Joe Kenn | V.P. of Performance Education
Having been in the strength and conditioning field for over 30 years, I have seen a lot, been exposed to a lot, learned a lot, made mistakes, corrected those mistakes, shared my experiences, and have been extremely fortunate to serve as a mentor to many. I am frequently asked by those who are entering the field what are some points of emphasis they should focus on. Well, there are many and in no particular order, I will share some of what I have learned through our new Lessons of a Veteran Strength Coach Series.
Point 1 – What is the Best Professional Development a Coach can do?
That’s easy! The number one professional development scenario is hit the floor and learn to coach. I am not talking about the science and methods, I am talking about creating your coaching personality. Your goal should be to continue to develop your approach to teaching and communicating with your athletes, your sport coaches, and the strength staff. This is the art of coaching.
This is something that should occur throughout the academic year with the entire staff. Working on exercise technique cues and progressions, how to communicate that to the athletes in an effective manner in which they can accomplish the tasks in a competent fashion. This should be a major emphasis! Being able to perfect your approach, delivery, and personality to inspire others is a key to lasting success.
Point 2 – Create Relationships “Out of Network”
It is easy to establish support and comradery from the colleagues you have developed close relationships and that is important. But, in order to grow you must engage in reaching out to others who may a different skill set or an expertise that you don’t have to help you grow. It’s ok not to be an expert in multiple things, most find it hard to be an expert in a single subject, let along many. That is why it is important to find those individuals who are willing to help you improve your skill set and answer your questions.
Most individuals in our field are willing to share if someone reaches out looking for help. If you have questions and need to find answers, research the experts that our outside of your network and make first contact.
Best Success
Coach Kenn