You need to build a strong athlete-coach relationship. This partnership will foster success in academics and athletics so be sure to make every effort to develop a strong working relationship with your coach.
Here are some tips to strengthen your relationship with a coach courtesy of the RateTheCoach Team:
Make Meeting with Your Coach a Weekly Thing:
The more you meet with your coach the better the two of you will get to know each other and with understanding comes comfort. In other words, once you learn what type of personality your coach has, you will in turn learn how to go about conducting a meeting with him/her. You will know whether your coach wants you in and out quickly, or is up for a chat, thus making the conference process less awkward.
Keep the Coach Informed About Your Academic Performance:
Most of the time coaches will receive academic reports for all of their players (If you are unsure about this, go meet with your coach). However, if this is not the case, it is your responsibility to inform the coach about you performance in the classroom, good, bad, or otherwise.
WARNING: The worst thing you can do is keep an academic problem from a coach. They will not be upset if you go to them seeking help. What will PISS THEM OFF, is if at the end of the semester, they receive a notice stating your academic ineligibility.
Periodically Review Short and Long Term Goals with Your Coach:
This is pretty self explanatory. Every athlete should set realistic short term and long term goals for themselves. Once you have these goals in mind it is important to make your coach aware of these objectives. Finally, once notified, coaches will usually try to help you achieve these goals.
Get Some Feedback:
Coaches will not deny you if every few weeks you ask them for a progress report. If anything, they will like the fact that you are working hard, trying to improve weaknesses.
Some Important Reminders
Respect Breeds Respect:
When meeting with a coach, or any authority figure, it is important to treat them with respect. If you have a problem, if you need help, if you are in search of some sort of information, go and speak to your coach in a respectful manner. If you respect them they will take notice and treat you with the same respect. If you approach them in anger, if you whine to them, if you complain about every little thing, coaches will be less likely to guide you in the right direction.
Be Honest with Yourself before Asking About Playing Time:
A players’ perspective of him/herself is ultimately a product of their former environment. Despite how college coaches and teammates may see them, if a player has been told how great they are their entire lives, most likely their point of view will not change. It is important for a college athlete to be honest. Are you really better than your team’s All-American short-stop as a freshman? Probably not. So be sure to evaluate your talent level before seeking more playing time. Thinking highly of yourself can only lead to disaster (look at Terell Owens). If you are good at what you do there is no need to tell others about it, they will tell you.
Be Open to Suggestions:
A coach will only tinker with your game if you go into a slump. So, if you do not take constructive criticism well, play good. For those of us who do not have perfection gushing from every pore, it is important to keep an open mind toward criticism. If you have made it to the college level that means your technique is very good. Coaches will sometimes offer constructive criticism to help make your techniques a little more efficient. Be flexible, be respectful, even try their advice for a while. You may learn something new and helpful. If what they suggest fails to work, relay that to them. By conversing, the two of you may come up with something new.
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