For those of you who know me personally you know I am currently in St. Paul, Minnesota at the USA Hockey Level 5 coaching symposium and have the great opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in the country and associated with USA hockey. Today I sat in on a presentation by University of Wisconsin Head women's ice hockey coach, Mark Johnson. Coach Johnson is a very intelligent coach and extremely knowledgeable about the profession. One of the most lasting concepts he spoke about this morning was a coach's character.
There were several moments he described where coaches need to be professional and practice what they preach because the atheltes always notice what you are doing. If a coach is not practicing what they preach or breaking promises to the team or breaking team rules, athletes will notice and lose trust. As a coach, your athlete's trust may be the most single handedly important aspect of coaching. Without the faith of your team, you will be climbing an uphill battle all year long.
Remember to practice what you preach and be accountable for what you are teaching. Look in the mirror everyday and if you aren't exhibiting the values you are teaching (good character, honesty, etc.) you are not practicing the values of respectful coaching and you have room for improvement. Let's work to egt better everyday.
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