Getting Your (Coaching) Point Across

Several years ago Ron Polk visited Waco, Texas to discuss his program and his practice organization. At one point Coach Polk began to delve into Coach/Player communication. He discussed the importance of getting as much information and in as many ways as possible to the players.

Here’s a great example he gave:

A baseball player was constantly hitting under the ball and popping up. The coach kept telling the kid, “Keep Your Back Shoulder Up.” Eventually, the player graduates and moves on to the college level where he becomes a hitting machine. One day the player returns to his high school where the baseball coach meets with him and asks, “What has changed? How are you hitting so well? What have those coaches done that we didn’t do here?” And the player replies……”They told me to keep my front shoulder down.”

What a great story from Coach Polk and what a great lesson. Not everyone visualizes the same way. 

Coaches have to coach their points from all angles.

“Turn glove-side”/”Turn Left”/”Turn Right” can all mean the same thing. 

Yet somewhere in there may be something that a coach says that ‘clicks’ with the player.

As a coach, that story has always stuck with me and I try to attack each detail of the game from every angle.

Coaches:    Always look for ALL the buttons to push in a player.

Players:      Listen, visualize, comprehend. And always ask if you’re unsure.

-GameGrade