Tips for Getting Along With Your Coach
You need a good relationship with your coach if you're going to put in those long hours and tough practices. The coach is the one setting the schedule, and if you plan to drag yourself to swim practice at 5:30 a.m. or do layups for 2 hours, you have to like the person who's making you break a sweat.
If you don't respect your coach, you're more likely to resent all the hard work instead of appreciating how it can help you in the long run. The reverse is also true — it's tempting to promise all sorts of stuff to a coach you respect and want to impress. But be realistic in what you tell your coach you can do. Failing to follow through will only erode the trust between you.
Ideally, a relationship between a coach and an athlete is based on mutual respect and trust. You can make a good impression by showing up for practice on time, abiding by team rules, and always putting a lot of effort into your performance, whether it's a workout or a game, meet, or match.
But to truly build respect, you have to do more than go through the motions. Your coach's expertise and experience makes him or her an authority figure within the sports setting. Even if you sometimes don't agree with your coach's opinion, it can help to recognize that he or she has a lot more experience than you do. If you don't understand the reasons behind your coach's directions, approach him or her about it. Communication is crucial so both athlete and coach know what the other wants to achieve.
Figuring out how the coach manages the team will also help you develop your relationship. Coaches can fall into two types: those who run their teams based on obedience and those who rely on responsibility.
Obedience coaches basically say, "I'm the one in charge, and I'm going to make the rules." This approach can work well in a team setting as players know that their coach has the confidence and experience to make a sure decision. To develop a good relationship with this type of coach, you have to follow the rules and respect his or her authority.
Responsibility coaches allow the players to have more input in setting team policies, like deciding which reasons for missing practice are valid or how to reprimand someone who's always late. You should show respect for this type of coach as well, but his or her approach to running the team is not as rigid. (If you think a team rule is unfair, for example, the coach might be open to revising it.)