Coaches - Create independent athletes

Dr Matt Long and Jamie French spoke to coach mentor Malcolm Fenton about coach-dependent athletes.

In Athletics Weekly (August 30th, 2012), former national coach Tom McNab alluded to his perception that in the London Olympic women's pole vault final, several of the athletes seemed heavily reliant on their coaches to inform them how to gauge the levels of the wind in the stadium, which undoubtedly impacted performance. This observation re-ignites the thorny issue of athletes who may be said to be 'coach-dependent'.

The Problem

While the coach to the athlete can give appropriate feedback during a competition, there is the danger of what Goldsmith (2012) calls 'over-coaching'. He explains, "Coaching is about creating independent athletes. Over-coaching creates a dependent athlete who relies on the coach for decision-making and problem-solving, which is performance suicide".

Both track and field athletes can become unhealthily 'coach-dependent' before a competition. This phenomenon is associated with the throws and jumps disciplines during the competition because of the more significant window of opportunity for athlete-coach interaction. National coach mentor for hammer, discus, and shot Malcolm Fenton offered the following perspective unconditionally. "I hate to intervene during competition. I want to engender self-sufficiency among my athletes. You have to take a historical perspective. Since the relaxing of the competition rules, the culture of the coach being there for the athlete has changed in the last 20 years or so".

The allusion to relaxing rules allowing closer proximity between athlete and coach in the competitive arena can be counterproductive for the athlete because of a vicious cycle of self-perpetuating doubt (see Karageorghis, 2007). The legendary Green Bay Packers US football coach perceptively pointed out, "Confidence is contagious, but so is a lack of confidence!"

The causes

In applying the work of Woods (1998), one can see how a command style of coaching based on one-way instruction can lead to a coach-centred and potentially unhealthy relationship between athlete and coach. Coaches who refuse to engender a more reciprocal style of contact with their athlete(s), whereby the athlete, to an extent, becomes a problem solver exploring solutions to the demands of event-specific competition, are in danger of unwittingly cultivating an overly dependent athlete. While the issues may manifest in the heat of competitive battle, the relationship is built up in the context of training, where unhealthy seeds are sown.

The solution

Malcolm provides us three lessons: (1) the coach must develop on developing an appropriate relationship with the athlete in training well before the competition. (2) Concurrent feedback given by the coach to the athlete should be a process rather than goal-focused, and (3) the use of appropriately adapted drills can be a way to engender self-analysis and cognitive shift from goal to process.

It is far easier for coaches to give athletes what Davis et al. (2000) term 'exteroceptive feedback', ordinarily underpinned by observation and delivered verbally, during training than in competition. Many factors that both coach and athlete are unable to control during a competition may inhibit the coach from giving feedback, not least of which may be volume levels caused by crowded stadiums at elite levels of competition.

For Fenton, the key is for coaches to facilitate feedback both before and, in some instances, during a competition, which encourages the athletes to respond to the feedback provided by their bodies. Intrinsic feedback tends to be further subdivided into proprioceptive (conscious) and kinaesthetic (almost reflex) types. Whilst the coach is limited in influencing these internal mechanisms, effective questioning before and, in some cases, during competition can, to a certain extent, influence how the athlete responds to what their body is telling them.

During a competition, coaches can, to a greater or lesser extent, offer their athletes what Galligan et al. (2000) term 'concurrent feedback'. For Fenton, one of the keys to avoiding a coach-dependent athlete is to attempt to engender KP (Knowledge of Process) rather than KR (Knowledge of Results) feedback during training well before the competition. He continues, "You have to remember that all athletes are different. I had one athlete, for instance, who was very goal-driven, even in training. I wanted the training to be more about the process and less about the goal. So, I modified the discus throw by questioning and introducing a skill drill, which meant that the distance achieved would be some 10-15 metres less than it would in a short, unadapted throw. The athlete focused less on the goal and more on the process".

Once again, Fenton is a great believer that working in training is a prerequisite in shifting the athlete from overreliance on exteroceptive to intrinsic feedback during competition. He further explains, "In the throwing circle in training, some of my athletes experience difficulties in their right leg action in the hammer. So, I got them to shout the word 'right' at the appropriate point to ensure they did this. To ensure they vocalised this, I often stood up to 100 yards away to ensure they remembered to shout this. Once, one of my athletes carried this training technique into the competitive arena and was heard shouting this."

The athlete's reflection and use of a verbal cue to trigger focus can lead to the athlete's feeling the movement pattern and then articulating what happened, reinforcing the learning of the movement patterns. Suppose this or other self-reflection processes are repeated enough. In that case, it is hoped that the athletes will become quasi-autonomous learning individuals or those who can learn, develop, and adapt to the differing competition environments. While for what Fleming described as kinaesthetic learners, this process of self-reflection may be appropriate, the VAK/VARK model of learning styles (Leite et al. 2009) suggests that some athletes must be shown or told their movement patterns. However, the process of athlete-owned interventions will once again lead to learning and adaptable athletes.

Conclusions

This article first acknowledges a problem in our sport of coach dependency on the part of some athletes. Having articulated why this phenomenon is almost universally felt unhealthy, we explored the underlying causes for the manifestation of this undemocratic relationship between athlete and coach. Using the experiences of one of Britain's most respected coaches, we considered practical solutions that can help encourage athletes to sustain high self-sufficiency during competition.

Article Reference

The information on this page is adapted from Long & French (2013)^[1] with the authors' permission and Athletics Weekly's kind permission..

References

LONG, M. Dr (2013) Making a Decision, Athletics Weekly, 18th April, p. 58-59

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

LONG, M. & FRENCH, J. (2013) Coaches - Create independent athletes [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article148.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Dr Matt Long and Jamie French are coaches, education tutors, and regional trainers with British Athletics.


topics A-Z Page Index Article Library Coaching General Young Athletes Literature Reviews Coaching Conditioning Endurance Ergogenic Aids Evaluation Injury Prevention Nutrition Physiology Planning Psychology Skill Development Speed Strength Female Athletes Master Athletes Young Athletes Sports Specific Basketball Bodybuilding Boxing Cycling Golf Rowing Rugby Soccer Squash Swimming Tennis Triathlon USA Football Training Conditioning Endurance Ergogenic Aids Evaluation Injury Prevention Nutrition Physiology Planning Psychology Skill Development Speed Strength Anatomy & Physiology Articles Biomechanics Body Systems Cardiovascular Digestive Endocrine Muscular Neurological Respiratory Skeletal Body Type Energy Systems Maximum Heart Rate Movement Analysis Coaching Articles Assessment Communication Ethics Group Dynamics Methods Philosophy Process Principles Responsibilities Styles Skills & Roles Young Athletes Fitness Development Articles Agility Conditioning Core Stability Endurance Flexibility Skill Speed Strength Training Principles VO2max Fitness Testing Articles Blood Pressure Evaluation Tests Ideal Weight Nutrition Articles Basal Metabolic Rate Eating & Competing Eating Disorders Glycemic Index Healthy Eating Minerals Vitamins Planning Articles Athlete Profiling Creating a Plan LTAD Tapering Warm Up & Cool Down Programs Aqua Training Circuit Training CNS Training Complex Training Fartlek Training Heart Rate Training Hill Training Medicine Ball Training Personal Exercise Plan Plyometric Training Track & Field Training Weight Training Psychology Articles Competitive Anxiety Mental Imagery Relaxation Techniques SCAT Sports Psychology Stress Management TEOSQ Sports American Football Basketball Boxing Cross Country Cycling Fell Running Golf Rowing Rugby Soccer Squash Swimming Tennis Triathlon Ultimate Frisbee Sport Development Funding in Sport History of Sport Olympic Games Sport Structure Sports Injury Articles ACL Cramp Cryotherapy Dehydration Hot & Cold Baths Injury Prevention Muscle Imbalance Over Training Shin Soreness Stitch Sports Merchandise Books & DVD's Clothing & Shoes Training Aids Magazines Track & Field Combined Events Decathlon Heptathlon Hexathlon Octathlon Pentathlon Jumps High Jump Long Jump Pole Vault Triple Jump Running Hurdles Long Distance Middle Distance Sprints Steeplechase Throws Discus Hammer Javelin Shot Putt Track & Field Safety Training Aids Articles Ergogenic Aids Massage Sports Drinks Supplements Website Blog Website Updates Website Information Awards Disclaimer & Copyright Help - where do I find Link Exchange Policy Visitors Comments Visitor Feedback Visitor Statistics Web Master Web Links Coaches Corner Useful Links	Coaches - Create independent athletes Dr Matt Long and Jamie French spoke to coach mentor Malcolm Fenton about coach-dependent athletes. In Athletics Weekly (August 30th, 2012), former national coach Tom McNab alluded to his perception that in the London Olympic women's pole vault final, several of the athletes seemed heavily reliant on their coaches to inform them how to gauge the levels of the wind in the stadium, which undoubtedly impacted performance. This observation re-ignites the thorny issue of athletes who may be said to be 'coach-dependent'. The Problem While the coach to the athlete can give appropriate feedback during a competition, there is the danger of what Goldsmith (2012) calls 'over-coaching'. He explains, "Coaching is about creating independent athletes. Over-coaching creates a dependent athlete who relies on the coach for decision-making and problem-solving, which is performance suicide". Both track and field athletes can become unhealthily 'coach-dependent' before a competition. This phenomenon is associated with the throws and jumps disciplines during the competition because of the more significant window of opportunity for athlete-coach interaction. National coach mentor for hammer, discus, and shot Malcolm Fenton offered the following perspective unconditionally. "I hate to intervene during competition. I want to engender self-sufficiency among my athletes. You have to take a historical perspective. Since the relaxing of the competition rules, the culture of the coach being there for the athlete has changed in the last 20 years or so". The allusion to relaxing rules allowing closer proximity between athlete and coach in the competitive arena can be counterproductive for the athlete because of a vicious cycle of self-perpetuating doubt (see Karageorghis, 2007). The legendary Green Bay Packers US football coach perceptively pointed out, "Confidence is contagious, but so is a lack of confidence!" The causes In applying the work of Woods (1998), one can see how a command style of coaching based on one-way instruction can lead to a coach-centred and potentially unhealthy relationship between athlete and coach. Coaches who refuse to engender a more reciprocal style of contact with their athlete(s), whereby the athlete, to an extent, becomes a problem solver exploring solutions to the demands of event-specific competition, are in danger of unwittingly cultivating an overly dependent athlete. While the issues may manifest in the heat of competitive battle, the relationship is built up in the context of training, where unhealthy seeds are sown. The solution Malcolm provides us three lessons: (1) the coach must develop on developing an appropriate relationship with the athlete in training well before the competition. (2) Concurrent feedback given by the coach to the athlete should be a process rather than goal-focused, and (3) the use of appropriately adapted drills can be a way to engender self-analysis and cognitive shift from goal to process. It is far easier for coaches to give athletes what Davis et al. (2000) term 'exteroceptive feedback', ordinarily underpinned by observation and delivered verbally, during training than in competition. Many factors that both coach and athlete are unable to control during a competition may inhibit the coach from giving feedback, not least of which may be volume levels caused by crowded stadiums at elite levels of competition. For Fenton, the key is for coaches to facilitate feedback both before and, in some instances, during a competition, which encourages the athletes to respond to the feedback provided by their bodies. Intrinsic feedback tends to be further subdivided into proprioceptive (conscious) and kinaesthetic (almost reflex) types. Whilst the coach is limited in influencing these internal mechanisms, effective questioning before and, in some cases, during competition can, to a certain extent, influence how the athlete responds to what their body is telling them. During a competition, coaches can, to a greater or lesser extent, offer their athletes what Galligan et al. (2000) term 'concurrent feedback'. For Fenton, one of the keys to avoiding a coach-dependent athlete is to attempt to engender KP (Knowledge of Process) rather than KR (Knowledge of Results) feedback during training well before the competition. He continues, "You have to remember that all athletes are different. I had one athlete, for instance, who was very goal-driven, even in training. I wanted the training to be more about the process and less about the goal. So, I modified the discus throw by questioning and introducing a skill drill, which meant that the distance achieved would be some 10-15 metres less than it would in a short, unadapted throw. The athlete focused less on the goal and more on the process". Once again, Fenton is a great believer that working in training is a prerequisite in shifting the athlete from overreliance on exteroceptive to intrinsic feedback during competition. He further explains, "In the throwing circle in training, some of my athletes experience difficulties in their right leg action in the hammer. So, I got them to shout the word 'right' at the appropriate point to ensure they did this. To ensure they vocalised this, I often stood up to 100 yards away to ensure they remembered to shout this. Once, one of my athletes carried this training technique into the competitive arena and was heard shouting this." The athlete's reflection and use of a verbal cue to trigger focus can lead to the athlete's feeling the movement pattern and then articulating what happened, reinforcing the learning of the movement patterns. Suppose this or other self-reflection processes are repeated enough. In that case, it is hoped that the athletes will become quasi-autonomous learning individuals or those who can learn, develop, and adapt to the differing competition environments. While for what Fleming described as kinaesthetic learners, this process of self-reflection may be appropriate, the VAK/VARK model of learning styles (Leite et al. 2009) suggests that some athletes must be shown or told their movement patterns. However, the process of athlete-owned interventions will once again lead to learning and adaptable athletes. Conclusions This article first acknowledges a problem in our sport of coach dependency on the part of some athletes. Having articulated why this phenomenon is almost universally felt unhealthy, we explored the underlying causes for the manifestation of this undemocratic relationship between athlete and coach. Using the experiences of one of Britain's most respected coaches, we considered practical solutions that can help encourage athletes to sustain high self-sufficiency during competition. Article Reference The information on this page is adapted from Long & French (2013)^[1] with the authors' permission and Athletics Weekly's kind permission.. References LONG, M. Dr (2013) Making a Decision, Athletics Weekly, 18th April, p. 58-59 Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: LONG, M. & FRENCH, J. (2013) Coaches - Create independent athletes [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article148.htm [Accessed About the Author Dr Matt Long and Jamie French are coaches, education tutors, and regional trainers with British Athletics.