Encourage don’t discourage
“When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.”
- Author Unknown
I’ve always said to everyone I know (and they’ll tell you if you ask them) that if I could coach swimming for the rest of my life I’d be one hell of a happy person. Just coaching this team that I’ve started up has been an absolute godsend. I love being on deck, working with people, helping them get better and helping them achieve those dreams that we all have. There’s no better feeling in the world than seeing someone who has gone through so much, worked so hard, get up and go and do something incredible. That being said even a single ounce of discouragement can throw everything out of whack and it’s something that we as athletes and coaches need to stray away from.
There’s that old mantra: if you have nothing good to say don’t say it. Same applies here. If you’ve got no words of encouragement and only words of discouragement take them somewhere else. They’re not wanted or needed here. Sure there are those “let’s have a reality check” conversations but the end of those should just fire someone up even more and not have them feeling mentally soupy inside.
Encouragement should come in doses. What we as coaches need to realize that our words of encouragement can sometimes be taken and blown out of proportion and before you know it you have a headcase on your hands that will be tought to deal with if it keeps going on. I make it a point that at the end of every set I let my swimmers know that they just kicked some ass. If they didn’t kick ass we talk about why and how they felt in the water. You know, what felt good, what didn’t, etc. The last thing I need is for them to think “Oh god coach didn’t say anything, we must have sucked.” I’d rather take the time and talk about it, make corrections and really go after the next set. I find this approach keeps spirits up, keeps the swimmers at a constant “let’s kick some ass attitude.” and allows me to really focus on the good things and stay in a good frame of mind for the practice. We all have our bad days and I do my level best not to take out on them or anyone else. If I’m having a bad day they get a longer warmup so I can make sure I’m good to go and ready to give them everything I’ve got.
Sports are a two way street much like relationships. If my swimmers are giving me their best there is no reason I should not be giving them my best in return. This requires a focus and an attention to detail that was not easy to come by. It pretty much requires me to eat, sleep, breathe swimming from all aspects. Stroke work, technique, physiology and psychology as well as a number of other areas. I just don’t do it for the swimmers I do it for me as well. If I’m not having fun doing something what is the point of doing it right?
I guess what I am trying to get at is don’t let those who wish to toss mud at you get you down. Let is roll off your shoulders and get back on the block and get ready for some repeat 400 I.M.s
