I will never forget overhearing a losing coach for a foreign team saying to me, “Well we did everything we could do. We just did not have the talent on the men’s team.” While listening my mind was thinking this:
“You are wrong my friend. The women’s team was totally neglected and that is where you could have made your points up. You also did not plan ahead. The players never got game plans or strategies for each foreign player. You just went in and “winged it”. You had months and weeks to prepare and you should have been calling your athletes, monitoring the serves they would need and the strategies to practice against other players to prepare for their opponents.
Last, your disgust for your losing players was evident to your losing players! Players need to be respected for their efforts and building a team is most important. One player losing does not make a team. Mentally preparing the team and athletes is of most importance. Sadly, you failed the team more than the team failed you!”
Here are some tips for coaches who might be lucky enough to coach a team:
1. Sometimes you know who your players will play. Prepare those players on your team. Give them scouting reports and game plans months before the tournament.
2. Private meetings with each player and each doubles team ensures success and effective communication. Waiting for match day to talk does not make for excellence!
3. Communication with coaches of your players. If you are a national coach you are probably not most of your team’s coach, so why not talk to the coach of said athlete?
4. Do be your players’ advocate! Look out for their best interest, not yours!
5. Be respectful of different attitudes, ethnic and personal backgrounds, and do not be condescending. Like it or not, you are only a coach and winning or losing may depend on not only how you coach an athlete but how you approach that athlete!
Rules 1-5 were all violated by said coach. If you are ever lucky enough to be in that position, don’t be that coach!