I want the people I coach to be more engaged, energetic, and animated. I want them to play with everything they get, not just for games, but for their practices and workouts. They should leave all of their energy out on the field. The best athletes play with their entire bodies. They use all of their senses to find out what’s going on around them and then use their talents and skills to achieve success.

I expect those I coach to be candid with me, and I am very open and candid with them. This open exchange requires a certain amount of trust, which I earn by giving them the freedom to express themselves without being reprimanded. Rather than allowing them to make excuses for their mistakes, I need them to own up to their weaknesses so we can fix them. Even if it hurts feelings, it’s more important to speak honestly and frankly.

As a coach, I want people to enjoy the process while discovering their potential. They should have a good time with their teammates and enjoy the competition. It is easier to live in the moment if they are having a good time. It makes no sense to worry about what happened in the past. I am a big believer in the “what have you done for me lately” philosophy. We can either learn from the past or wallow in it. One of the most common problems that I see in the modern game is that many players are too focused on what they did wrong. Instead of focusing on how they can improve, they spend all their time thinking about what they did wrong.

I don’t hold anything back or pull my punches when I correct an athlete’s mistake. I am assertive and insist the athlete fix the problem. As a coach, I’ll hand out a number of suggestions but always give the athlete the personal freedom to choose the one they want. I’ll give them room to come up with their own remedy if it helps. I want them invested in the process and the outcomes. I think it’s important to be flexible because there’s more than one way to skin a cat. I don’t necessarily want the best or most correct solution, but the most appropriate one for this athlete. I want them to think about themselves in new ways, take ownership of their mistakes, and learn from them. I am there to empower them, not judge them.

Conflict happens all the time in sports, especially when someone has a goal that interferes with the goals of others, like when one team tries to score against another. And that’s fine—that’s why we have games and competitions. Sometimes conflict is good and motivates us to work harder and make progress. But sometimes it can be destructive, especially if it hurts or harms people. I teach others to face their conflicts head-on and tackle them quickly. If it is harmful, I will try to nip it in the bud before it grows out of control and spreads. If is isn’t destructive, I let it play out and see where it leads. Sometimes I’ve been known to create a little conflict just to disrupt the equilibrium and encourage people to do something different.

I am good at persuading people because I approach coaching with optimism and enthusiasm. This attitude is contagious, and people feed off my high energy to become more excited and motivated. My approach to life is that it is important to be happy, to enjoy what you do, and to get the most out of everything. I have a strong belief in the power of positive thinking, and I am able to instill this into my athletes.

If I’m skilled in a particular technique, rather than just telling someone what to do, I’ll actually go out on the field and show them how to do it. In the school activity of “show and tell”, I was more of a show-er than a tell-er. As a coach, it is far more important to walk the walk than to talk the talk. In fact, if I still got the skills, I’ll challenge my team to try to beat me. Eventually they do, which is exactly what I want to see.

Like a ringleader in the circus, I don’t mind wandering into the spotlight from time-to-time to grab people’s attention and introduce the next act, but moments later I want the spotlight refocused to my athletes so we can clearly observe their performance. My role is to provide direction and encouragement, as well as a smidge of embellishment to add sparkle to the show. As a coach, sometimes I even feel like the lion tamer, whose sole mission is to stay alive while training the big cats to dazzle and shine. I am the ultimate accomplice or cohort, whose mission is to simply to make the players look good.

I have faith in my ability to inspire athletes to overcome their limitations. Limitations are temporary obstacles that are supposed to be scaled, but if not scaled, then worked around, and if not worked around, then obliviated. I believe that we all have the capacity to reach our potential, and that we should seize any opportunity to achieve our goals. I believe that people who are dedicated to improving their skills and abilities will succeed. I believe that no matter how good or bad things get, there is always a way to improve. I believe that you can achieve what you set your mind to achieve.

As a coach, I bring to my team energy, excitement, and boldness. I encourage my athletes to “Go for it!” and they often respond with “Yes, Coach!” or “Let’s do it!” I’m not afraid to make mistakes or take risks because I know that it will help everyone grow. I am confident in my abilities and work hard to develop my skills and knowledge. As a coach, I’m dedicated to developing the skills of my athletes.

I’m sure you could name many other qualities you want in a coach, but these are the ones I believe to be most important. I believe in this philosophy because it has served me well over the years. It’s allowed me to overcome my own limitations. It’s allowed me to work with people of all levels of experience, from beginners to world-class athletes.