Sports Coaches
Results with athletes and businesspeople has filtered into many areas and now I have the pleasure of working with some phenomenal coaches in sport, business and mentoring professionals as the Coach’s Secret Weapon.
Rather than me sharing my thoughts, I have turned this over to a client, coach and coach educator, Brant Best.
Brant Best was the
- Former Coach for James Magnussen (then, the fastest swimmer in History)
- Australian Olympic Team Coach
- Australian Swimming Coach of the Year
- Currently working in Coaching Development for Swimming Queensland.
“As coaches we pride ourselves on delivering the best environment for our athletes to gain the edge over their opposition and improve on previous performances – whether that be technical, tactical, physical or mental,
The best coaches I’ve observed are consistently looking to solve these challenges, identify the real challenges – find the source of the problem – work out new and interesting methods and adapting the tried and true to their own specific daily training environment.
The quality of this process depends on our frame of mind and the clarity of our vision. It drives our creative and innovative juices and gives us the space to see where our new ideas and decisions impact the big picture within our programs.
The best coaches are those that have the clarity to identify to most accurately the problem and act effectively to solve that – This is coaching! This capacity to influence the process to deliver the desired outcome is key to our success.
But who coaches the coaches? If this clarity, this mindset is so absolutely essential. We as coaches must be able to accurately identify the problems, find the headspace to be innovative with for our solutions and do what we can to fast track or optimize this performance state of mind in ourselves.
To ultimately to bring out the best in our athletes, we must seek out ways to optimize our own performance, use the same principle as we do with our athletes to enable us to impact ourselves.
In my experience as both a coach educator and as a coach, the times where I have had the opportunity to work with professionals who can help me attain this state – this mindset –
I’ve attained clarity of purpose which has driven a certainty of direction that has ultimately led to an improvement in the quality of my decision-making process. Any success I have, has been heavily influenced by those I have worked with, as I stand on the shoulders of those who have allowed me to see more clearly.
Most recently a key influence in this process for me has been working with Stuart Walter. The work we have done over the past 18 months has enabled this clarity of purpose both personally and professionally guided me to more closely define my direction.
If we recognise as coaches, that our decisions heavily impact the performances of our athletes then, in my opinion, we must also recognise that for ourselves guidance of the same nature is critical and we must actively seek this opportunity for a clearer view. Be it from a mentor, a colleague or a friend the perspective provided in this interaction is essential.
I count Stuart Walter to be a leader in this field and gladly count him as a valuable mentor, colleague and friend.”
If this makes you question yourself as the most effective coach or are you wondering, am I the best version of me to help your athletes? You are not alone.
Many coaches are not at their best personally and professionally and this alone can be a limitation to your athletes. That is why they reach out to me and it is a sign of strength to acknowledge that you need help in this area, and this is what I specialise in, I am not a sports coach, I am not a nutritionist. I want to help get your head in the game!
If you can connect to Brant Best and want to be at the top of your game personally and professionally, I would love to connect for a chat over a virtual coffee!
Email me at stuart@elitemindsetinstitute.com.au
Stuart Walter,
The Coach’s Secret Weapon
The Athlete’s Secret Weapon