The Framework
I have been refining my process to help players develop for 16 years while coaching at the collegiate level (NCAA D1, D3, USports). This framework is how I think about player development based on my experience of what works.
These are my principles:
Person before player:
We are working with people, not chess pieces. Subjects, not objects. I have heard the term, “player’s coach” used in a demeaning way. It can be used to paint a coach as soft and depicts an environment that lacks discipline and accountability.
The truth is, if you are not a player’s coach, then who are you coaching? Being a player’s coach is not soft, it is appropriate. Have high standards and treat people with respect.
Putting the person first means you are viewing the player as a human being, taking the time to consider beyond physical and technical aspects; supporting mental health, social, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Personalized:
To put the person before the player means we are recognizing that each person’s needs differ from their teammates. For a player development plan to maximize it’s benefit it should be personalized. If you have children or siblings you know that a parenting strategy for one child might not work with another. It takes effort and care and it’s worth it.
When you connect one-on-one with an athlete with the sole intention of helping them get better you are creating a strong connection and empowering them. This creates team chemistry.
Challenge & Support:
Athletes want to be supported and play for a coach who has their best interest in mind. A person who treats them as if they have great potential as a player and cares for them beyond their athletic ability. They also want to know that their coach has the competence to help them improve and to be held accountable in their pursuit of getting better.
This environment is ideal because when you are supported you feel safe to take the necessary risks to grow and you have the confidence to take on the obstacles in the way of development. Being challenged forces the preparation and effort required to be successful. It feels good to improve and having a coach who can help you get better is what every athlete wants.
Coach as the Guide
A coach’s job is to help someone get from where they are to where they want to go. Coaching is a partnership that requires commitment to putting the athlete first; it is their journey. In order to inspire performance we should encourage autonomy and ownership for the player inside a team that is highly connected with a common purpose.
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TJ Manastersky 