Ensure Instruction Matches The Standards!
Lots of people talk and preach about raising expectations and standards within a gym, program, team, etc. I couldn’t agree more that standards and expectations set the table for achievements within a particular group of coaches, athletes, and teams. If there are low levels of expectation, most athletes will perform to a low standard. Therefore, raising expectations will undoubtedly create some improvement across a group. That said, there is a direct correlation between the level of instruction given and whether higher standards and expectations are realistic or unrealistic. As coaches, we must be willing and capable of providing a high level of instruction (teaching) to create an outcome that will satisfy high standards or expectations. Ensure instruction matches the standards!
Raising the standards alone cannot make a program exceptional.
Simple elevation of expectations may work when requiring pointed toes and a strong work ethic (i.e., Tracking the number of turns to ensure a high level of activity in practice). But when it comes to pure skill quality, consistency of routine performance, high level of accountability in a program, certain qualities of attitude and emotional maturity, etc., the level or quality of instruction significantly impacts the athletes’ ability to satisfy the expectations!
- As coaches, we must know our sport and understand the intricacies and nuances of high-quality technique and execution.
- Coaches must understand how to work with athletes of various ages and maturity levels.
- We must be aware of our effect on our students’ psychological safety.
Then after studying our sport, psychology, physics, biomechanics, strength training, etc., we must be able to teach and educate. Finally, there must be an advanced level of communication and instruction to allow for the best absorption of the material we are trying to pass along. Only then will we create the best opportunity for everyone in our programs to meet our very high standards.
Teach! Do you help create gymnastics or simply correct it? Do you explain and break everything down to more simple parts?
A recipe for failure across the board is to raise expectations and standards without changing or increasing your level/quality of instruction. We cannot expect the athletes to work harder and train smarter, but we do not work harder or create a better plan. We cannot expect pointed toes and only correct their toe point one out of every ten turns. We cannot expect 5/5 routine performance and for them to earn 9.7s and not take the time to plan out practices to prepare the athletes for those results. If we do not instruct at a high level, it becomes unreasonable to expect the athletes to perform at a higher level. That disconnect between standards and instruction leads to frustration for both coaches and athletes.
The message here is not against raising expectations in your program to create better results. However, we have to invest in our education and our piece to ensure that we are capable and able to train our athletes to the level of the expectations that we would like to set for them.
