It happens to all of us. We say one thing and our team hears another thing altogether. Here’s an example:
Me: Susie, if you take one more step and face your target, your pass will be right on the money.
Susie hears: You’re a horrible volleyball player.
Me: Betsy, you’re on the right track, just be sure to communicate with your teammates so that they know what you’re going to do.
Betsy hears: Not only do I think you’re a horrible volleyball player, your teammates hate you too.
If either of those scenarios sound a little too familiar, take heart. According to an article in Psychology Today titled, A Chic Critique (April 2011), “people react strongly to criticism no matter how it’s delivered.” That being said, I’m sure none of us is out to squish our team’s spirit like a proverbial bug. Let’s look at how we can critique without being critical.
8 Rules To Effectively Deliver Negative Feedback
- Always lead with questions. I may not lead with a question, but somewhere in my feedback, I usually ask if they understand what I’m asking of them. The article says that the hard part about criticism is that it threatens that person’s membership in the group. So asking questions shows them that they are part of a group effort. Something as simple as, “Do this. Does that make sense?”, is a typical exchange in our gym.
- Never give criticism unless it’s been invited. In my mind, by virtue of being on a team, they’re inviting criticism. Turns out that I’m onto something! “When a teacher grades a student, a coach gives a pep talk, or a parent guides a young child’s efforts, there’s a tacit agreement that praise and correction will be part of the exchange.”
- Make sure you are seen as having the authority to give corrective feedback. Have you ever had a freshman give a senior some advice on how to perform a skill better? Even if their advice is great, the senior probably won’t receive it because the freshman has no authority yet. If you’ve got one of those “helpful” freshmen, you should probably pull them aside and have a little chat with them.
- Distinguish whether a demand reflects your needs or is a valid critique of what they’re doing wrong. I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I want my team to do something because it’s my preferred method of operation. My general statement is, “there are a million ways to skin a cat…either way you end up with a cat without skin, so let’s try it my way.” Sure, that sounds gross, but it gets the point across. I’m not saying that the student-athlete is doing something wrong per se, just not the way I’d like them to do it.
- Never give feedback when you’re angry. Easier said than done, right? If there’s someone on your team that drives you crazy, let them become your assistant’s pet project. I’ve even been known to tell my assistant to listen to my corrective statements during practice. Like, “Katie is working my last nerve today, please make sure that I’m not picking on her at practice.” Hopefully this keeps Katie from being a puddle of tears in the locker room.
- Know who you’re talking to. As the article says, “Narcissists take any criticism as a personal attack; the insecure lose all self-esteem.” I’m constantly beating the personality test drum, and that’s because I think it’s a great way to find out how your team is motivated.
- Know yourself. Personally, I’m less outwardly sensitive to criticism. Of course it still stings and of course I’d rather receive a steady stream of praise, but I like to receive my criticism without all of the frills. But everyone isn’t like me and some people really need to hear the frills before they can process the criticism. Knowing that others aren’t like me will keep me from completely crushing the more sensitive folks on my team.
- Expect defensiveness. The article says that we tend to “simplify the world by making it bipolar”. So when you don’t tell Susie she’s the most amazing player in the whole, wide world…well, of course you are saying that she’s terrible. The good news is that this is just the initial reaction and you can expect a change in behavior to follow. You can also train your team about the proper response to your feedback. Do you want them to look you in the eye while you’re talking? Do you want them to respond with a “yes, Coach.” Be sure to let them know!
I enjoy Psychology Today, they’ve got great articles. A lot of our jobs as coaches is to figure out how to motivate our teams and I always find a gem in each magazine. I hope this one reminded us all about anticipating how our criticism will be received by our teams.
Tags: Coach, coach dawn, Corrective Feedback, Critique, Group Effort, Negative Feedback, Pep Talk, Psychology Today, Spirit, Tacit Agreement, Teammates, Typical Exchange
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The National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP) A and B courses are geared towards coaches wishing to advance by improving their skills to become certified by their sporting bodies - Dragon Boat Canada in our case.
The National Coaches Certification Program was established in part to generate more podium finishes at international events like the Olympic Games, and are an integral part of the 5-level national coaching certification program. (Level 1 is “community coach,” and Level 5 is “Olympic coach.” Level 2, which is the highest available certification for dragon boat coaches at the moment, is “competitive coach.”)<1>
I have completed both the A & B courses, and have been certified by DBC as a L1 coach (the “A” course is now mandatory for certification as a Level 1 Dragon Boat Coach by Dragon Boat Canada), and I believe these courses are of great value to our coaches.
ANYONE who is serious about coaching should take both of these courses – particularly during the brief period when they are being offered free of charge.
The “A” course, “Competition – Introduction Part A,” is intended to help coaches understand their starting point, as well as why people are involved in sport, and their expectations of you as a coach. Here are the course descriptions as provided by the Coaches Association of British Columbia.
Read the rest of the article here.
Tags: dragon boat coaches training, nccp classes, nccp training
BC Coaches Perspective: The Team Captain
Sep 2
2011
The Team Captain
Compiled by Laura Watson
With young children this is a great opportunity to experience this leadership role, sharing the position by alternating through the players each practice or game. Specific responsibilities can be given such as leading the warm-up or a team cheer, or bringing the juice and snack (in this case the parents should get to wear the temporary “C”). It’s an opportunity for these future athletes to learn valuable skills while assigning very little commitment. When it comes to children who are old enough to know that wearing a “C” or “A’ on their jerseys means something more, the responsibility and role of the captain takes on a whole new meaning.
WHAT IS A TEAM CAPTAIN?
Each sport has a different definition of what a captain is and what responsibilities they have. The title is usually honorary, bestowed upon by the coaches and influenced by the athletes, but in some cases the captain has a significant role to play while the game is in progress. Regardless of what the role of the captain looks like, it is a position of leadership.
A team captain must not only have the skill, but also the unique combination of work ethic, dedication, determination and desire. Character is just as important as ability. The position of team captain carries a higher level of expectation and responsibility but also brings with it a higher level of reward and personal satisfaction. Successful teams are so because they have good “natural” leaders. As coaches our job is to work with the team captains, giving direction and support to help them become successful team leaders.
ROLE OF THE TEAM IN SELECTION
The coaching staff should communicate what they are looking for in a captain, and have a meeting with the athletes to ask for their opinions on captain criteria. Selecting a team captain does not come down to the opinion of just the coaching staff. Without buy-in and support from their teammates, the captain can not be successful.
The following are some qualities that a good team captain should possess, as identified by the athletes and coaches of a provincial team. This was used as part of the team discussion as well as a contract that the captains signed for their teammates.
A TEAM CAPTAIN SHOULD…
L lead by example by working harder than anyone else so that the team will follow, and set high standards and high expectations for themselves and the team.
E ensure they are on time for team meetings, training and competitions; they “arrive early, stay late”.
A abide by and have a thorough understanding of the rules of the game, and possess the ability to talk calmly with officials.
D display good character by playing unselfishly and with passion, and by having a positive attitude and passing it on to teammates.
E encourage and support their teammates.
R reinforce and uphold the team’s behavior goals to put positive pressure on teammates to act and play a certain way.
S support the coaches and be willing to participate in decision making with the coaching staff about team problems and team rules.
H help create an environment of caring, trust and belief in each other on the team.
I instill confidence and be dependable; they will be there when they are needed.
P put the team first and themselves second.
HOW TO SELECT A TEAM CAPTAIN
The following are recommended steps to selection of the team captains. It is important to note this is not to take place at the very beginning of the season, as it is important to get to know the athletes first to ensure a positive and transparent selection process.
1. Have a team meeting to discuss the role of the captain, ensuring everyone (coaches and athletes) has the opportunity to share their views. Have everyone go home and think about the qualities of a good leader, and who they think would make an ideal captain.
Ask the athletes to let you know privately if they are not comfortable or interested in being a captain or assistant captain. They are not taken off the ballot, but you can avoid assigning them to this role.
2. Next time you see your athletes, hand out ballot papers. Each person should get a sheet that has a list of the athletes on it. Instruct each athlete to put a “C” beside the person they want as captain, and an “A” beside the person(s) they want as an assistant(s). Collect the ballot sheets.
3. Meet with the rest of your coaching staff and tally the ballots. If needed you can use a system like giving 2 points for a “C” vote and 1 point for an “A” vote. Determine who your captains are, finding a balance between the athlete votes and the coaches preferences.
4. Before announcing the results to the team, ask the selected athletes if they accept the position they have been chosen for. This gives them a final opportunity to decline, and puts ownership on their decision.
The selection of team captains should be taken seriously and treated with respect. This starts with the coaching staff and comes from the athletes. Selecting strong captains can be a huge asset to the coaches, providing a link between the coaching team and the athletes. Work hard to develop your captains and ensure they have the skills and support needed to succeed. Just like Spider-Man, the role of the captain takes on this great power with great responsibility.
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SAMPLE BALLOT FORM Team Captain Ballot This form is to be completed anonymously; do not put your name on it. We will be selecting one Captain and two Assistant Captains. You are allowed to vote for yourself. Consider the qualities of a good team captain when making your selections. These people will be the leaders of the team.
If you want to add any additional notes on this sheet you may. You can also note if there is someone you feel would not make a good Captain or Assistant Captain. When you are done hand your sheet in to the coaches. |
Work Cited
Watson, L. J. (2011). The Team Captain. Coaches Association of BC, BC Coaches Perspective, Fall 2011, 6-7.
Tags: choose a captain, elect a captain, select captain, team captain
Coaches Duty of Care
Aug 22
2011
Duty of care generally refers to your responsibility to keep somebody safe, and is defined as ensuring all reasonable steps are taken to overcome foreseeable risks.
Coaches are legally responsible for their athletes’ well-being – they must do no harm. There are a good many more responsibilities to consider, but this is the primary rule. (Google “Duty of Care” for a comprehensive examination of the scope involved.)
An article was published in early 2010 which reinforced some of my beliefs with respect to responsibilities I believe many dragon boat coaches either dismiss out of hand or simply don’t consider at all. The article asks:
[Click here to read full article...]
Tags: coaching the coaches, skills of coaching, what is duty of care, what is the duty of care
This just in from Tom Arnold, President of the Gorging Dragons:
Dear fellow paddler,
I have some exciting news to share with you.
You probably already know that, for many years now, the Gorging Dragons (GDs) have been privileged to represent Vancouver Island at dozens of races across Canada and around the world. And that, at these competitions, the GDs have learned a lot: discovering the amazing paddler development programs being created elsewhere across Canada, picking up ideas from the world’s leading coaches, and paddling in boats that are lighter, faster, and more maneuverable than those generally available on the Island.
But today I’m writing to tell you about how the GDs are working to ensure that you can have access to the same kinds of high-quality programs, coaching, equipment, and opportunities that other paddlers across the globe already enjoy.
In 2012, the Gorging Dragons will be launching a new paddling club, headquartered along the Gorge Waterway in Victoria.
This new club will offer:
Comprehensive* high performance dragon boat programs for those wishing to compete in men’s, women’s, and mixed events at National and International levels
A comprehensive* high performance dragon boat program for paddlers 55+ who wish to compete at the BC Senior’s Games, and other high-level races with senior divisions
Access to international class racing boats (both full season rentals, and short term rentals for teams from other clubs looking to improve their skills)
Access to coaching support, special clinics, and recruiting assistance for all member teams
Pricing and programs designed to allow members of other paddling facilities a chance to try a high performance program without leaving their home club, and for paddlers living anywhere on Vancouver Island to participate
A guaranteed voice for all club members in the governance of the club, and our promise that 100% of all revenues will be used to support and build paddling programs
Why start a new club?
It’s always been a part of the GD’s ethos to help grow the sport of dragon boating, and to give back to the Vancouver Island paddling community. Since the beginning, GD paddlers have always been strongly encouraged to coach local teams and, more recently, we’ve been able to offer a series of clinics and seminars (that have proven overwhelmingly popular).
I realize that launching a club is a big step, and that there are already several facilities on Vancouver Island with excellent coaches and solid recreational dragon boat programs (not to mention outrigger, marathon canoe, and even kayak programs). But there is simply no local equivalent of the high performance paddler development programs for dragon boat that we’ve seen in places like Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, etc.
I believe that you deserve the same choices and opportunities that exist in other parts of the country and, since no local clubs are creating such options, the GDs can offer services that are complementary to existing facilities. In doing so, we hope to attract more new people to the sport, and keep experienced paddlers participating longer by offering new ways to build skills and access to higher levels of competition.
Interested in learning more?
The history of the GDs has shown that, so long as you have the desire, there are few physical limits to competing in dragon boating. In the past year alone, two paddlers over 60 years of age have competed with the GDs, and several people who had never paddled before joined our program.
If you would like to learn more about joining a high performance program – or if your team would like to explore competitively priced rental opportunities – I encourage you to visit www.gorgingdragons.ca, and to sign up to receive more information.
How you can help
Eventually the GDs hope this new club will offer a suite of boats from quality manufacturers like BuK and Champion, as well as OC1s, paddles and PFDs. At present, however, we only have funding for a limited equipment purchase, and the number of boats that will be available in the first year of the club will depend on the number of paddlers who join in the coming months.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can help this new club provide more top quality equipment to local paddlers by making a donation, sponsorship gift, or providing volunteer support, please contact me at gdpaddler@shaw.ca.
Thank you!
The many paddling opportunities that the GDs, past and present, have enjoyed were only possible because of the tremendous support provided by Vancouver Island’s paddling community – paddlers like you, and paddling organizations like the Victoria and Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festivals. On behalf of all GDs, please allow me to say thank you.
It is my sincere hope that, as we build this new club, we can repay some of those many kindnesses, by ensuring that more Vancouver Island paddlers have access to the same (and better) opportunities that I and other GDs have had.
Again, thank you.
Sincerely,
Tom Arnold
President, Gorging Dragons
www.gorgingdragons.ca
Tags: "high performance dragon boat program", Gorging Dragons, new Victoria dragon boat club