reflection is a critical part of becoming a better coach, and on this episode we both highlight three things will be changing up for next season. Read more
The goal of every coach is to improve. But that’s easier said than done. In this episode Vern discusses the continuous quest for improvement and his tips for how coaches can get better and getting better. Read more
Not long ago someone asked me what I do to for professional development and to keep learning. I thought I would share what I do, that is not to suggest that is the way to do it rather to share a process that has worked for me over the years. Even though I call it a process for someone like me who is full of questions and inherently curious it is more semi-organized chaos. Read more
GAIN is more than just a coaches conference, it is a learning experience. But what makes it different? And how did Vern come up with this formula? On this week’s episode Vern talks about the history of GAIN, what he is trying to create, and what keeps people coming back for more. Read more
Our jobs would be a lot easier if we could just copy and paste training programs for our athletes. But that is rarely what works to produce results, as Nick and I discussed on the HMMR Media Podcast last month. It also is boring; a robot can copy and paste results after all. What makes coaching so fun and interesting is that it is challenging. In this Words of Wisdom I bring together some quotes I have come across recently that demonstrate the importance of finding your own unique solution as a coach, and a unique solution for your athletes. Read more
When I was in Minnesota last month I had a chance to share a beer with former Pan American Games hammer throw champ Jim Driscoll for a great discussion on training and coaching philosophies. At one point the conversation turned to how we can improve our coaching and he mentioned that he recently invited an experienced coaching colleague come and watch him coach. His colleague sat quietly on the side throughout the sessions. After his athletes had left the sat down to discuss what his colleague had observed and where he could improve his coaching and communication. It was a simple and effective idea, but it was the first coach I have ever heard to have implemented this approach. Read more
Rather than talking about training methods or training plans, this roundup brings together some great articles and quotes on equally important topics that build the foundation of a coach’s approach: the importance of multidisciplinary learning and other soft skills that go into coaching. Take a read below. Read more
I am quite wary of someone who has the answer and even more wary of someone who has all the answers. I know there was a time early in my career when I thought I had the answers. However it did not take long to be humbled. I quickly realized that those who I was learning the most from and those who were most successful where not the people with the answers but those with the questions. Read more
Learn to ask the right (appropriate) question. Be willing to ask the hard questions others are unwilling to ask. Here are some questions I find myself asking quite often: Read more
I don’t why it took me forty years to figure out that the smartest people are not the ones who are always talking and telling you what they know. The real smart people are those who are listening and asking questions. Stay away from the “experts” with all the answers – chances are they are selling something or have had one experience many times with no breath or depth to the experience. Read more
