I think I got this from my Dad. He was tough on us kids growing up and I always looked for taskmasters. For some reason in sports I liked the toughest coaches and did not like the easiest ones. In college I picked courses with the toughest professors, not the easiest.
So racquetball players here is how to pick a coach and this is my best advice I can give to anyone.
Pick a tough coach, not a cheerleader. It is okay to listen to people who watch your matches but put a filter on. Most of the feedback you get is an observation by amateur fans. A coach will have a different take. Example-at 14-14 that timeout won the match for you (fan talk). Same game coach observation might be at 14-14 that serve we have been working had paid off so all you had to do was use it again but you out-thought yourself.
If your coach is giving you tasks that are hard for you to do, and you cannot master those tasks, do not run to another coach. That is not going to help you. A coach who allows you to stay in the comfort zone, might be a coach who is interested in their monetary success more than your racquetball success.
A coach who says “No” is more valuable than a coach who tells you “Yes” and how great you are all the time. You should buy a good coach lunch, not the other way around.
A good coach can be a pain in your $#%^& and a bad coach can be like that kind uncle that bought you beer or let you drive without a license behind your parents back.
If you want that for a coach, you may be limiting your chances for success. And no, I am not buying you beer or letting you drive my car!