Feedback
Feedback. Such a critical component of the coach-athlete relationship and in my opinion one that helps improve not only the enjoyment for the athlete but also their longevity in the sport.
As a coach you need to know how to properly provide feedback to one of your athletes. Too harsh and the athlete’s spirits and emotional state is harmed, and too soft, the athlete may not be receiving constructive points where they need to.
The best way to think about is as a feedback sandwich:
POSITIVE COMMENT/FEEDBACK
CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENT/FEEDBACK
POSITIVE COMMENT/FEEDBACK
By using an approach such as this, the athlete is not only receiving praise for their hard work and training but also constructive tips/feedback/points regarding how to improve their training and/or efforts for their next session.
Similar also applies to athletes; coaches need and want your feedback from sessions in order to help improve their session planning, program designing, and the overall periodisation of your training. Leaving little comments after a training session or a quick text to your coach will do a world of good for your own training.
Below you can find some examples of good athlete communication:
Feedback is such a valuable tool. As a coach I always seek feedback from my athletes, wanting to know how they went with their session, was it too hard or too easy, how were they feeling that day for their training and so much more.
Always seek more feedback, because it’ll always make you a better coach and improve the experience for your athletes.
