Coaching methods do matter

By Erin Hussey

In the world of sports there are a variety of clear, black and white oppositions: home versus visitors, spectators versus athletes and winners versus losers. But there is one opposition that remains grey: coach versus team.

If a coach struts into the locker room or shows up at practice looking like a high school kid wearing baggy street clothes and is smacking on gum, how is the team supposed to react? Should they automatically respect him simply because of his title or should they question his authority?

If a coach's only method of communication is through loud screams of negative frustration, how are athletes supposed to respond? Should they take this as encouragement or doubt their coach's ability to actually coach the team?

Don't get me wrong -- after helping coach a group of high school girls in volleyball, I experienced how difficult this task can be. It takes time, patience and most of all, compassion. However, understanding how coaches display their compassion is sometimes as difficult as making a hole-in-one.

I have been coached by an entire spectrum of compassion.

In the fourth grade I was coached with encouragement. After every coach-pitch game, win or lose, my mom (our coach) would jump up and down cheering and tell our team how proud she was. Her love was her compassion.

In high school, my club volleyball coach ran the team with a scary intensity. She wanted perfection and wasn't afraid to push us for it. Some days we hated her. But, when we were on the court -- two points from losing to a less talented team -- and we heard her voice from the bench, we kicked it up a notch and won. Her compassion was winning, period.

In college, the relationships between coaches and players become even more complicated.

While college athletes aren't 10-year-old kids any more, they still need to be encouraged. No, coaches don't need to hold their player's hands. But every athlete, no matter their age, still needs that unique positive reenforcement that can only come from a coach.

On the other hand, if a coach tries to discipline college athletes the way most do with high school kids, using a ridiculous power trip, any respect an athlete might have for a coach will turn into deep hatred.

There needs to be a balance. To coach is rough but playing against one is even worse.

* Contact Erin Hussey at (408) 551- 1918 or ehussey@scu.edu.