I sometimes get well-meaning “advice” emails from other folks “helping me” coach athletes. It amazes me that others think I am not trying or something. Let me throw something out there to all of you. I coach athletes who are human beings. I know their skills make them look like gods or goddesses, but they are humans and as such, they make mistakes. One such mistake is not paying attention to detail or putting something into practice. Years ago, in a world competition several people came to me to offer advice.
This player was a great player and to the fans it looked like I did not know what I was doing. The advice was you need to tell so and so to hit the ball down the line. Here is what they did not know. I had told so and so that in the first match of the tournament, but they could not hit the ball down the line due to a mechanical issue. They told me that much and that athlete fixed the flaw after that tournament.
As a coach you have to make a decision. Trying to make an athlete do something they are not comfortable with or stick with what they are doing coach around that are the only two options. You cannot make an athlete do something they are not used to doing under the pressure of competition.
Here is a piece of advice back to all well-meaning folks-do what I have done. Get your own athletes, train them from novice level to become the top pros in the world. I have done that more than once. Once you get to where I am other athletes come to me. But it is not as easy as it looks and it may look easy because my athletes work hard in practice! Here is another thought. The best play the best-and sometimes an opponent’s play has something to do with an athlete’s performance.
Oh, one more thought, and this is important! Do not stop coming to me with advice! Every once in awhile someone says something that really is helpful. I need that!