What is Coach-Athlete Communication?
Communication is key to any relationship and the coach-athlete relationship is no different. Without getting too technical, communication involves transmitting a message from a sender to a receiver. The key in coaching is working to ensure that the message that is received by the athlete is the one that is intended!
There are many ways this signal can be sent in the sports context including a one-on-one conversation, a coach’s address to an entire team or group of players, electronic communication directly to a player or a group of players, etc.
Communication Problems:
- Lost in Translation: We’ve all played the kids game “telephone” where you whisper something into someone’s ear and by the time it goes down a line the message has been changed. Direct communication is always best to prevent the message changing (but even then be sure to follow up with the receiver to make sure they understood your message as you intended it).
- Do What I Mean, Not What I Say: Sometimes as coaches we take things for granted, and assume the players will correct an unintentionally incorrect message. I have seen coaches yell at players for following their coach’s instructions because the coach mispoke and the player “should have known better.” This sets a dangerous precedent. A better way of handling it might be for the player to ask for clarification- although this may depend on the sport and the situation and may not always be possible in competition, but should be in practice.
- The Silent Treatment: There are times that it is better to say nothing than to say something you will regret later, however, regularly not providing feedback is a recipe for disaster. When a coach fails to communicate it opens the silence up for interpretation that usually is not good for the athlete (coach has lost confidence in me, coach is mad at me, etc.). Think of it from the other side, if a player misses a workout wouldn’t you want prompt clear communication from the player rather than trying to figure it out yourself (they overslept, they don’t care, etc.) when there might be a legitimate reason (family emergency, etc.)
- Nonverbal Signals: There are many ways to communicate without speaking such as a facial expression, body positioning, and physical touch. I will share two parent complaints that I received in my coaching career. Once a parent complained that I placed my hand on the shoulder of one player when subbing them in and did not her son. She interpreted this as I cared about the other player and not her son. The reality was that her son was a super-sharp, straight A student and I was worried the other player would be able to find his way to the scorer’s table to sub in if I didn’t help guide him there! A second time I received a complaint email (of course) because I had given a player an “angry look” after they missed a dunk attempt. In that case, I had such respect for the player and was so shocked that he would try to dunk in a game when he had never been able to dunk in practice that I was literally too stunned to speak and thought it better not to say anything right then in the competition. My point is that nonverbal communication is very powerful- even to parents in the stands so be aware of it!
- Burnout: If either the coach or athlete is suffering from burnout then their ability to send and/or receive messages may be impaired.
Why Does Coach-Athlete Communication Matter?
Diane Culver and Pierre Trudel wrote an article in 2000 that gave a wonderful snapshot into coach-athlete communication of elite national team skiiers and their coaches. Though the sport and context is probably different from yours, the principles probably apply to your situation. They separately interviewed both athletes and coaches, asked them to keep a journal, and observation practices and competitions. It is very interesting to see the situations that developed from the different perspectives. Here are some examples they used to explain why coach-athlete communication matters:
- Having a strong bond with their coach is a common characteristic of elite athletes that perform at or near their potential
- The older and athlete gets and the higher the level of competition increases the players’ need for a closer relationship with their coach.
- Coaches stressed the importance of hard work, but athletes stressed the importance of fun (even at the elite level!)
- Both coaches and athletes said they thought two-way communication was very important, but both had trouble practicing this during the competitive season!
How Can I Improve Coach-Athlete Communication?
Here are some ideas with quotes from the article…
Intentionally Spend Time Communicating to Build Relationships
From a coach, “I find that you really need to spend time to learn your athletes and get to know who they are and what they sort of stand for, and what they want to get out of the deal, and adjust your coaching to each person I guess ” (Culver & Trudell, 2000, p. 36).
Be Positive
From an athlete, “I think that coaches have to be very good at communicating with their athletes, and in a positive way. I mean everybody learns in different ways, but for me I learn best when coaches are positive. I mean they dont have to be saying good things all the time, but, when they are positive, you can really talk to them” (Culver & Trudell, 2000, p. 36).
Talk With Athletes About Their Goals
From a player, “Doing goals would have reassured me. Sometimes it’s just good to know that you are on the same wavelength (as the coach) and that you know whats going on and maybe that pressure I was putting on myself would have been avoided (Culver & Trudell, 2000, p. 43).
Build a Team Culture that Values Open and Honest Communication
Don’t assume the player will open up to you if you haven’t established a culture that tells the athlete this is what they should do. Unfortunately, in our society communicating about feelings is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness or softness and many athletes would not want that stigma. Culver & Trudell say it this way, “athletes might need their coaches help to open communication” (p. 49).
That’s what I think. What do you think? Let me know with a comment, tweet, or email.
Coach ’em up!
Hal Wilson
About the Author: After coaching and working with various teams at the college, high school, and youth level in a variety of roles for 18 years, I have returned to finish my Ph.D. in Kinesiology & Sport Studies. I have also been involved in athletics as a player, coach, administrator, official, and parent.
PS- If you are interested in the full article here is the full reference: