The fundamental foundation of a good team rests upon the ability of the coach to lead the team to greater heights. Consequently, a well-developed and tested coaching philosophy as demonstrated by the coach is one of the basic prerequisites of building a strong team. Below, the tenets that describe my coaching philosophy are outlined.
I am a firm believer of discipline, respect, teamwork, self-reflection and total cooperation as the principal tenets involved in developing a good team and, as such, these guiding principles inform my coaching philosophy. To achieve successful outcomes, each player must exercise a certain level of discipline not only in the field but also in other areas.
I always make it to clear to players under my charge that discipline or lack of it is instrumental in shaping or destroying future professional ambitions. Players must show respect not only to their counterparts and competitors, but also to the coaching fraternity and the rules and regulations governing the sport. Players under my charge must always remember that professional teams are always disciplined and respectable.
Teamwork is a guiding principle that cannot be ignored if the team is to achieve successful outcomes. A group of players cannot really be called a ‘team’ if they do not exhibit the spirit of teamwork. Individual successes of players under my charge must always be perceived under the lens of group success to prioritize teamwork and gain mileage from its positive outcomes.
Indeed, it is my believe that members of the team should be encouraged to undertake joint activities other than playing or exercising to establish strong social bonds and enhance interpersonal relationships. Such activities may include camping, social work, attending to the sick and tree planting.
The bottom line is that these activities not only bring out unique talents and abilities in the players, but underline the raw power and strength that derives from a closely knit team.
There cannot be any tangible results without self-reflection. The professional development of the team is dependent on the capacity of the coach to make personal reflections of previous mistakes and the core strengths of the team with the view to establish critical areas that require improvement.
Players also need to be encouraged to make reflective assessments of their weaknesses and strengths so that they can start making steps towards improving their performance. Self-reflection forms a critical component in developing a strong team that can excel in all its endeavors. It is also important to note that self-reflection is instrumental in assisting members of the team to realize their full potential.
The last guiding principle that informs my coaching philosophy is cooperation. Coaches expect total cooperation not only from players but also from other members of the technical bench if they are to develop successful and competitive teams.
Players must at all times be encouraged to cooperate with their colleagues and the technical team during training and in actual competitions if they expect the team to post positive results.
Indeed, the importance of cooperation in coaching cannot be underestimated since it is the basic principle that ensures members of the team learn from each other. Above all, cooperative players make the coaching tasks much easier, either in training or during actual competitions, because they are more willing to listen and act upon the advice given by the coach.